Isaías 1

Isaías 1:21-26

Johnson - For God, you see, will avail himself of other means to see that his will is carried out. And if we do not respond to mercy and forgiveness, then he will reach his goal through judgment. And that is the appeal of the last part of the section. It, of course, has some magnificent promises within it. He says in Is 1:27 "Zion shall be redeemed with judgment and her converts with righteousness." This is quite an introduction to his prophecy. And the prophet is making it very plain that the nation is not on good terms with the Lord. But in spite of that fact he has magnificent words of the Messianic King and the kingdom that is to come in the future. How important it is for us to be real in the practice of our truth. (Messianic Prophecies in Isaiah) Prophetic Passage - This verse is not as clear but in context appears to be a prophetic passage. The question is when will God avenge Himself on His foes? And while we know that the wrath of God has been and is even now being revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men (Ro 1:18-note), this verse certainly could apply to the pouring out of His righteous wrath in the events of the book of the Revelation as described in more detail in the following notes. As an aside, some scholars have identified more than 500 references from the Old Testament in the book of the Revelation. For example Arnold Fruchtenbaum writes… there are over five hundred references to the Old Testament in the Book of Revelation. The following is a list of such references (Ed: refer to his book for this list), but it makes no claim to being exhaustive or complete. Some of these references back to the Old Testament do speak of the very same thing as the Revelation. However, in others, the Revelation merely borrows a phrase or motif for the purpose of developing a new area. This distinction should be kept in mind in the study of those Old Testament references. (Fruchtenbaum, A. G. The Footsteps of the Messiah: A Study of the Sequence of Prophetic Events. Tustin, CA: Ariel Ministries) My point is that the book of the Revelation deals significantly with Israel even as God dispenses wrath to His foes (some of which will be ethnic Jews, cp Zech 13:8, 9). In fact Fruchtenbaum lists over 70 references from Isaiah (some with multiple verses) as references in the Revelation. It follows that a proper understanding of the eschatology of Isaiah rests on a good grasp of the eschatology of the Revelation and of Daniel for Daniel's prophecies in chapter 2, 7, 9-12, are closely linked with and form a firm foundation for the book of the Revelation. I will attempt to provide background or ancillary explanations where appropriate in order to aid the understanding of Isaiah's great prophecies, many of which are yet future. From rebellious rulers we now turn to the sovereign King. Therefore - Why "therefore"? Because of the fact that the faithful city has become a harlot, full of murderers, etc (Isa 1:21, 22, 23). Based on the evidence, God declares the verdict and punishment against Judah (cp Isa 1:1 "concerning Judah and Jerusalem"). Lord GOD of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel - Literally this name is the Lord--Jehovah of hosts (of armies), the Mighty One of Israel - this unusual description of God (which is in the context of judgment) is very emphatic. In Isa 1:9 Jehovah of hosts left "a few survivors" (cp remnant). The One Who can judge, can also save, as Isaiah goes on to explain in this same section. The Mighty One of Israel (or Jacob) - The Hebrew word for might ('abiyr) is used only of the name of God in all 6 OT uses = Ge 49:24, Ps 132:2, 5, Isa 1:24, Isa 49:26, Isa 60:16. God's "amplified title" (remember His Names always speak of His attributes and His character - see the Name of the LORD is a Strong Tower) in this verse emphasizes that He is mighty and fully able to exert righteous judgment and also to graciously bring about merciful restoration ("I will smelt… I will remove… then I will restore… a faithful city" Isa 1:25, 26) Why? Amazing grace as emphasized in Dt 7:7, 8, 9. He is faithful to keep His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (cp Ge 22:16, 17, 18, note how Moses' appealed to God's faithfulness to the Abrahamic Covenant - Ex 32:12, 13, 14) (And as an aside, God is just and faithful to keep His New Covenant promises to you dear saint [eg, He 13:5b-note, Jn 10:27, 28, 29], so if you are genuinely saved, never doubt that the lovingkindness and grace of God is enough to keep you eternally secure! You cannot lose your salvation, even to the thousandth generation!) My adversaries - These are not some foreign, pagan, Gentile nation, but in context refer to the unfaithful ones in the covenant community, His chosen people. In Isaiah 63:1 He is mighty to save, but here He is mighty (and justified) to take vengeance. Ah (hoy) in an interjection meaning Woe or Alas. It is used to draw one's attention. I will be relieved (05162) (naham/nacham) means to comfort. Avenge (05358) (naqam) means to to exact satisfaction for (a wrong) by punishing the wrongdoer. This verb is used 3 times in Nahum 1:2 A jealous and avenging God is the LORD; The LORD is avenging and wrathful. The LORD takes vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies. In inflict vengeance is to render punishment in retaliation for an injury or offense. If one stops with this verse, it looks as if God is seeking to "get even." But the next verse clearly shows that the just and merciful God avenges His chosen people in order to remove the moral/ethical impurity and turn His people back to Him Motyer comments that…The Lord will get relief (naham) and avenge (naqam) himself. The former term, with its root idea of ‘comfort’, points to soothing the hurt given to God; the latter to the objective requital merited. Any facile statement that God always hates the sin but loves the sinner needs to be countered by Isaiah’s insistence that those who transgress are my foes and my enemies. They have made themselves the adversaries of the helpless (23), therefore the sovereign Lord holds them as his enemies. (Motyer, J. A. The Prophecy of Isaiah. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press)