Rev Kev | Cornerstone Baptist Church, McMinnville, TN | Sunday AM, April
14, 2001
Isaiah 1:1-7, 16-20 “The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw
concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and
Hezekiah, kings of Judah. 2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth:
for the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they
have rebelled against me. 3 The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his
master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. 4
Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children
that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy
One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. 5 Why should ye be
stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and
the whole heart faint. 6 From the sole of the foot even unto the
head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying
sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with
ointment. 7
Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land,
strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by
strangers…
16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of
your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; 17 Learn
to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead
for the widow. 18 Come now, and let us reason together,
saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. 19 If ye be willing and
obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: 20 But if ye refuse and
rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath
spoken it.”
The name
"Isaiah" means "Salvation of the Lord." Redemption is the theme of this book. He ministered
to Judah during the reign of 4 Kings (Jotham,
Ahaz, Hezekiah & Mannasseh).
Isaiah loved his nation! The phrase "my people" is used 26 times.
Isaiah loved God! His common
phrase for God is, "the Holy one of Israel" used 25 times.
Isaiah was a courageous
man! He was
unafraid to denounce the wrong policies of Kings or hypocrisy of Priests. The story of the prophet Isaiah is that of a
man who spoke to an age that mocked God and refused His message.
A most
famous line; when Isaiah inquired in anguish, “Who hath believed our report?” (In
anguish for his name | In partnership
with God)
The importance
of the book of Isaiah is understood by the number of times it’s referred to in
the New Testament (190).
Isaiah witnessed the fall
of Israel (N) to Assyria. There
was constant conflict for domination of Judah by Phoenicia, Philistia, Edom,
Syria, Egypt, Assyria & later Babylon.
When the nation of Israel, and then Judah fell, this didn’t mean God
failed! It meant God's people had! If America should fall the same would be
true!
In Isaiah 1 we see three
major divisions: 1. Judah's Guilt; 2. God's Grace; 3.
Blessing & Warning. These divisions will
serve as our outline.
1.
JUDAH'S
GUILTY CONDITION (v 1-7).
A Rebellious Condition (v 2) “Rebelled”
– to quarrel with, revolt, or offend.
One of
the saddest acts in society is the willful rebellion of a child against their
parent. Israel had been
greatly blessed. So have we!
God's people are in rebellion! It is an
age-old-problem (Adam, Cain, Abraham,
Jacob, Moses, David).
A Resentful Condition (v 3-4) The word “inconsiderate” means to be without due regard;
thoughtless, unthinking; without perception or understanding.
This is
how many people treat God today! Psalm 50:21 “These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou
thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove
thee, and set them in order…”
We are
to consider God in all things and at all times! Hebrews 3:1 “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider
the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus.”
A Revolting Condition (v 5) “Revolt” means to break away or rise
against. Rom 9:20-21 “..who art thou
that repliest against God?...Hath not the potter power over the clay..?”
The more
God chastened, the more they rebelled. Hebrews 12:6-7 “My son, despise not thou the chastening of the
Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he
chasteneth…If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons…”
God has
the right to rule over us! Isaiah 64:8 “O LORD, thou art our father;
we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.”
A Repulsive Condition (v 5-6) “Why should
ye be stricken any more? …the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. 6 From the sole of the foot
even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and
putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither
mollified with ointment.” This is an
example of what sin will do!
A Ruined Condition (v 7) “Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land,
strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by
strangers.” Ransacked, ruined, over run,
over thrown
Psalm
33:12 “Blessed is the nation whose God is
the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.”
Proverbs
14:34 “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but
sin is a reproach to any people.”
2. GOD'S GRACIOUS OFFER (v 18-19). “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins
be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson,
they shall be as wool. 19
If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:”
It is both astonishing and amazing that God desires to “reason with those” in a rebellious, resentful, revolting, repulsive,
ruined condition!
Isaiah
43:25-26 “I, even I, am
he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, And will not
remember thy sins. 26 Put me in remembrance: let us plead together:”
Isaiah
55:7 “Let the wicked forsake his way,… and
let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; …for he will
abundantly pardon.”
Considering all we’re
guilty of… It’s amazing that God should be willing…
To Forgive AT all!
Isaiah 64:6 “We are all as an unclean thing,
and all our righteous-nesses are
as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the
wind, have taken us away.” Also Rom
3:10, 23.
This may be the way you are, but
it’s not what God meant you to be!
Jeremiah
31:3 “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love:
therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”
To Forgive ALL!
Revelation
22:17 “The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that
heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will,
let him take the water of life freely.”
1Timothy
2:3-4 “For
this is good and acceptable in
the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to
come unto the knowledge of the truth.”
To Forgive on such simple terms (v 18)! “Come
now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as
scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they
shall be as wool.”
Matthew
11:28 “Come unto me, all ye
that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
3.
GOD'S
BLESSING vs WARNING.
God’s warning given (v 20). “But if ye refuse and
rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath
spoken it.”
God’s blessing promised (v 25-28). “I
will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all
thy tin: 26 And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy
counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of
righteousness, the faithful city. 27 Zion shall be redeemed with
judgment, and her converts with righteousness. 28 And the
destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they
that forsake the Lord shall be consumed.”
