It has been said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” This is indeed true. For as we cease to examine our lives, we cease to correct ourselves according to the rule of Scripture. Isaiah is a book which will call us to examine our lives, and specifically this first chapter is the first such call.

Overall, Isaiah is an odd prophetic book in that the prophet’s call does not even come until the sixth chapter. We have five chapters before we even read of the prophet’s call and mission from the Lord. So, what are we then to make of these first five chapters? Why include messages that Isaiah probably preached after his call before he even records his call? I think it is because Isaiah wants us to see the state of the nation at the time of his call. I think he wants us to understand the situation of Israel and feel their sin, guilt, and rebellious hearts before we get to his call so that we know into what exactly he is being called. And beginning these first five chapters, chapter 1 gives us a clear understanding of how terrible of a situation Isaiah was facing as he lays out the clear sinfulness and guilt of God’s people.

Israel’s clear guilt and God’s gracious work (1-9)

In the first nine verses of the chapter Isaiah shows the situation of the nation with a courtroom drama. God calls Israel to trial and all of creation to witness. Thus, though Isaiah is the one speaking, he calls all of creation to testify that the voice of the Lord is the one speaking. He says in 2a, “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord has spoken.” And from there he proceeds to lay out the charges against Israel. He points out in 2b-3 that Israel has been as a son the Lord has reared up only now to rebel against him. He compares Israel to animals who automatically obey their master at his voice and points out that Israel does not know its master.

From there the Lord points out the nature of their rebellion in verse 4. They are a privileged people who have clearly abandoned the Lord. They were the Lord’s nation, his people, his sons, and his offspring. Now, he proclaims of them that they are a sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, an offspring of evildoers, and sons who deal corruptly. They have forsaken the Lord, despised their God, and now they are as those estranged.

Finally the Lord displays the unreasonableness of their rebellion. He asks them why they will press on in rebellion while they know that it will bring more punishment as he disciplines them. We read in verses 5-8, “Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and raw wounds; they are not pressed out or bound up or softened with oil. Your country lies desolate; your cities are burned with fire; in your very presence foreigners devour your land; it is desolate, as overthrown by foreigners. And the daughter of Zion is left like a booth in a vineyard, like a lodge in a cucumber field, like a besieged city.” Israel is like a child who refuses to obey, even though it means they will continue to get spanked. In this courtroom trial the Lord is asking his people, “Why, seeing that you will be beaten again, do you rebel again?”¹

Israel is clearly guilty. Despite their privileged status and discipline from the Lord, they have sinned and continued in sin. They are clearly seen as guilty already, and yet we read of the Lord’s kindness in verse 9 as Isaiah writes, “If the Lord of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we should have been like Sodom, and become like Gomorrah.” Even amidst their great sin the Lord had left a remnant, those with whom he would show his faithfulness.

Israel’s meaningless religion and God’s verdict – an offer of forgiveness (10-20)

Lest God’s mercy lead them to ignore their sin, however, the Lord calls them back to attention (10). And this time he refers to them as Sodom and Gomorrah. That is he was saying that they are akin to those nations which not only accepted their sin but paraded it. Then in verse 11 the Lord points out that their religious practices mean nothing to him. Isaiah writes, “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats.”

But why did such sacrifices mean nothing to the Lord if they were the very sacrifices he established? Isaiah gives us the answer in verses 12-15. He points out that their sacrifices had become mere formalism, as they trampled the Lord’s courts (12). Also, as they attempted these religious practices they were continuing in iniquity without repentance. Thus, God declares, “I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly” (13). These ceremonial practices had been given by God to his people so that those who desired to live a life of obedience before the Lord might actually live before him. Therefore, without a desire for obedience and a life reflective of that, these ceremonies were useless. Thus, the Lord makes clear in verses 14-15 that he hates with all his heart how they carry out these feasts while ignoring their sin and thus tells them in verse 15 that he will no longer hear their prayers. Again, Israel is attempting to limit their lives before God to a mere external formal exercising of rites while ignoring their sin and continuing in it without repentance.

However, the Lord does not simply tell them that they are wrong but provides them with an answer to their actions. He commands them in verse 16 to wash themselves, make themselves clean, and to remove the evil of their deeds. That is purify what they are doing. But how will they go about it? After all, they have been entrenched in this sin. Again, the Lord gives instruction at the end of verse 16 and the beginning of verse 17. He writes, “Cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice.” That is, stop what you’re doing, learn again what is right, and then seek to practice what is right. Then, in the last part of verse 17 he shows them that doing what is right not only involves them as individuals but also society. They are to correct oppression, bring justice to the fatherless, and plead the widow’s cause.

Verse 18 then comes as a shock. It’s as if the Lord calls his people to the bench to hear the verdict, and he offers them forgiveness, cleansing, and life! God tells them that he is going to provide a way for their forgiveness, writing in verse 18, “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.” Their forgiveness is sure, but they are still called to obey, and if they don’t there will be punishment (19-20).

Israel’s sin in society and God’s redemptive work of restoration (21-26)

As the Lord now moves to a third summons, he focuses on the downfall of society as a whole. Israel, under David, had been a faithful city, even as a good wife is faithful. Now, they had become a whore. The city which had shown forth such justice was now full of murderers (21). In verse 22, the Lord points out that they had become utterly corrupt, writing, “Your silver has become dross, your best wine mixed with water.” Silver which has become dross is utterly useless and once win is mixed with water it is utterly tainted. So it is with the city. The princes were rebels and friends of thieves. Those who were meant to protect and judge justly loved bribes and gifts and not longer sought justice for the fatherless and those lower in society could not even get their cases heard (23). God’s people were utterly corrupt.

Yet there was a promise; God was going to come against his foes and turn his hand against his people. This is the phrase we read in verses 25-26. And although this is typically symbolic of hostile activity, here it is a promise of restoration. God says, “I will turn my hand against you and will smelt away your dross as with lye and remove all your alloy. And I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.” God was going to restore this city to as it was before, a city of righteousness, a faithful city. He was going to purify even the society in which the people dwelt. He was going to establish them again under King David.

The final declaration of reconciliation (27-31)

Finally, in verses 27-31, God gives explanation as to how he will carry out this work. In verse 27 he shows that Zion shall be redeemed by justice and righteousness, though we don’t know exactly from this text how it will come (that comes throughout the rest of the book and the NT). However, for those who have rebelled, those coming after them will be reap what they have sown. They have chosen their gods, and they are like a tree without water and life. They have chosen false religion, and it will bring forth no life but death. In fact, God declares in 31, “And the strong shall become tinder, and his work a spark, and both of them shall burn together, with none to quench them.” That is to say the combination of their works will be like bringing together two things that will cause an explosion. It will end in self-destruction.

Having walked through the text, is this chapter not an opportunity to ask ourselves if Israel is here a picture of us? Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10:11 that Israel’s sin and judgment were written as an example and instruction for us. Therefore, I think it indeed is a call to look at ourselves in light of this depiction of Israel.

Indeed, we are a privileged people, even more than Israel, for not all of them belonged to the Lord. Paul makes this clear in Romans 9, pointing out that not all of Israel is Israel. That is to say, the entire nation was not God’s spiritual children but only those who had faith as Abraham. Therefore, today, we are in a privileged position of belonging to the Lord. Not only that, we’ve witnessed God’s redemption in Christ and have become partakers of the Spirit and have tasted forgiveness and the power of God. We are a privileged people. Therefore, let us look at our own lives this morning and examine ourselves in light of the Lord’s charges to his people. Let us be, as it were, people sitting in observance of this trial, examining our own lives as the Lord speaks to his people. In short I simply want to ask us a few questions this morning.

1. Have we lost sign of the unreasonableness of sin and the unacceptability of sin in our lives?

As God first speaks in this chapter he points out that Israel sins greatly despite their great privilege and will not stop sinning despite the consequences and discipline it brings.

This questioning reminds me of my interaction with my two-year-old son. I love him and only want what is best for him. That is a position of great privilege in world where many parents don’t care about the good of their children. And yet, he so often seeks disobedience. I have even sat in the floor, commanding him to do something, telling him that he will get a spanking if he doesn’t obey, and spanking him when he didn’t obey only to have to repeat that process again and again and again right there. In those moments, I think, “Just open your eyes and realize how unreasonable your actions are.”

But, we need to ask ourselves if we have lost sight of the unreasonableness and unacceptability of sin in our lives? Do we see some sins as reasonable and acceptable, as if we somehow deserve to dabble in them and hold tightly to them? If so, we must open our eyes and realize that no sin is acceptable in the life of one who has been redeemed by Christ. We are of those who he has preserved in this world as his own and called to be holy. No sin can be seen as acceptable, and if we think that one is, we need to hear those first eight verses of Isaiah 1 as being spoken to us. We are in sin and our sin must be dealt with in our lives.

2. Are we blinded to the reality of sin? That is, do we still recognize sin as sin?

Those in Isaiah 1 had somehow gotten to the point of thinking they were okay with all the practicing of external religion while harboring sin as okay and walking unrepentant. It’s as if they had lost the ability to see sin as sin and thought God should find their involvement in such religious practices acceptable.

Therefore, I think this is a call to ask ourselves if our hearts been hardened so that we no longer see the sinfulness of sin and think external religion alone is acceptable while walking in iniquity. Now by that I don’t mean that we would say such a thing with our mouths, for I don’t think any of us would. But are we living that way?

Let me ask it this way, “Are you no longer fighting certain sins in your life and even feeling an absence of conviction, thinking you are okay as you carry on an appearance of obedience in external things?” Have you limited your life before God to external, formal practice of religion: coming to church, singing, etc., while we are accepting our sin and remaining unrepentant? If so, as with Israel, you need to correct some things fast. In short, we must obey the commands of verses 16-17. We must stop sinning, relearn what is right, and seek justice.

Just because we are not being convicted of sin does not mean that all is well. Such might only show that your heart is hardened beyond a point of sensitivity. Rather, know this, if you are harboring sin, God hates what you’re doing with all his heart and demands repentance. You cannot simply ignore your sin. Therefore, let us stop our sin, return to meditating on the Lord so that we can relearn and re-sensitize our heart to what is right and wrong, and then seek to do what is right. Maybe today is a day we need to let our life come to a screeching halt and regroup before we show ourselves to be hardened so that repentance is impossible.

3. Are we ignoring our responsibility in society? Have we forgotten that obedience involves laboring for the rest of society?

Yes, with Israel the nation and religion were the same, and that is different now. God’s people are from every nation and the United States is not somehow that which is composed of God’s chosen people. God’s reign is over the entire cosmos.

However, what the Lord pronounces in Isaiah of restoring the society itself typifies his redemptive plan of restoration. God’s plan is to redeem the entire cosmos. His concern is not simply for people’s souls but for all of society to reflect his perfect will. Therefore, we must ask ourselves if we are content to labor in our own lives while ignoring the injustice and needs of those in society. If so, we are in disobedience, and we must repent and labor to see justice carried out in society as well as in the church.

4. Are you believing the Lord’s promises and faithfulness so that they lead you to walk in obedience, or are you walking in unbelief?

What God gives Israel as hope for obedience is his promised redemption and faithfulness. But so many times we can find ourselves ignoring that basis for obedience. For, obedience is always by faith and disobedience is always a lack of faith. Therefore, as you consider temptation and obedience, ask yourself if you are you walking in faith? Do you strengthen yourself in times of temptation by reminding yourself of God’s faithfulness and promises or do you only feed yourself the pleasure of sin? Let us begin today to meditate on the blessings of obedience, the promises and faithfulness of God and begin to fight temptation and who our faith by our works.

5. Finally, are you aware of Christ’s work of forgiveness and redemption for you?

We have spoken much of obedience, and it is right, but obedience is not the basis for our forgiveness, but the outgrowth of it. God has not asked you to do enough good to make yourself acceptable. He has done it for you, even as we read from Micah. He has pleaded your case for you. He has said, “Come, let us reason together, though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow.” Therefore, are you walking as though under the law or are you walking, realizing your forgiveness because of the work of Christ, laboring to obey him as his redeemed?

My prayer today is that we focus afresh on our redemption in Christ, remind ourselves of his commands of obedience to his redeemed people, and walk from our gathering this morning as those who will wage war against sin by the grace of God and live holy lives before the Lord who has redeemed us. Amen.

¹J. Alec Motyer, The Prophecy of Isaiah: An Introduction and Commentary (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), 44.

SIN, GUILT, AND THE HOPE OF SALVATION