Monday 20 January 2014
An excerpt of the Watchtower society's commentary on the book of Isaiah Ch.1-3,Vol.1
A reproduction of the Watchtower Society's article
Chapter One
An Ancient Prophet With a Modern Message
WHO today does not yearn for relief from the problems that face mankind? Yet, how often our longings go unfulfilled! We dream of peace, but we are plagued by war. We cherish law and order, but we cannot stem the rising tide of robbery, rape, and murder. We want to trust our neighbor, but we have to lock our doors for protection. We love our children and try to instill wholesome values in them, but all too often we watch helplessly as they succumb to the unwholesome influence of their peers.
2 We might well agree with Job, who stated that man’s short life is “glutted with agitation.” (Job 14:1) This seems especially so today, for society is deteriorating on a scale never before seen. One U.S. senator observed: “The Cold War is now over, but in a tragic sense, the world has now been made safer for ethnic, tribal, and religious vengeance and savagery. . . . We have watered down our moral standards to the point where many of our youth are confused, discouraged and in deep trouble. We are reaping the harvest of parental neglect, divorce, child abuse, teen pregnancy, school dropouts, illegal drugs, and streets full of violence. It’s as if our house, having survived the great earthquake we call the Cold War, is now being eaten away by termites.”
3 However, we are not left without hope. Some 2,700 years ago, God inspired a man of the Middle East to utter a series of prophecies that have special meaning for our day. These messages are recorded in the Bible book bearing that prophet’s name—Isaiah. Who was Isaiah, and why can we say that his prophecy, recorded almost three millenniums ago, provides light for all mankind today?
A Righteous Man in Turbulent Times
4 In the first verse of his book, Isaiah introduces himself as “the son of Amoz,”* and he tells us that he served as God’s prophet “in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.” (Isaiah 1:1) This would mean that Isaiah continued as God’s prophet to the nation of Judah for no less than 46 years, likely beginning at the end of Uzziah’s reign—about the year 778 B.C.E.
5 Compared with what we know about some other prophets, we know little about the personal life of Isaiah. We do know that he was a married man and that he referred to his wife as “the prophetess.” (Isaiah 8:3) According to McClintock and Strong’s Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, this designation indicates that Isaiah’s married life “was not only consistent with his vocation, but that it was intimately interwoven with it.” It may well be that, similar to some other godly women of ancient Israel, Isaiah’s wife had her own prophetic assignment.—Judges 4:4; 2 Kings 22:14.
6 Isaiah and his wife had at least two sons, each given a name with prophetic significance. The firstborn, Shear-jashub, accompanied Isaiah when he delivered God’s messages to wicked King Ahaz. (Isaiah 7:3) It is evident that Isaiah and his wife made worship of God a family matter—a fine example for married couples today!
7 Isaiah and his family lived during a turbulent period in Judah’s history. Political unrest was common, bribery tainted the courts, and hypocrisy tore the religious fabric of society. The hilltops were covered with altars to false gods. Even some of the kings promoted pagan worship. Ahaz, for instance, not only tolerated idolatry among his subjects but personally engaged in it, making his own offspring “pass through the fire” in a ritual sacrifice to the Canaanite god Molech.* (2 Kings 16:3, 4; 2 Chronicles 28:3, 4) And all of this took place among a people who were in a covenant relationship with Jehovah!—Exodus 19:5-8.
8 Commendably, some of Isaiah’s contemporaries—including a few rulers—tried to promote true worship. Among them was King Uzziah, who did “what was upright in Jehovah’s eyes.” Still, during his reign the people were “sacrificing and making sacrificial smoke on the high places.” (2 Kings 15:3, 4) King Jotham too “kept doing what was right in Jehovah’s eyes.” However, “the people were yet acting ruinously.” (2 Chronicles 27:2) Yes, throughout much of Isaiah’s prophetic ministry, the kingdom of Judah was in a deplorable spiritual and moral state. By and large, the people ignored any positive influence that came from their kings. Understandably, delivering God’s messages to this stubborn people would not be an easy assignment. Nevertheless, when Jehovah posed the question, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Isaiah did not hesitate. He exclaimed: “Here I am! Send me.”—Isaiah 6:8.
A Message of Salvation
9 Isaiah’s name means “Salvation of Jehovah,” and this could well be called the theme of his message. True, some of Isaiah’s prophecies are of judgment. Still, the theme of salvation comes through loud and clear. Repeatedly, Isaiah related how in due time Jehovah would release the Israelites from captivity in Babylon, allowing a remnant to return to Zion and bring the land back to its former splendor. No doubt the privilege of speaking and writing prophecies concerning the restoration of his beloved Jerusalem gave Isaiah the greatest joy!
10 But what do these messages of judgment and salvation have to do with us? Happily, Isaiah does not prophesy simply for the benefit of the two-tribe kingdom of Judah. On the contrary, his messages have special significance for our day. Isaiah paints a glorious picture of how God’s Kingdom will soon bring grand blessings to our earth. In this regard, a large portion of Isaiah’s writings focuses on the foretold Messiah, who would rule as King of God’s Kingdom. (Daniel 9:25; John 12:41) Surely it is no coincidence that the names Jesus and Isaiah express virtually the same thought, the name Jesus meaning “Jehovah Is Salvation.”
11 Of course, Jesus was not born until some seven centuries after Isaiah’s day. Yet, the Messianic prophecies contained in the book of Isaiah are so detailed and so accurate that they read like an eyewitness account of Jesus’ life on earth. One source noted that in view of this, the book of Isaiah is sometimes called the “Fifth Gospel.” Hence, it is hardly surprising that Isaiah was the Bible book most frequently quoted by Jesus and his apostles in order to make a clear identification of the Messiah.
12 Isaiah paints a glorious word picture of “new heavens and a new earth” wherein “a king will reign for righteousness itself” and princes will rule for justice. (Isaiah 32:1, 2; 65:17, 18; 2 Peter 3:13) Thus the book of Isaiah points to the heartwarming hope of God’s Kingdom, under the Messiah Jesus Christ as enthroned King. What an encouragement for us to live each day in joyful expectation of “salvation by [Jehovah]”! (Isaiah 25:9; 40:28-31) Let us, then, eagerly examine the precious message in the book of Isaiah. As we do so, our confidence in God’s promises will be greatly strengthened. Also, we will be helped to grow in our conviction that Jehovah is indeed the God of our salvation.
[Footnotes]
Isaiah’s father, Amoz, is not to be confused with Amos who prophesied at the beginning of Uzziah’s reign and who wrote the Bible book bearing his name.
Some say that to “pass through the fire” may simply indicate a purification ceremony. It seems, though, that in this context the phrase refers to a literal sacrifice. There is no question that child sacrifice was practiced by Canaanites and apostate Israelites.—Deuteronomy 12:31; Psalm 106:37, 38.
Chapter Two
A Father and His Rebellious Sons
HE PROVIDED well for his children, as would any loving parent. For many years he made sure that they were fed, clothed, and sheltered. When it was necessary, he disciplined them. But their punishment was never excessive; it was always administered “to the proper degree.” (Jeremiah 30:11) We can only imagine, then, the pain that this loving father feels at having to make the statement: “Sons I have brought up and raised, but they themselves have revolted against me.”—Isaiah 1:2b.
2 The rebellious sons referred to here are the people of Judah, and the aggrieved father is Jehovah God. How tragic! Jehovah has nourished the Judeans and raised them to an elevated position among the nations. “I went on to clothe you with an embroidered garment and to shoe you with sealskin and to wrap you in fine linen and to cover you with costly material,” he later reminds them through the prophet Ezekiel. (Ezekiel 16:10) Yet, for the most part, the people of Judah do not appreciate what Jehovah has done for them. Instead, they rebel, or revolt.
3 With good reason, Jehovah prefaces these words regarding his rebellious sons with the statement: “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for Jehovah himself has spoken.” (Isaiah 1:2a) Centuries earlier the heavens and the earth heard, as it were, the Israelites receive explicit warnings regarding the consequences of disobedience. Moses said: “I do take as witnesses against you today the heavens and the earth, that you will positively perish in a hurry from off the land to which you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of it.” (Deuteronomy 4:26) Now in Isaiah’s day, Jehovah calls upon the invisible heavens and the visible earth to bear witness to Judah’s revolt.
4 The severity of the situation calls for a straightforward approach. Even in these dire circumstances, however, it is noteworthy—and heartwarming—that Jehovah presents himself to Judah as a loving parent rather than merely the owner who has purchased them. In effect, Jehovah is entreating his people to consider the matter from the standpoint of a father who is in anguish over his wayward sons. Perhaps some parents in Judah can even personally relate to such a predicament and are moved by the analogy. In any event, Jehovah is about to state his case against Judah.
Brute Beasts Know Better
5 Through Isaiah, Jehovah says: “A bull well knows its buyer, and the ass the manger of its owner; Israel itself has not known, my own people have not behaved understandingly.” (Isaiah 1:3)* The bull and the ass are draft animals familiar to those living in the Middle East. Indeed, the Judeans would not deny that even these lowly beasts display a sense of faithfulness, a keen awareness that they belong to a master. In this regard, consider what one Bible researcher witnessed at the close of the day in a Middle Eastern city: “No sooner had the drove got within the walls than it began to disperse. Every ox knew perfectly well his owner, and the way to his house, nor did it get bewildered for a moment in the mazes of the narrow and crooked alleys. As for the ass, he walked straight to the door, and up to ‘his master’s crib.’”
6 Since such scenes are no doubt common in Isaiah’s day, the point of Jehovah’s message is clear: If even a brute beast recognizes its master and its own manger, what excuse can the people of Judah offer for having left Jehovah? Truly, they have “not behaved understandingly.” It is as if they have no consciousness of the fact that their prosperity and their very existence depend upon Jehovah. It is indeed an evidence of mercy that Jehovah still refers to the Judeans as “my own people”!
7 Never would we want to behave without understanding by failing to show appreciation for all that Jehovah has done for us! Instead, we should imitate the psalmist David, who said: “I will laud you, O Jehovah, with all my heart; I will declare all your wonderful works.” (Psalm 9:1) Continually taking in knowledge of Jehovah will encourage us in this regard, for the Bible states that “the knowledge of the Most Holy One is what understanding is.” (Proverbs 9:10) Meditating daily on Jehovah’s blessings will help us to be thankful and not take our heavenly Father for granted. (Colossians 3:15) “The one offering thanksgiving as his sacrifice is the one that glorifies me,” says Jehovah, “and as for the one keeping a set way, I will cause him to see salvation by God.”—Psalm 50:23.
A Shocking Affront to “the Holy One of Israel”
8 Isaiah continues his message with strong words for the nation of Judah: “Woe to the sinful nation, the people heavy with error, an evildoing seed, ruinous sons! They have left Jehovah, they have treated the Holy One of Israel with disrespect, they have turned backwards.” (Isaiah 1:4) Wicked deeds can accumulate to the extent that they become like a crushing weight. In Abraham’s day Jehovah described the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah as “very heavy.” (Genesis 18:20) Something similar is now evident in the people of Judah, for Isaiah says that they are “heavy with error.” In addition, he calls them “an evildoing seed, ruinous sons.” Yes, the Judeans are like delinquent children. They have “turned backwards,” or as the New Revised Standard Version puts it, they are “utterly estranged” from their Father.
9 By their wayward course, the people of Judah are showing gross disrespect for “the Holy One of Israel.” What is the significance of this phrase, which is found 25 times in the book of Isaiah? To be holy means to be clean and pure. Jehovah is holy to the superlative degree. (Revelation 4:8) The Israelites are reminded of this fact every time they observe the words engraved on the shining gold plate on the high priest’s turban: “Holiness belongs to Jehovah.” (Exodus 39:30) Hence, by referring to Jehovah as “the Holy One of Israel,” Isaiah underscores the gravity of Judah’s sin. Why, these rebels are directly violating the command given to their forefathers: “You must sanctify yourselves and you must prove yourselves holy, because I am holy”!—Leviticus 11:44.
10 Christians today must at all costs avoid following Judah’s example of disrespecting “the Holy One of Israel.” They must imitate Jehovah’s holiness. (1 Peter 1:15, 16) And they need to “hate what is bad.” (Psalm 97:10) Such unclean practices as sexual immorality, idolatry, thievery, and drunkenness can corrupt the Christian congregation. That is why those who refuse to stop practicing these things are disfellowshipped from the congregation. Ultimately, those who unrepentantly follow a course of uncleanness will be excluded from enjoying the blessings of God’s Kingdom government. Really, all such wicked works constitute a shocking affront to “the Holy One of Israel.”—Romans 1:26, 27; 1 Corinthians 5:6-11; 6:9, 10.
Sick From Head to Foot
11 Isaiah next strives to reason with the people of Judah by pointing out to them their sickly state. He says: “Where else will you be struck still more, in that you add more revolt?” In effect, Isaiah is asking them: ‘Have you not suffered enough? Why bring further harm to yourselves by continuing to rebel?’ Isaiah continues: “The whole head is in a sick condition, and the whole heart is feeble. From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no sound spot in it.” (Isaiah 1:5, 6a) Judah is in a loathsome, diseased state—spiritually sick from head to foot. A grim diagnosis indeed!
12 Should we feel sorry for Judah? Hardly! Centuries earlier the entire nation of Israel was duly warned about the penalty for disobedience. In part, they were told: “Jehovah will strike you with a malignant boil upon both knees and both legs, from which you will not be able to be healed, from the sole of your foot to the crown of your head.” (Deuteronomy 28:35) In a figurative sense, Judah is now suffering these very consequences of her stubborn course. And all of this could have been avoided if the people of Judah had simply obeyed Jehovah.
13 Isaiah continues to describe Judah’s pitiable state: “Wounds and bruises and fresh stripes—they have not been squeezed out or bound up, nor has there been a softening with oil.” (Isaiah 1:6b) Here the prophet refers to three types of injuries: wounds (cuts, such as those inflicted by a sword or a knife), bruises (welts resulting from beating), and fresh stripes (recent, open sores that seem beyond healing). The idea presented is that of a man who has been severely punished in every manner imaginable, with no part of his body escaping harm. Judah is truly in a broken-down state.
14 Does Judah’s miserable condition move her to return to Jehovah? No! Judah is like the rebel described at Proverbs 29:1: “A man repeatedly reproved but making his neck hard will suddenly be broken, and that without healing.” The nation seems beyond curing. As Isaiah puts it, her wounds “have not been squeezed out or bound up, nor has there been a softening with oil.”* In a sense, Judah resembles an open, unbandaged, all-pervasive sore.
15 Taking a lesson from Judah, we must be on guard against spiritual sickness. Like physical illness, it can affect any one of us. After all, who of us is not susceptible to fleshly desires? Greed and a desire for excessive pleasure can take root in our hearts. Hence, we need to train ourselves to “abhor what is wicked” and “cling to what is good.” (Romans 12:9) We also need to cultivate the fruits of God’s spirit in our everyday lives. (Galatians 5:22, 23) By doing so, we will avoid the condition that plagued Judah—that of being spiritually sick from head to foot.
A Desolated Land
16 Isaiah now leaves his medical analogy and turns to the condition of Judah’s terrain. As if he is gazing down on a battle-scarred plain, he says: “Your land is a desolation, your cities are burned with fire; your ground—right in front of you strangers are eating it up, and the desolation is like an overthrow by strangers.” (Isaiah 1:7) Some scholars say that although these words are found early in Isaiah’s book, they were probably uttered later in the prophet’s career, perhaps during the reign of wicked King Ahaz. They assert that Uzziah’s reign was too prosperous to justify such a bleak description. Granted, it cannot be stated with certainty whether Isaiah’s book is compiled in chronological order. However, Isaiah’s words about desolation are probably prophetic. In uttering the above statement, most likely Isaiah is employing a technique found elsewhere in the Bible—that of describing a future event as if it has already taken place, thus emphasizing the certainty of a prophecy’s fulfillment.—Compare Revelation 11:15.
17 In any event, the prophetic description of the desolation of Judah should not come as a surprise to this stubborn and disobedient people. Centuries earlier Jehovah warned them of what would happen if they rebelled. He said: “I, for my part, will lay the land desolate, and your enemies who are dwelling in it will simply stare in amazement over it. And you I shall scatter among the nations, and I will unsheathe a sword after you; and your land must become a desolation, and your cities will become a desolate ruin.”—Leviticus 26:32, 33; 1 Kings 9:6-8.
18 The words at Isaiah 1:7, 8 are apparently fulfilled during the invasions by Assyria that result in the destruction of Israel and widespread destruction and suffering in Judah. (2 Kings 17:5, 18; 18:11, 13; 2 Chronicles 29:8, 9) However, Judah is not totally wiped out. Isaiah says: “The daughter of Zion has been left remaining like a booth in a vineyard, like a lookout hut in a field of cucumbers, like a blockaded city.”—Isaiah 1:8.
19 Amid all the devastation, “the daughter of Zion,” Jerusalem, will be left standing. But she will look very vulnerable—like a shanty in a vineyard or a watchman’s booth in a cucumber field. In a journey down the Nile, one 19th-century scholar was reminded of Isaiah’s words when he saw similar booths, which he describes as “little more than a fence against a north wind.” In Judah when the harvest was over, these booths were allowed to fall apart and collapse. Still, as flimsy as Jerusalem might appear before the all-conquering Assyrian army, she will survive.
20 Isaiah concludes this prophetic statement: “Unless Jehovah of armies himself had left remaining to us just a few survivors, we should have become just like Sodom, we should have resembled Gomorrah itself.” (Isaiah 1:9)* Against the might of Assyria, Jehovah will finally come to Judah’s aid. Unlike Sodom and Gomorrah, Judah will not be obliterated. It will live on.
21 More than 100 years later, Judah was again under threat. The people had not learned from the discipline inflicted through Assyria. “They were continually making jest at the messengers of the true God and despising his words and mocking at his prophets.” As a result, “the rage of Jehovah came up against his people, until there was no healing.” (2 Chronicles 36:16) The Babylonian monarch Nebuchadnezzar conquered Judah, and this time, there was nothing remaining “like a booth in a vineyard.” Even Jerusalem was destroyed. (2 Chronicles 36:17-21) Still, Jehovah ‘left a few remaining.’ Even though Judah endured 70 years in exile, Jehovah ensured the continuance of the nation and especially of the Davidic line, which would produce the promised Messiah.
22 In the first century, Israel went through its final crisis as God’s covenant people. When Jesus presented himself as the promised Messiah, the nation rejected him, and as a result, Jehovah rejected them. (Matthew 21:43; 23:37-39; John 1:11) Was this the end of Jehovah’s having a special nation on earth? No. The apostle Paul showed that Isaiah 1:9 had yet another fulfillment. Quoting from the Septuagint version, he wrote: “Just as Isaiah had said aforetime: ‘Unless Jehovah of armies had left a seed to us, we should have become just like Sodom, and we should have been made just like Gomorrah.’”—Romans 9:29.
23 This time the survivors were the anointed Christians, who put faith in Jesus Christ. These were, first of all, believing Jews. Later they were joined by believing Gentiles. Together they made up a new Israel, “the Israel of God.” (Galatians 6:16; Romans 2:29) This “seed” survived the destruction of the Jewish system of things in 70 C.E. Indeed, “the Israel of God” is still with us today. It has now been joined by millions of believing individuals of the nations, who make up “a great crowd, which no man [is] able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues.”—Revelation 7:9.
24 Soon this world will face the battle of Armageddon. (Revelation 16:14, 16) While this will be a crisis greater than either the Assyrian or the Babylonian invasion of Judah, greater even than the Roman devastation of Judea in 70 C.E., there will be survivors. (Revelation 7:14) How vital, then, that all consider carefully Isaiah’s words to Judah! They meant survival for faithful ones back then. And they can mean survival for believing ones today.
[Footnotes]
In this context, “Israel” refers to the two-tribe kingdom of Judah.
Isaiah’s words reflect the medical practice of his day. Bible researcher E. H. Plumptre notes: “To ‘close’ or ‘press’ the festering wound was the process tried at first to get rid of the purulent discharge; then, as in Hezekiah’s case (chap. xxxviii. Isa 38:21), it was ‘bound up,’ with a poultice, then some stimulating oil or unguent, probably, as in Luke x. 34, oil and wine were used, to cleanse the ulcer.”
The Commentary on the Old Testament, by C. F. Keil and F. Delitzsch, says: “The prophet’s address has here reached a resting-place. The fact that it is divided at this point into two separate sections, is indicated in the text by the space left between Isa 1 vers. 9 and 10. This mode of marking larger or smaller sections, either by leaving spaces or by breaking off the line, is older than the vowel points and accents, and rests upon a tradition of the highest antiquity.”
Chapter Three
“Let Us Set Matters Straight”
THE inhabitants of Jerusalem may feel inclined to justify themselves after hearing the denunciation recorded at Isaiah 1:1-9. They no doubt would like to point proudly to all the sacrifices they offer to Jehovah. However, Isa 1 verses 10 through 15 give Jehovah’s withering reply to such attitudes. It begins: “Hear the word of Jehovah, you dictators of Sodom. Give ear to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah.”—Isaiah 1:10.
2 Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed not only for their perverted sex practices but also for their hardhearted, haughty attitudes. (Genesis 18:20, 21; 19:4, 5, 23-25; Ezekiel 16:49, 50) Isaiah’s audience must be shocked to hear themselves being compared to the people of those accursed cities.* But Jehovah sees his people just as they are, and Isaiah does not soften God’s message in order to ‘tickle their ears.’—2 Timothy 4:3.
3 Notice how Jehovah feels about the formalistic worship of his people. “‘Of what benefit to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?’ says Jehovah. ‘I have had enough of whole burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed animals; and in the blood of young bulls and male lambs and he-goats I have taken no delight.’” (Isaiah 1:11) The people have forgotten that Jehovah does not depend upon their sacrifices. (Psalm 50:8-13) He does not need anything that humans may offer him. So if the people think that they are doing Jehovah a favor by presenting their halfhearted offerings, they are mistaken. Jehovah uses a powerful figure of speech. The expression “I have had enough” may also be rendered “I am satiated” or “I am glutted.” Do you know the feeling of being so full of food that the very sight of more is repulsive? Jehovah felt similarly about those offerings—utterly repulsed!
4 Jehovah continues: “When you people keep coming in to see my face, who is it that has required this from your hand, to trample my courtyards?” (Isaiah 1:12) Is it not Jehovah’s own law that requires the people to ‘come in to see his face,’ that is, to be in attendance at his temple in Jerusalem? (Exodus 34:23, 24) Yes, but they come there out of mere formalism, simply going through the motions of pure worship, without pure motives. To Jehovah, their numerous visits to his courtyards amount to mere ‘trampling,’ accomplishing nothing more than wearing away the floor.
5 No wonder that Jehovah now adopts even stronger language! “Stop bringing in any more valueless grain offerings. Incense—it is something detestable to me. New moon and sabbath, the calling of a convention—I cannot put up with the use of uncanny power along with the solemn assembly. Your new moons and your festal seasons my soul has hated. To me they have become a burden; I have become tired of bearing them.” (Isaiah 1:13, 14) Grain offerings, incense, Sabbaths, and solemn assemblies are all part of God’s Law to Israel. As to “new moons,” the Law simply directs that these be observed, but wholesome traditions have gradually grown up around the observance. (Numbers 10:10; 28:11) The new moon is treated as a monthly sabbath, when the people would desist from work and even gather for instruction from the prophets and priests. (2 Kings 4:23; Ezekiel 46:3; Amos 8:5) Such observances are not wrong. The problem lies in doing them for mere show. Moreover, the Jews are resorting to “uncanny power,” spiritistic practices, right along with their formal observance of God’s Law.* Thus, their acts of worship to Jehovah are “a burden” to him.
6 How, though, could Jehovah feel “tired”? After all, he has an “abundance of dynamic energy . . . He does not tire out or grow weary.” (Isaiah 40:26, 28) Jehovah is using a vivid figure of speech to enable us to understand his feelings. Have you ever borne a heavy burden for so long that you were weary to the very bone and just longed to throw it off? That is how Jehovah feels about his people’s hypocritical acts of worship.
7 Jehovah now addresses the most intimate and personal of all acts of worship. “When you spread out your palms, I hide my eyes from you. Even though you make many prayers, I am not listening; with bloodshed your very hands have become filled.” (Isaiah 1:15) Spreading out the palms, holding the hands outstretched with palms upward, is a gesture of supplication. To Jehovah, this stance has become meaningless, for this people have hands full of bloodshed. Violence is rampant in the land. Oppression of the weak is commonplace. For such abusive, selfish people to pray to Jehovah and ask for blessings is obscene. No wonder Jehovah says, “I am not listening”!
8 In our day, Christendom has likewise failed to win God’s favor with her ceaseless repetition of vain prayers and her other religious “works.” (Matthew 7:21-23) It is of vital importance that we do not fall into the same trap. Occasionally, a Christian lapses into a practice of serious sin, then reasons that if he just hides what he is doing and increases his activity in the Christian congregation, his deeds will somehow counterbalance his sin. Such formalistic works do not please Jehovah. There is only one cure for spiritual sickness, as the next verses of Isaiah show.
The Cure for Spiritual Sickness
9 Jehovah, the compassionate God, now shifts to a warmer, more appealing tone. “Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the badness of your dealings from in front of my eyes; cease to do bad. Learn to do good; search for justice; set right the oppressor; render judgment for the fatherless boy; plead the cause of the widow.” (Isaiah 1:16, 17) Here we find a string of nine imperatives, or commands. The first four are negative in the sense that they involve the removal of sin; the last five are positive actions that lead to receiving Jehovah’s blessing.
10 Washing and cleanness have always been an important part of pure worship. (Exodus 19:10, 11; 30:20; 2 Corinthians 7:1) But Jehovah wants the cleansing to go deeper, into the very heart of his worshipers. Most important is moral and spiritual cleanliness, and this is what Jehovah refers to. The first two commands in Isa 1 verse 16 are not mere repetition. A Hebrew grammarian suggests that the first, “wash yourselves,” refers to an initial act of cleansing, whereas the second, “make yourselves clean,” refers to ongoing efforts to maintain that cleanness.
11 We can hide nothing from Jehovah. (Job 34:22; Proverbs 15:3; Hebrews 4:13) So his command, “Remove the badness of your dealings from in front of my eyes,” can only mean one thing—to cease doing bad. That means not attempting to conceal serious sins, for doing so is a sin in itself. Proverbs 28:13 warns: “He that is covering over his transgressions will not succeed, but he that is confessing and leaving them will be shown mercy.”
12 There is much to learn from the positive actions that Jehovah commands in verse 17 of Isaiah chapter 1. Notice that he does not merely say “do good” but “learn to do good.” It takes personal study of God’s Word to understand what is good in God’s eyes and to want to do it. Further, Jehovah does not merely say “render justice” but “search for justice.” Even experienced elders need to make a thorough search of God’s Word in order to find the just course in some complex matters. Theirs too is the responsibility to “set right the oppressor,” as Jehovah next commands. These directives are important to Christian shepherds today, for they want to protect the flock from “oppressive wolves.”—Acts 20:28-30.
13 The final two commands involve some of the more vulnerable of God’s people—orphans and widows. The world is all too ready to take advantage of such individuals; this must not be so among God’s people. Loving elders “render judgment” for the fatherless boys and girls in the congregation, helping them to receive justice and protection in a world that wants to take advantage of them and corrupt them. Elders “plead the cause” of the widow or, as the Hebrew word can also mean, “strive” in her behalf. Really, all Christians want to be a source of refuge, comfort, and justice to the needy among us because they are precious to Jehovah.—Micah 6:8; James 1:27.
14 What a firm, positive message Jehovah conveys through these nine commands! Sometimes those involved in sin convince themselves that it is simply beyond their power to do right. Such notions are discouraging. Moreover, they are wrong. Jehovah knows—and wants us to know—that with His help, any sinner can stop his sinful course, turn around, and do right instead.
A Compassionate, Just Plea
15 Jehovah’s tone now takes on even greater warmth and compassion. “‘Come, now, you people, and let us set matters straight between us,’ says Jehovah. ‘Though the sins of you people should prove to be as scarlet, they will be made white just like snow; though they should be red like crimson cloth, they will become even like wool.’” (Isaiah 1:18) The invitation that opens this beautiful verse is often misunderstood. For example, The New English Bible says, “Let us argue it out”—as if both sides must make concessions to reach an accord. Not so! Jehovah bears no fault, least of all in his dealings with this rebellious, hypocritical people. (Deuteronomy 32:4, 5) The verse speaks, not of a give-and-take discussion between equals, but of a forum to establish justice. It is as if Jehovah here challenges Israel to a court trial.
16 That may be a daunting notion, but Jehovah is the most merciful and compassionate Judge. His capacity for forgiveness is unparalleled. (Psalm 86:5) He alone can take Israel’s sins that are “as scarlet” and cleanse them away, making them “white just like snow.” No human effort, no formula of works, sacrifices, or prayers can remove the stain of sin. Only Jehovah’s forgiveness can wash sin away. God grants such forgiveness on terms that he sets, which include genuine, heartfelt repentance.
17 So important is this truth that Jehovah repeats it in a poetic variation—“crimson” sins will become like new, undyed, white wool. Jehovah wants us to know that he truly is the Forgiver of sins, even very serious ones, as long as he finds us genuinely repentant. Those who find it hard to believe that this is true in their own case do well to consider such examples as Manasseh. He sinned horribly—for years. Yet, he repented and was forgiven. (2 Chronicles 33:9-16) Jehovah wants all of us, including those who have committed serious sins, to know that it is not too late to “set matters straight” with him.
18 Jehovah reminds his people that they have a choice to make. “If you people show willingness and do listen, the good of the land you will eat. But if you people refuse and are actually rebellious, with a sword you will be eaten up; for the very mouth of Jehovah has spoken it.” (Isaiah 1:19, 20) Here Jehovah emphasizes attitudes, and he uses another vivid figure of speech to drive his point home. Judah’s choice is this: Eat or be eaten. If they have an attitude of willingness to listen to and obey Jehovah, they will eat the good produce of the land. However, if they persist in their rebellious attitude, they will be eaten—by the sword of their enemies! It seems almost unimaginable that a people would choose the sword of their enemies over the mercy and abundance of a forgiving God. Nevertheless, such is the case with Jerusalem, as the next verses of Isaiah show.
A Dirge Over the Beloved City
19 At Isaiah 1:21-23, we see the full extent of the wickedness of Jerusalem at this time. Isaiah now begins an inspired poem in the style of a dirge, or lament: “O how the faithful town has become a prostitute! She was full of justice; righteousness itself used to lodge in her, but now murderers.”—Isaiah 1:21.
20 How the city, Jerusalem, has fallen! Once a faithful wife, she has now become a prostitute. What could more powerfully convey the sense of betrayal and disappointment that Jehovah feels? “Righteousness itself used to lodge in” this city. When? Well, even before Israel existed, back in Abraham’s day, this city was called Salem. Over it ruled a man who was both king and priest. His name, Melchizedek, means “King of Righteousness,” and it evidently suited him well. (Hebrews 7:2; Genesis 14:18-20) About 1,000 years after Melchizedek, Jerusalem reached a peak, under the kingships of David and Solomon. “Righteousness itself used to lodge in her,” especially when her kings set the example for the people by walking in Jehovah’s ways. By Isaiah’s day, though, such times are a distant memory.
21 It seems that the leaders among the people are a large part of the problem. Isaiah goes on with his lament: “Your silver itself has become scummy dross. Your wheat beer is diluted with water. Your princes are stubborn and partners with thieves. Every one of them is a lover of a bribe and a chaser after gifts. For a fatherless boy they do not render judgment; and even the legal case of a widow does not get admittance to them.” (Isaiah 1:22, 23) Two vivid word pictures in quick succession set the tone for what must follow. The smith at his forge skims the scummy dross from the molten silver and throws it away. Israel’s princes and judges are like the dross, not the silver. They need to be discarded. They have no more use than beer that has been diluted with water and lost its flavor. Such a beverage is fit only to be poured down the drain!
22 Isa 1 Verse 23 shows why the leaders deserve such a description. The Mosaic Law ennobled God’s people, setting them apart from other nations. It did so, for example, by mandating the protection of orphans and widows. (Exodus 22:22-24) But in Isaiah’s day, the fatherless boy has little hope of any favorable judgment. As for the widow, she cannot get anyone even to hear her case, let alone strive in her behalf. No, these judges and leaders are too busy looking after their own interests—seeking bribes, chasing gifts, and serving as partners to thieves, evidently protecting the criminals while allowing their victims to suffer. Worse yet, they are “stubborn,” or hardened, in their course of wrongdoing. What a sorry state of affairs!
Jehovah Will Refine His People
23 Jehovah will not tolerate such abuse of power forever. Isaiah continues: “Therefore the utterance of the true Lord, Jehovah of armies, the Powerful One of Israel, is: ‘Aha! I shall relieve myself of my adversaries, and I will avenge myself on my enemies.’” (Isaiah 1:24) Jehovah is given three designations here, emphasizing his rightful lordship and his vast power. The exclamation “Aha!” likely signifies that Jehovah’s pity is now mixed with determination to act upon his wrath. There is certainly reason for this.
24 Jehovah’s own people have made themselves his enemies. They fully merit divine vengeance. Jehovah will “relieve,” or rid, himself of them. Does this mean a complete, permanent obliteration of his name people? No, for Jehovah goes on to say: “And I will turn back my hand upon you, and I shall smelt away your scummy dross as with lye, and I will remove all your waste products.” (Isaiah 1:25) Jehovah now uses the refining process as an illustration. A refiner in ancient times often added lye to help separate the dross from the precious metal. In a similar way, Jehovah, who does not see his people as completely wicked, will ‘chastise them to the proper degree.’ He will remove from them only the “waste products”—the stubborn, undesirable ones, who refuse to learn and obey.* (Jeremiah 46:28) With these words, Isaiah has the privilege of writing down history in advance.
25 Jehovah did indeed refine his people, removing the scummy dross of corrupt leaders and other rebels. In 607 B.C.E., long after Isaiah’s time, Jerusalem was destroyed and its inhabitants led off for the 70-year exile in Babylon. This in some ways parallels an action God took much later. The prophecy at Malachi 3:1-5, written long after the Babylonian exile, showed that God would again do a refining work. It pointed to the time when Jehovah God would come to his spiritual temple accompanied by his “messenger of the covenant,” Jesus Christ. This evidently happened at the end of World War I. Jehovah inspected all of those claiming to be Christians, sifting the true from the false. With what result?
26 Jehovah answers: “I will bring back again judges for you as at the first, and counselors for you as at the start. After this you will be called City of Righteousness, Faithful Town. With justice Zion herself will be redeemed, and those returning of her, with righteousness.” (Isaiah 1:26, 27) Ancient Jerusalem experienced an initial fulfillment of this prophecy. After the exiles returned to their beloved city in 537 B.C.E., there were once again faithful judges and counselors like those of the past. The prophets Haggai and Zechariah, the priest Joshua, the scribe Ezra, and the governor Zerubbabel all served to guide and direct the faithful returning remnant to walk in God’s paths. However, an even more important fulfillment occurred in the 20th century.
27 In 1919, Jehovah’s modern-day people emerged from the period of testing. They were delivered from spiritual bondage to Babylon the Great, the world empire of false religion. The distinction between that faithful anointed remnant and the apostate clergy of Christendom became clear. God again blessed his people, ‘bringing back for them judges and counselors’—faithful men who counsel God’s people according to his Word and not according to the traditions of men. Today among the diminishing “little flock” and their increasing millions of “other sheep” companions, there are thousands of such men.—Luke 12:32; John 10:16; Isaiah 32:1, 2; 60:17; 61:3, 4.
28 Elders keep in mind that they do, on occasion, act as “judges” in the congregation in order to keep it morally and spiritually clean and to correct wrongdoers. They are deeply concerned with doing things God’s way, imitating his merciful, balanced sense of justice. In most matters, though, they serve as “counselors.” This, of course, is a far cry from being princes or tyrants, and they make every effort never to give even the appearance of “lording it over those who are God’s inheritance.”—1 Peter 5:3.
29 What about the “dross” mentioned in the prophecy of Isaiah? What happens to those who refuse to benefit from God’s refinement process? Isaiah continues: “And the crash of revolters and that of sinful ones will be at the same time, and those leaving Jehovah will come to their finish. For they will be ashamed of the mighty trees that you people desired, and you will be abashed because of the gardens that you have chosen.” (Isaiah 1:28, 29) Those who revolt and sin against Jehovah, ignoring the warning messages of his prophets until it is too late, do indeed “crash” and “come to their finish.” This happens in 607 B.C.E. What, however, do these references to trees and gardens mean?
30 The Judeans have a persistent problem with idolatry. Trees, gardens, and groves often figure in their debased practices. For example, worshipers of Baal and his consort, Ashtoreth, believe that in the dry season, the two deities are dead and buried. To prompt them to awaken and mate, bringing fertility to the land, the idolaters gather to carry out perverted sexual acts under “sacred” trees in groves or in gardens. When rains and fertility come to the land, the false gods receive the credit; the idolaters feel confirmed in their superstitions. But when Jehovah brings the rebellious idolaters to their crashing finish, no idol-gods protect them. The rebels are “ashamed” of these impotent trees and gardens.
31 Idolatrous Judeans face something worse than shame, though. Shifting the illustration, Jehovah now likens the idolater himself to a tree. “You will become like a big tree the foliage of which is withering, and like a garden that has no water.” (Isaiah 1:30) In the hot, dry climate of the Middle East, this illustration is apt. No tree or garden can last for long without a steady supply of water. Dried up, such vegetation is especially vulnerable to fire. Hence, the illustration in Isa 1 verse 31 follows naturally.
32 “The vigorous man will certainly become tow, and the product of his activity a spark; and both of them will certainly go up in flames at the same time, with no one to do the extinguishing.” (Isaiah 1:31) Who is this “vigorous man”? The Hebrew expression conveys the sense of strength and wealth. It likely refers to the prosperous, self-assured follower of false gods. In Isaiah’s day, as in our own, there is no shortage of men who reject Jehovah and his pure worship. Some even seem successful. Yet, Jehovah warns that such men will be like “tow,” coarse fibers of flax so frail and dry that they tear apart, as it were, at the very smell of fire. (Judges 16:8, 9) The product of the idolater’s activity—whether his idol-gods, his wealth, or whatever he worships in place of Jehovah—will be like the igniting “spark.” Both spark and tow will be consumed, wiped out, in a fire that no one can extinguish. No power in the universe can overturn Jehovah’s perfect judgments.
33 Is this final message compatible with the message of mercy and forgiveness in Isa 1 verse 18? By all means! Jehovah has such warnings written down and delivered by his servants because he is merciful. After all, “he does not desire any to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) It is the privilege of every true Christian today to proclaim God’s warning messages to mankind so that repentant ones may benefit from his generous forgiveness and live forever. How kind it is on Jehovah’s part to give mankind a chance to “set matters straight” with him before it is too late!
[Footnotes]
According to ancient Jewish tradition, wicked King Manasseh had Isaiah executed, sawn asunder. (Compare Hebrews 11:37.) A source says that in order to bring on this death sentence, a false prophet used the following charge against Isaiah: “He has called Jerusalem Sodom, and the princes of Judah and Jerusalem he has declared (to be) the people of Gomorrah.”
The Hebrew word for “uncanny power” is also rendered “what is hurtful,” “what is uncanny,” and “erroneous.” According to the Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament, Hebrew prophets used the word to denounce “evil caused by the misuse of power.”
The expression “I will turn back my hand upon you” means that Jehovah will shift from supporting his people to chastising them.
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