Isa 1:3 | KingComments | STEP | Before Judah hears the indictment in the trial with the LORD, witnesses first are called ( ), namely “heavens” and “earth”. Isaiah calls upon the creative works of God to testify in the case of the covenant with the LORD that they have broken. Moses did the same in making the covenant ( ). Isaiah’s message is not only for Israel, but also for the nations ( ), yes, for all creation. After all, the Lord Jesus will also bring about a new creation. This happens in a way that is completely public and can be judged by everyone. Everyone will acknowledge the righteous way in which the LORD has done everything. Neither friend nor foe, not even the devil, will be able to show up one unlawfulness. Isaiah introduces the LORD while He is speaking. Immediately the LORD presents Himself as Father of His people – not of the individual Israelite! – and says that He “reared” sons. We see that in history during the reigns of David and Solomon, where the people became great, a people of stature. He also “brought up” the people. This means that the people have come to adulthood and have gained a position above all nations. Despite all the care with which He has treated them as His sons ( ) and with which He has surrounded them, He must tell them that they have “revolted” against Him. They have become rebellious children. This word ‘revolt’ is an important concept throughout the whole book. The fact that the word “they” has emphasis underlines the seriousness of their rebellion. Precisely from those who have been reared and brought up by the LORD in such an excellent manner and have come to maturity, such behavior is not to be expected. The reproach is entirely justified. In this Israel holds up a mirror to us. What about us who have the personal right to be children of God if at least we have believed in the Name of the Lord Jesus ( ; )? Do we know our Father in our practical life of faith and are we therefore dedicated to Him? What God has done for Israel as a people, He has done for us, who belong to the church of the living God, personally and spiritually. The story of Israel’s ingratitude and rebellion is “written for our instruction” ( ). After having called upon the inanimate nature – heavens and earth – a few unreasoning animals are set as examples to Israel, the whole people, the twelve tribes ( ; cf. ). “An ox” and “a donkey” know their “owner” and “its master’s manger” respectively; they know that they must be with him for their food. He takes care of them. Has not God looked after His people in the same way? But the people are dumber than these unreasoning animals (cf. ). As a people they are His sons – God still speaks of “ My people” – but they do not know their Father anymore. “Does not know” has the meaning of “having no relationship with Him”. As a result they also lack the most elementary “understanding” of what the LORD asks of them and of the situation in which they find themselves. With them there is no consideration before God in view of their functioning as His people. This description shows, in addition to the rebellion mentioned in , complete insensitivity and indifference to what is due to God. The people who are His possession and whom He has thus cared for completely ignore His love for them. As Creator, the Lord Jesus has a right to every human being. Through His work on the cross, He has bought all people – believing and unbelieving ( ). Through that same work He, as Savior, has redeemed all who believe ( ). Of them He is the Owner. However, many of God’s people today don’t desire the food that He has prepared for them in His “manger” which is His Word. The twofold relationship of the people to the LORD as Owner and Master is an example for us: 1. We are the possession of the Lord Jesus, He bought us, we belong to Him and depend on Him for everything we need; 2. He is our Master, we must obey Him. In God in a sevenfold enumeration of their depravity, pronounces the “woe” over them. This enumeration can be divided into two parts. In part 1 it is about their condition as a nation (1 and 2) and as a family (3 and 4): 1. nation: “sinful nation”, a nation who lacks the purpose of God for them. In Hebrew sin means: missing the goal, namely the glory of God ( ). 2. people: “people weighed down with iniquity”, a perverse, twisted people. 3. offspring: “offspring of evildoers”, they do only evil and nothing good. 4. sons: “sons who act corruptly”, they spread corruption around them. In part 2 their condition is expressed: in their hearts (5), in their words (6) and in their actions (7). They have 5. abandoned Him in their hearts, 6. despised Him with their mouths, and 7. in the way they are going they have alienated themselves from Him by turning away from Him and no longer following Him. Each part of the indictment enumerated contrasts sharply with what God purposed for His people and was entitled to expect from them ( ; ; ). Impressively, He is called here “the Holy One of Israel”, a title that is characteristic of Isaiah and for which he has a predilection (see Introduction under “Some Characteristic Expressions”). It means that the LORD is not only the greatest God, no, He is the First and the Last, yes, He is the only God. It also means that His Name is hallowed ( ) through the restoration of Israel ( ). Spiritually speaking, the members of God’s people are, as Moses says, “a perverse generation, sons in whom is no faithfulness” ( ). To them applies what the Lord Jesus later says to the Jews during His days on earth: “You are of [your] father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father” ( ). We also hear it in what He says to the Pharisees and Sadducees when He calls them “brood of vipers” ( ). They have turned away from Him and left Him to serve the idols. Because of their deviation, the LORD has had to discipline them. He wants to bring them back to Himself. He now asks them: “Where will you be stricken again?” ( ). He says as it were: ‘Has it not been enough yet? Does it still make sense to strike you still more?’ ( ). The LORD has stricken them everywhere, in all places, by means of plagues and hostile nations. He has beaten them so many times, that there is no place left where He still could strike them. In ever changing ways God has made them feel His discipline, but everything has been in vain. New discipline doesn’t seem to make sense because they continue in their rebellion. They have become totally insensitive and indifferent to any kind of discipline. And this in spite of the severity of all discipline. The prophet points this out in . “The whole head”, “the whole heart” ( ), yes, the whole body “from the sole of the foot even to the head” ( ), so externally and internally, has become rebellious against God and has felt His discipline. Head and heart control the body. With the “head” possibly the king is meant ( ) and with the “heart” the whole social life. They are sick in the head and weary in the heart. When head and heart are sick, the whole body is sick. “There is nothing sound” in the whole body. They can no longer think well with their head, they can no longer grasp courage in their heart, they have no physical strength left. Yet they do not resort to Him. If they feel anything at all, they resort to the idols ( ). Their national existence consists of open, painful, festering “bruises, welts and raw wounds” ( ). But they do not ask for a treatment of it. They are “not pressed out or bandaged, nor softened with oil”. They are so messed up that their condition does not bother them at all and that they feel no need for healing. Not only their lives prove their unfaithfulness, but also the condition of the land, which “is desolate” ( ). Isaiah speaks of “your land”. The LORD has given them that land to live there and to enjoy its fruit. That the land is desolate is said at the beginning and at the end of . It is directly related to the curse that Moses foresaw in the case of unfaithfulness of the people ( ; ). The prophet Isaiah uses the words of Moses and applies them to his time. The devastations are the result of the attack of the Assyrians ( ). The prophet also speaks of “your cities” and “your fields”. It is all given to them to live in them and to live from them. However, nothing is left of the cities. They are burned with fire, there is no place left to live. What the fields yield is devoured before their eyes by “strangers”, the enemy who is in the land. Those strangers have “overthrown” their fields. Their unfaithfulness has turned everything upside down. There is no place for the LORD anymore and therefore His people and the proceeds of the land are given up to the heathen. The land is the land of the LORD ( ), but the vine-growers have taken possession of the inheritance unlawfully ( ).

‏ Isaiah 1:3

The Guilt of the People Established

Before Judah hears the indictment in the trial with the LORD, witnesses first are called (Isa 1:2), namely “heavens” and “earth”. Isaiah calls upon the creative works of God to testify in the case of the covenant with the LORD that they have broken. Moses did the same in making the covenant (Deu 32:1).

Isaiah’s message is not only for Israel, but also for the nations (Isa 49:6), yes, for all creation. After all, the Lord Jesus will also bring about a new creation. This happens in a way that is completely public and can be judged by everyone. Everyone will acknowledge the righteous way in which the LORD has done everything. Neither friend nor foe, not even the devil, will be able to show up one unlawfulness.

Isaiah introduces the LORD while He is speaking. Immediately the LORD presents Himself as Father of His people – not of the individual Israelite! – and says that He “reared” sons. We see that in history during the reigns of David and Solomon, where the people became great, a people of stature. He also “brought up” the people. This means that the people have come to adulthood and have gained a position above all nations.

Despite all the care with which He has treated them as His sons (Deu 14:1a) and with which He has surrounded them, He must tell them that they have “revolted” against Him. They have become rebellious children. This word ‘revolt’ is an important concept throughout the whole book.

The fact that the word “they” has emphasis underlines the seriousness of their rebellion. Precisely from those who have been reared and brought up by the LORD in such an excellent manner and have come to maturity, such behavior is not to be expected. The reproach is entirely justified.

In this Israel holds up a mirror to us. What about us who have the personal right to be children of God if at least we have believed in the Name of the Lord Jesus (Jn 1:12; 1Jn 3:1)? Do we know our Father in our practical life of faith and are we therefore dedicated to Him? What God has done for Israel as a people, He has done for us, who belong to the church of the living God, personally and spiritually. The story of Israel’s ingratitude and rebellion is “written for our instruction” (1Cor 10:11).

After having called upon the inanimate nature – heavens and earth – a few unreasoning animals are set as examples to Israel, the whole people, the twelve tribes (Isa 1:3; cf. Jer 8:7). “An ox” and “a donkey” know their “owner” and “its master’s manger” respectively; they know that they must be with him for their food. He takes care of them. Has not God looked after His people in the same way?

But the people are dumber than these unreasoning animals (cf. Psa 73:22). As a people they are His sons – God still speaks of “My people” – but they do not know their Father anymore. “Does not know” has the meaning of “having no relationship with Him”. As a result they also lack the most elementary “understanding” of what the LORD asks of them and of the situation in which they find themselves. With them there is no consideration before God in view of their functioning as His people.

This description shows, in addition to the rebellion mentioned in Isa 1:2, complete insensitivity and indifference to what is due to God. The people who are His possession and whom He has thus cared for completely ignore His love for them.

As Creator, the Lord Jesus has a right to every human being. Through His work on the cross, He has bought all people – believing and unbelieving (2Pet 2:1). Through that same work He, as Savior, has redeemed all who believe (1Pet 1:18-19). Of them He is the Owner. However, many of God’s people today don’t desire the food that He has prepared for them in His “manger” which is His Word.

The twofold relationship of the people to the LORD as Owner and Master is an example for us:

1. We are the possession of the Lord Jesus, He bought us, we belong to Him and depend on Him for everything we need;

2. He is our Master, we must obey Him.

In Isa 1:4 God in a sevenfold enumeration of their depravity, pronounces the “woe” over them. This enumeration can be divided into two parts.

In part 1 it is about their condition as a nation (1 and 2) and as a family (3 and 4):

1. nation: “sinful nation”, a nation who lacks the purpose of God for them. In Hebrew sin means: missing the goal, namely the glory of God (Rom 3:23).

2. people: “people weighed down with iniquity”, a perverse, twisted people.

3. offspring: “offspring of evildoers”, they do only evil and nothing good.

4. sons: “sons who act corruptly”, they spread corruption around them.

In part 2 their condition is expressed: in their hearts (5), in their words (6) and in their actions (7). They have

5. abandoned Him in their hearts,

6. despised Him with their mouths, and

7. in the way they are going they have alienated themselves from Him by turning away from Him and no longer following Him.

Each part of the indictment enumerated contrasts sharply with what God purposed for His people and was entitled to expect from them (Exo 19:6a; Deu 14:1-2; 1Pet 2:9). Impressively, He is called here “the Holy One of Israel”, a title that is characteristic of Isaiah and for which he has a predilection (see Introduction under “Some Characteristic Expressions”). It means that the LORD is not only the greatest God, no, He is the First and the Last, yes, He is the only God. It also means that His Name is hallowed (Mt 6:9b) through the restoration of Israel (Eze 36:22-23).

Spiritually speaking, the members of God’s people are, as Moses says, “a perverse generation, sons in whom is no faithfulness” (Deu 32:20b). To them applies what the Lord Jesus later says to the Jews during His days on earth: “You are of [your] father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father” (Jn 8:44a). We also hear it in what He says to the Pharisees and Sadducees when He calls them “brood of vipers” (Mt 3:7). They have turned away from Him and left Him to serve the idols.

Because of their deviation, the LORD has had to discipline them. He wants to bring them back to Himself. He now asks them: “Where will you be stricken again?” (Isa 1:5a). He says as it were: ‘Has it not been enough yet? Does it still make sense to strike you still more?’ (Jer 2:30a ; Jer 5:3).

The LORD has stricken them everywhere, in all places, by means of plagues and hostile nations. He has beaten them so many times, that there is no place left where He still could strike them. In ever changing ways God has made them feel His discipline, but everything has been in vain. New discipline doesn’t seem to make sense because they continue in their rebellion. They have become totally insensitive and indifferent to any kind of discipline. And this in spite of the severity of all discipline. The prophet points this out in Isa 1:5b-7.

“The whole head”, “the whole heart” (Isa 1:5b), yes, the whole body “from the sole of the foot even to the head” (Isa 1:6a), so externally and internally, has become rebellious against God and has felt His discipline. Head and heart control the body. With the “head” possibly the king is meant (2Chr 28:22) and with the “heart” the whole social life. They are sick in the head and weary in the heart. When head and heart are sick, the whole body is sick. “There is nothing sound” in the whole body. They can no longer think well with their head, they can no longer grasp courage in their heart, they have no physical strength left. Yet they do not resort to Him. If they feel anything at all, they resort to the idols (2Chr 28:22-23).

Their national existence consists of open, painful, festering “bruises, welts and raw wounds” (Isa 1:6b). But they do not ask for a treatment of it. They are “not pressed out or bandaged, nor softened with oil”. They are so messed up that their condition does not bother them at all and that they feel no need for healing.

Not only their lives prove their unfaithfulness, but also the condition of the land, which “is desolate” (Isa 1:7). Isaiah speaks of “your land”. The LORD has given them that land to live there and to enjoy its fruit. That the land is desolate is said at the beginning and at the end of Isa 1:7. It is directly related to the curse that Moses foresaw in the case of unfaithfulness of the people (Lev 26:33b; Deu 28:49-52). The prophet Isaiah uses the words of Moses and applies them to his time. The devastations are the result of the attack of the Assyrians (Isa 36:1).

The prophet also speaks of “your cities” and “your fields”. It is all given to them to live in them and to live from them. However, nothing is left of the cities. They are burned with fire, there is no place left to live. What the fields yield is devoured before their eyes by “strangers”, the enemy who is in the land. Those strangers have “overthrown” their fields. Their unfaithfulness has turned everything upside down. There is no place for the LORD anymore and therefore His people and the proceeds of the land are given up to the heathen. The land is the land of the LORD (Lev 25:23), but the vine-growers have taken possession of the inheritance unlawfully (Mt 21:38).