ISAIAH
Chapter 1:1-3
Part 1 of 3

Isaiah 1:1-3

quote:

"The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, concerning Judah and Jerusalem which he saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. 2 Listen, O heavens, and hear, O earth; For the LORD speaks, Sons I have reared and brought up, But they have revolted against Me. 3 An ox knows its owner, And a donkey its master's manger, But Israel does not know, My people do not understand."

Chapter 1 of Isaiah is an introduction to the entire book, so we will cover it in quite detail. Included in this one chapter are the major topics of Isaiah's sermons

1) The sins of Judah and Jerusalem
2) The tender heart of God towards Judah in making appeals for repentance
3) The certainty of judgment if His appeals are ignored
4) The hope and joy of salvation to come

We first need to understand the word "vision" in verse 1 does not refer to Isaiah's own insight or perception. On the contrary, it is what God Himself had supernaturally revealed to Isaiah.

Verse 2 begins with God calling two witnesses, the heavens and the earth, against Judah. This summons is only possible because God rules and reigns in majesty, having created the heavens and the earth and all that exists from the Beginning (Genesis 1:1). The calling of these two witnesses implies the importance of the message. The heavens and earth were present as witnesses when God by His grace formed Israel into a nation. They now stand as witnesses that the sins of the nation must be recognized and repentance must take place or they will be punished. In spite of God's love and relationship with Israel, their continual faithless actions would cost them beyond their own imagination. God would not forsake them, but He would eventually remove them for a period of time from the Land.

Did you notice in verse 2 God called Judah "sons"?!! God was their Father, manifesting grace and compassion in the adoption of Israel as His sons. When chosen they were weak and insignificant, but God raised them up out of slavery to become a nation for Himself. Throughout history the Lord repeatedly taught the Israelites, as long as His Presence was with them, they had no reason to fear that they were weak or few.

Deuteronomy 7:6-9
"For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. 7 The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, 8 but because the LORD loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the LORD brought you out by a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. 9 Know therefore that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments;"

Paul tells us that we have also become sons by adoption.

Galatians 3:26-28
"For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

We, too, have been brought out of the ash heap of despair if we know Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Everything pales in significance to Him and it is He who brings significance to our lives. He has traded our sorrows and our weaknesses for a life of joy in His Presence. Instead of our following Judah's response, the Lord desires our fellowship and to have His face continually before us, doing His Will, loving and serving Him. How marvelous for us to heed His warning, to be a people who "understand" and to one day hear Him say "well done thou good and faithful servant", sons of the Most High God!