Welcome to Isaiah – the great challenge that is the Book of Isaiah

Now this is daunting. Really daunting.

The Book of Isaiah in one month. 66 chapters in 31 days. Really heavy, meaty content all about politics and religion – two of my least favourite subjects!

So here’s my plan. I will read every verse, yes, but I will not comment on every verse. I will read two to three chapters a day and just make one point. One point that is relevant to what is going on in our lives and our world today. So, if you want to say you have read the whole of the Book of Isaiah, you will have to read the chapters alongside me.

OK, let’s go.

First, a bit of background.

Isaiah was a prophet who lived in Jerusalem in the 8th century BC. His ministry as a prophet lasted for forty years, covering the reigns of King Ahaz and King Hezekiah. The first half of the book is made up of prophecies to God’s people before the exile, then there are prophecies during the exile and then prophecies after the exile. Just to confuse things, these prophecies are not necessarily all recorded in the order in which they were given.

After the time of Solomon, Israel was divided into two kingdoms – Israel in the North and Judah in the South. Jerusalem where Isaiah lived was in the South. Both kingdoms lay between the mighty powers of Assyria to the North and Egypt to the South. In this uncertain world, politics and religion could not be separated.

I reared children and brought them up,
but they have rebelled against me.
The ox knows its master,
the donkey its owner’s manger,
but Israel does not know,
my people do not understand. Isaiah 1:2-3

We’ve witnessed this already on our journey through the Bible, this journey out of slavery in Egypt into the Promised Land. This journey of the people of Israel as they wrestle with trusting and obeying the only God who is worth trusting and obeying. This rebellion against God, as the people try to go their own way, try to do things their way. Just like an ox or a donkey with its master, with God the people are cared for, provided for, protected, guided and trained. But this is not good enough for them. They rebel. They know the consequences. Throughout the history of the people of Israel to this point, they’ve seen the consequences of turning against God. And yet, this is different. This time, they really do know best. Or so they think.

Woe to the sinful nation,
a people whose guilt is great,
a brood of evildoers,
children given to corruption!
They have forsaken the Lord;
they have spurned the Holy One of Israel
and turned their backs on him.  Isaiah 1:4

The nation is suffering. The people are suffering. There is much pain and affliction. The country is desolate – cities burned, fields stripped.

The people are going through the motions of serving the one true God. But what use is this without their hearts in the right place? They’ve embraced pagan superstitions and customs. They’re hoarding wealth. They’re bowing down to idols. They’re putting their trust in mere humans. They’re unashamedly parading their sinful acts in front of everyone. They’re crushing the poor. They’re adorning themselves with finery and think if they look great, then they are great.

‘The multitude of your sacrifices –
what are they to me?’ says the Lord.
‘Stop bringing meaningless offerings!
Your incense is detestable to me.’ Isaiah 1:11,13

God will not listen, can not listen, to their cries for help and their prayers, whilst their hearts are in the state they are in.

When you spread out your hands in prayer,
I hide my eyes from you;
even when you offer many prayers,
I am not listening.
Your hands are full of blood!  Isaiah 1:15

Doing the right thing is not hard. Well no, knowing the right thing to do is not hard. Actually doing the right thing can be very hard indeed! But it’s simple. All through this journey of the children of Israel, God has not changed what He is saying. It’s a very simple message.

Learn to do right; seek justice.
Defend the oppressed.

Take up the cause of the fatherless;
plead the case of the widow.  Isiah 1:17

Stand up for justice. Defend the underdog. Be there for those who have no one. Speak out for those with no voice.

It’s not hard. Do the right thing and your relationship with God will be restored and all will be well.

Continue on this path of selfishness and evil and there will be consequences. It’s already happening all across the land – a kind of purging and purifying.

You don’t need me to spell it out for you, do you? You can see it too, can’t you? Not so very much has changed, has it? Just take a look at our world and tell me we have learnt from the mistakes of the past. Tell me things have changed. Tell me that we have finally learned to trust and obey the one true God, to put into practice what He has commanded. It doesn’t look like it from where I’m standing.

People are still rebelling against God. Still going their own way. Still doing their own thing. Still believing that they know best. And the world is suffering for it. The whole planet is groaning. Individuals the world over are suffering beyond our imaginations. And there are those that call themselves God’s followers – who go through the motions – and yet. And yet. They compromise. They hoard wealth. They look great on the outside, but… They exploit the weak and the poor. They don’t speak out against injustice. They pray and wonder why their prayers are not being answered.

I’m talking world leaders here. I’m talking the super rich. I’m talking the people that call themselves the church. And I’m talking you. And I’m talking me.

There will be a time – there is a time coming – when the mountain of the Lord will be restored and all people will turn to Him. A time of peace, when swords will be beaten into ploughshares. A time when the arrogant will be brought low.

In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel. Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem. The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit of judgement and a spirit of fire. Then the Lord will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over everything the glory will be a canopy. It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding-place from the storm and rain.  Isaiah 4:4-6

This day is coming.

I don’t know about you, but I find that wonderfully reassuring.

Not for one moment, though, does that make me sit back and think that my work here is done. That if all is going to be restored and perfect one day, anyway, then there’s no point trying now.

Not at all! We are called to bring God’s kingdom to earth – to bring glimpses of that glory and restoration to the situations we find ourselves in today.

So let’s get out there and be holy – whatever that looks like for us today!