Isaiah 1:1-4
THE ADDRESS... [ Continue Reading ]
THE ADDRESS... [ Continue Reading ]
The vision of Isaiah ("The Lord will save"), THE SON OF AMOS, WHICH HE SAW, by special enlightenment and inspiration of the Lord, CONCERNING JUDAH, the southern kingdom, AND JERUSALEM, the capital of Judah, the site of the Temple, and therefore the center of theocratic worship, IN THE DAYS OF UZZIAH... [ Continue Reading ]
Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, the witnesses who were present at the giving of the Law, Deuteronomy 4:36, were to hear the complaint of the Lord, as He entered into judgment with His people after seven centuries, Cf Deuteronomy 32:1; FOR THE LORD HATH SPOKEN, the very words of Jehovah, the... [ Continue Reading ]
The ox knoweth his owner and the ass his master's crib, the very unthinking brutes acquiring a certain attachment for their master, so that they will not voluntarily leave him; BUT ISRAEL DOTH NOT KNOW, does not realize, MY PEOPLE DOTH NOT CONSIDER, does not meditate and reflect upon it, continues i... [ Continue Reading ]
Ah! sinful nation, going its way of willful error, A PEOPLE LADEN WITH INIQUITY, with guilt and corruption of right, burdened with transgressions, A SEED OF EVIL-DOERS, a brood of such as prefer wickedness to the holiness required of them, CHILDREN THAT ARE CORRUPTERS, themselves subject to spiritua... [ Continue Reading ]
Why, that is, to what end and purpose, SHOULD YE BE STRICKEN ANY MORE? YE WILL REVOLT MORE AND MORE, or, "while ye are revolting more and more. " The case was such that Israel heaped rebellion upon blasphemy, always becoming subject to more severe forms of punishment, and yet no beneficial result sh... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DESOLATION OF ZION... [ Continue Reading ]
From the sole of the foot even unto the head, that is, the whole body of the people, from the lowest to the highest and most honorable, THERE IS NO SOUNDNESS IN IT, not a healthy spot, BUT WOUNDS, gaping as from the stroke of a sword, AND BRUISES, contusions as from the blows of fists, AND PUTREFYIN... [ Continue Reading ]
Your country is desolate, it has been made a desert by the inroads of the enemies, YOUR CITIES ARE BURNED WITH FIRE, laid waste by plundering hordes; YOUR LAND, STRANGERS DEVOUR IT IN YOUR PRESENCE, that is, the fruits of the ground, of fields and orchards, were taken by the invaders, AND IT IS DESO... [ Continue Reading ]
And the daughter of Zion, the city of Jerusalem with its inhabitants, IS LEFT AS A COTTAGE IN A VINEYARD, the shack of a watchman, offering meager shelter, AS A LODGE IN A GARDEN OF CUCUMBERS, a similar shelter in a truck-garden, temporary and frail, AS A BESIEGED CITY, for the devastated country is... [ Continue Reading ]
Except the Lord of hosts, Jehovah Sabaoth, in whose hands, after all, are the destinies of all people and especially of His Church Militant, HAD LEFT UNTO US A VERY SMALL REMNANT, some who had escaped the general desolation behind the walls of Jerusalem, WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN AS SODOM, AND WE SHOULD H... [ Continue Reading ]
Hear the Word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom, for as such Jehovah addresses the princes of Jerusalem; GIVE EAR UNTO THE LAW OF OUR GOD, YE PEOPLE OF GOMORRAH, whose conduct was characterized by pride, the lust of the flesh, and lack of mercy. The thought underlying this turn of the prophet's solemn... [ Continue Reading ]
REBUKE OF HYPOCRITICAL WORSHIP... [ Continue Reading ]
To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto Me? saith the Lord, for the people were still observing the letter of the Law with great exactness, depending upon this outward fulfillment of God's command as sufficient to gain and retain His good will toward them. I AM FULL OF THE BURNT OFF... [ Continue Reading ]
When ye come to appear before Me, namely, in person, to attend any of the festivals of the Jewish Church, WHO HATH REQUIRED THIS AT YOUR HAND TO TREAD MY COURTS? The presence of a person's body in the place of worship, without worship in spirit and in truth, is of no value, for all hypocrites and Ch... [ Continue Reading ]
Bring no more vain oblations, offerings of vanity and lying, the reference being to such as were made of flour, principally in the form of fried and boiled cakes; INCENSE IS AN ABOMINATION UNTO ME, namely, if brought by a mere mechanical act; THE NEW MOONS AND SABBATHS, the calling of assemblies, as... [ Continue Reading ]
Your new moons and your appointed feasts My soul hateth, they are a matter of loathing to Him on account of the total lack of spirituality in the people; THEY ARE A TROUBLE, a grievous burden, UNTO ME; I AM WEARY TO BEAR THEM, He must soon shake them off and reward the hypocrites according to their... [ Continue Reading ]
And when ye spread forth your hands, in a gesture which is a caricature of true prayer, I WILL HIDE MINE EYES FROM YOU, His eyes, as it were, finding themselves unable to look upon such hypocrisy; YEA, WHEN YE MAKE MANY PRAYERS, in the foolish belief that mere lip-service is sufficient before Him, I... [ Continue Reading ]
Wash you, in a true and thorough cleansing of the heart, MAKE YOU CLEAN, namely, from the polluting effect of their wicked behavior; PUT AWAY THE EVIL OF YOUR DOINGS FROM BEFORE MINE EYES, so that it will no longer be within the range of His vision, these three admonitions being the negative demands... [ Continue Reading ]
SUGGESTING THE ONLY WAY OF RELIEF... [ Continue Reading ]
learn to do well, not the mere knowing, but the doing being emphasized; SEEK JUDGMENT, doing that which is right in the eyes of God, RELIEVE THE OPPRESSED, aiding them in obtaining justice, JUDGE THE FATHERLESS, PLEAD FOR THE WIDOW; for orphans and widows, those deprived of their natural protectors,... [ Continue Reading ]
Come now and let us reason together, saith the Lord, the case being brought to trial before His tribunal, the children of Israel standing before Him as condemned culprits. THOUGH YOUR SINS BE AS SCARLET, blood-red with guilt, THEY SHALL BE WHITE AS SNOW; THOUGH THEY BE RED LIKE CRIMSON, the color ap... [ Continue Reading ]
If ye be willing and obedient, hearing and believing His joyous verdict concerning the forgiveness of sins, YE SHALL EAT THE GOOD OF THE LAND, become partakers of salvation, of eternal life;... [ Continue Reading ]
but if ye refuse and rebel, despising and rejecting the grace of God obtained by the vicarious suffering of Christ, YE SHALL BE DEVOURED WITH THE SWORD, become victims of eternal destruction; FOR THE MOUTH OF THE LORD HATH SPOKEN IT. "He that believeth not shall be damned. " Mark 16:16.... [ Continue Reading ]
How is the faithful city, Jerusalem with its representative inhabitants, formerly excelling in faithfulness to Jehovah, BECOME AN HARLOT, given to spiritual adultery or idolatry! IT WAS FULL OF JUDGMENT, justice in agreement with the Law of God being practiced in the city; RIGHTEOUSNESS LODGED IN IT... [ Continue Reading ]
The Lord's Complaint against Jerusalem... [ Continue Reading ]
Thy silver, the princes and rulers, which formerly distinguished the city, IS BECOME DROSS, THY WINE, the leaders and nobles, MIXED WITH WATER, that is, the judges and rulers of the city had turned from integrity and sincerity to moral impurity;... [ Continue Reading ]
thy princes are rebellious, obstinately opposing God and His covenant, AND COMPANIONS OF THIEVES, thinking only of ways and means to satisfy their greed; EVERY ONE LOVETH GIFTS, expecting bribes, AND FOLLOWETH AFTER REWARDS, openly seeking money for selling right to the highest bidder; THEY JUDGE NO... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, He who possesses absolute power over all the fortunes and actions of men, AH! I WILL EASE ME OF MINE ADVERSARIES, have the satisfaction of punishing them for their attitude against Him, AND AVENGE ME OF MINE ENEMIES, by punishing... [ Continue Reading ]
and I will turn My hand upon thee, namely, against Jerusalem, the faithless, sinful city, AND PURELY PURGE AWAY THY DROSS, melting it out with lye, removing the obstinate and wicked leaders, AND TAKE AWAY ALL THY TIN, the lead mixed with the precious metal, the ungodly in high and low places;... [ Continue Reading ]
and I will restore thy judges as at the first, men possessing the integrity of the original days, AND THY COUNSELORS AS AT THE BEGINNING, in the golden period of Israel's history. AFTERWARD THOU SHALT BE CALLED THE CITY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, THE FAITHFUL CITY, where true righteousness and dependable loy... [ Continue Reading ]
Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, through the redemption of the Messiah, AND HER CONVERTS WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS, for with the guilt of mankind laid upon Christ and the full atonement demanded of Him, the way is paved for the complete appeasing of God's wrath, the basis of justification.... [ Continue Reading ]
And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, for rejecting the Lord, AND THEY THAT FORSAKE THE LORD, refusing to change their evil mind, SHALL BE CONSUMED, this being the fate of all obstinate sinners at all times.... [ Continue Reading ]
For they shall be ashamed of the oaks, or terebinths, WHICH YE HAVE DESIRED, they will be brought to shame on account of the groves where they practiced idolatry, AND YE SHALL BE CONFOUNDED FOR THE GARDENS THAT YE HAVE CHOSEN, where idolatry and other vices held full sway.... [ Continue Reading ]
For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, dying for want of nourishment, AND AS A GARDEN THAT HATH NO WATER, whose flowers and fruits are bound to die.... [ Continue Reading ]
And the strong shall be as tow, that is, the well-to-do will be as a lamp-wick, AND THE MAKER OF IT AS A SPARK, rather, his work as a spark, for the idol causes a consuming fire, which devours the idolaters themselves, AND THEY SHALL BOTH BURN TOGETHER, AND NONE SHALL QUENCH THEM. When the final Jud... [ Continue Reading ]