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The kingdom of Assyria has just invaded the neighboring kingdom of Ephraim, which leaves King Ahaz (the King of Judah) extremely fearful. The Lord sends Isaiah to encourage him to “be careful, keep calm, and do not be afraid (v. 4). He is able to assure him with these words because the Lord guarantees that “it will not take place, it will not happen.” (v. 7). This is God’s promise, and Isaiah is calling upon Ahaz to trust in His promise. Now Ahaz has a decision to make: Should he trust that God is with him and will protect Judah or should he try to establish security another way? 

God then tells Ahaz to ask Him for a sign. Why? God wants to strengthen his faith by further emphasizing that He is with him and that He can be trusted. However, Ahaz refuses. He does not want God to confirm that He will protect Judah because he has already decided not to trust God and make other arrangements. He refuses to ask for a sign because when God fulfills it, He would be obligated to believe.

How often are we guilty of the same thing? We don’t want to ask God for His wisdom in a decision because we know the answer would go against what we want to do. We don’t want to ask God how to spend our free time because we would rather numb out in front of the TV. We don’t want to ask God how to spend our money because we want to hold everything with a tight fist. God is inviting us into a greater intimacy with Him, in which we can approach Him at all times of the day, asking Him questions and seeking His wisdom.  

Despite Ahaz’s refusal, the Lord tells him about the sign He will give anyways. This sign will literally bear the name Immanuel, meaning “God with us”, which is the very thing that Ahaz needed, and that God was trying to show him. How beautiful that God gives us what we need even when we don’t deserve it or ask for it.

Ahaz made the wrong decision to distrust God and take matters into his own hands. However, God ultimately assures His people that He is with them and He would raise up a faithful Anointed One in the future.

The word “holy” is defined as “exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness.” Holiness is most accurately defined in who God reveals Himself to be. We see in this chapter that our God is a holy one. The first time the word “holy” is seen in scripture is in Genesis where God blessed the sabbath day and made it “holy”. The seventh day was set apart from all of the other days. Similarly, God is set apart from everything that has ever existed. He is not like us. God’s holiness is core to who He is. He is holy because He is God. 

We see in this chapter that Isaiah has a vision of God. In this vision, God is sitting on His throne, high and lifted up, with the hem of His robe filling the temple. The seraphim, which are angelic beings, covered their faces before God. The only thing the seraphim could say when they were in God’s presence was “holy, holy, holy” is the Lord. The word “holy” isn’t used just once, but three times. This is important because in Hebrew, words are often repeated to show their significance. If a person wanted to emphasize something, it was said multiple times. The seraphim were accentuating the beauty of God’s holiness in a song. 

In this vision, we see Isaiah’s confession, the atonement for his sin, and his commission to prophetic ministry. In the presence of God’s holiness, Isaiah declares “Woe to me! ….“I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty” (v. 5). He is aware of his sin in the presence of God, because he realizes how broken he is in comparison to a God who is holy, righteous, and pure. The seraphim then go and place a hot coal on Isaiah’s lips and say to him, “Your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for” (v. 7). Before that took place, Isaiah felt unworthy as a messenger of God. But when he confesses, he is forgiven of all his iniquity. Note that Isaiah could not get rid of his sin on his own, it was only made possible at the altar–the place of sacrifice. From there, the Lord asks who He can send to speak to His people. Isaiah replies “Here I am, send me” (v. 8). There seraphim touched his lips specifically, so that he is able to be an acceptable minister of God’s words. Isaiah is then commissioned to go into prophetic ministry. 

God’s holiness leads to Isaiah’s obedience. When Isaiah got a glimpse of Heaven, it changed everything. This is true of us today. When we fix our eyes on eternity, our perspective shifts to the things that are above. The way we view eternity determines the way we live today. God’s holiness should lead to our trust in Him and our obedience to do whatever He calls us to do, no matter the cost. Heaven is filled with continuous worship of God, as He is high and lifted up on His throne. “Holy, holy, holy” is the song we will sing for all of eternity. He is worthy of our worship, our praise, and our complete devotion every day. Let it be today that we join in on the hymn of Heaven!

The New English Translation of the Bible subdivides this chapter with the headings of “A Love Song Gone Sour” (v. 1-7) and “Disaster is Coming” (v. 8-30). These befitting titles nicely outline the chapter. Isaiah 5:1-7 describes a metaphorical love song. The prophet, Isaiah, taking on the role as best man, composes a love song for his friend on the occasion of his wedding. The vineyard is Israel (the bride), and the owner/lover/bridegroom of the vineyard is God. Israel is expected to bear good fruit and uphold justice, but instead produces “bad fruit” (v. 2). Specifically, God, through Isaiah, condemns the Israelites for exploiting others (v. 8-10), drunkenness (v. 11-12, 22), taking pride in sin (v. 18-19), mocking moral standards (v. 20), pride/conceit (v. 21), and perverting justice (v. 22-24). Isaiah prophesizes that judgment, in the form of destruction by one of Israel’s enemies, is coming. No longer would God protect Israel from its adversaries. In 587 B.C, over 150 years after Isaiah’s prophecy, Babylon invades Jerusalem, and destroys Solomon’s temple. Tradition holds that because of his harsh prophecy, Isaiah was eventually martyred.  

The Israelites in the day of Isaiah neither glorified nor enjoyed God. Instead, God accuses them of many things, including exploitation of the poor by the unjust accumulation of land (v. 8). God does not condemn real estate endeavors per se, but he does condemn the way in which the rich bureaucrats accumulated property. The Israelites forgot that the land belongs to God.  As punishment, their palatial vineyards would eventually be destroyed, and farm animals allowed to graze amongst the ruins. The nation would be transformed from an affluent agricultural society into a thoroughly pastoral one.  

In verses 11-12, we see God condemning drunkenness. God does not categorically condemn the consumption of alcohol (after all, in John 2:1-11, Jesus turns water into wine), but the depravity of Israel is evident by early morning drinking, a mark of debauchery. Later in the text, Isaiah states, “Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine and champions at mixing drinks.” (v. 22). Further evidence of Israel’s depravity is evidenced when they mock the Holy One of Israel (v. 19), “call evil good and good evil” (v. 20), and equate darkness to light and light to darkness (v. 20). In Ecclesiastes 1:9, we read that “there is nothing new under the sun.” Although the book of Isaiah was written over 2,500 years ago, the warnings of Isaiah are as relevant today as they were to the people to whom the book was first written.  

Isaiah promises that “the grave” (v. 14) would be the end result of God’s judgment. The Hebrew word translated “grave” is Sheol and is the place of the dead, or more precisely, the place of the unrighteous dead. The word has the sense of a serious engagement with the reality of death, mortality, and the way one’s life impacts one’s destiny.  

Isaiah 4 continues the theme of the previous chapters of prophecy about the coming days of ruin that is a result of Israel’s rebellion. In the midst of this message of judgment, there is a glimpse of hope for a future for those who remain in Jerusalem to be called “holy” (v. 3). It details Zion’s future glory that will be seen through the Messiah saying that “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” (v. 2).  

What is the “Branch of the Lord”? The word “branch” in this passage is seen multiple times in the Old Testament. It is used in a genealogical context to refer to the family line in which a person comes from. We link trees and genealogy when we say someone is a part of a “family tree.” “Branch” is expressed in four different ways in the Bible. It is used to describe a king, a servant, a man, and God. The book of Jeremiah depicts the “branch” as a king saying that “The days are coming, when I will raise up for David a righteous branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. (Jeremiah 23:5). Zechariah shows the “branch” as a servant saying “I am going to bring my servant, the branch” (3:8). It also portrays the “branch” as a man saying “Here is the man whose name is the Branch” (Zechariah 6:12). Finally in Isaiah 4, we see the “branch” depicted as God in the flesh being the “fruit of the land” (v. 2). 

In Isaiah 11, we will read that the Messiah will come from the line of Jesse. It says “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a branch will bear fruit.” Jesse was King David’s father, and we know based on the genealogical records recorded in the gospels that Jesus comes from this family. 

Jesus is ultimately the “Branch of the Lord.” This term shows both Christ’s humanity and divinity. Just as the “branch” is described in different ways, Jesus is depicted in various ways in the gospels. In Matthew, we see Jesus as the King, in Mark He is portrayed as a suffering servant, He is shown as the perfect man in Luke, and the Savior of the world in John. It is only through Jesus, the “Branch of the Lord”, that we can have our sins “washed away”. He is the means in which God restores His people to himself. Isaiah’s prophecies are ultimately fulfilled in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Just as they looked forward to the future hope of the coming Messiah, we get to look back on what Jesus has done and celebrate! Let’s praise Him for that today!

In Isaiah 3 we see a harsh rebuke from God through the prophet Isaiah to the people of Jerusalem and Judah because of their wickedness, idolatry, and rebellion. God didn’t just bring judgment to them by withholding them of food and water, but He also withheld godly and adequate leaders from them. There is harsh judgment for the consequences of their sin! 

In verse 8 it says, “For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen, because their speech and their deeds are against the Lord, defying his glorious presence.” It’s evident that God’s glory and majesty are offended by the sin and disobedience of His children. Romans 6:23 tells us that the consequence or judgment for our sin is eternal death, and yet God has made a way through faith in Jesus to have eternal life. 

Throughout the story of Scripture, God has made a way to bless and protect the righteous even in the midst of judgment. The righteous are often mercifully spared from the harsh consequences of the wicked. In Isaiah 3:10-11 we see this to be true in the text, and this is true today for those of us who have put our faith in Jesus. Though we are wicked like the people of Jerusalem and Judah, we can be made righteous because of what Christ has done for us through His death and resurrection. Second Corinthians 5:21 tells us that “for our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” He no longer deals with us according to our sin, for those of us that are in Christ, but rather He deals with us according to the finished work of Jesus and offers us mercy instead of condemnation. 

Towards the end of the chapter God rebukes the Judean women for their pride, lust, and their desire for material things. God punishes them because they were devoted to the wrong things. How often does this mark us today? Whether we are mothers, fathers, teenagers, single young adults, married folk, or senior adults, we lust after the things of this world more than we crave for God. We want nicer cars, more clothes, more money, or a better house. We are prone, in our flesh, to find so much identity in our image. God has provided a better way, through faith in Jesus, where we can walk in righteousness by the help of the Spirit and find our identity in Him. God has graciously preserved this text so that we might remove idols in our life that we are prone to worship more than we worship God Himself. He is the only one worthy to be praised. This chapter began with the language, “See now, the Lord Almighty,” emphasizing the majesty and glory of God as the One who is in command. Let’s worship Him as such today.

For Israel, it would one day be the best of times (v. 1-5), but it was about to be the worst of times (2:6-3:26). God had high hopes for Israel (v. 1-5), but due to sin, “The Day of the Lord” (v. 6-22) was coming. Let’s look at a couple of the different movements in today’s reading.

First, we see a reference to the “last days” (v. 2). Traditionally, for Christians, the “last days” refers to the time when Jesus the Messiah will return for His church. This is the only place in Isaiah where the phrase is used. Isaiah may have had such a future period of time in mind, or he may have been referring to a time in the near future of the ancient Israelites to whom Isaiah originally prophesied. Regardless, a humbled and repentant heart which trusts in God can always look forward to a future time of restoration. 

Next, we see a reference to a pruning hook, a device used to prune vines (v. 4). The transition from weapons of war to agricultural implements indicates a transition from fear and stress to peace and security. The future would one day be bright for Israel, but unfortunately, for the ancient Israelites, “The Day of the Lord” was coming (v. 6-22). Briefly, the “Day of the Lord” represents a time when God personally intervenes in history to accomplish a specific aspect of His plan. It conveys a sense of terrible judgment for the ungodly, but salvation and deliverance for the righteous.  

In our text, Israel was called to live as a people distinct from the other people groups in the world.  Unfortunately, they had adopted the ways (v. 6 “superstitions”, “divination”) of other nations, and relied on them rather than on the Lord. To “embrace pagan customs” (v. 6) has also been translated to “clasp hands with pagans”, and may have signified the striking of a bargain with these foreign nations. Israel was seeking economic and military self-sufficiency, and was no longer depending on God. Israel had forsaken its true citizenship. 

Scripture often contrasts our heavenly citizenship with that of the world. Paul writes in Philippians 3:20, “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Peter writes in 1 Peter 2:11, “Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.” In John 17:14, Jesus states, “I have given them [believers] your word and the world has hated them, for they [believers] are not of the world any more than I am of the world.” Paul in Romans 12:2a states, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” In John 18:36, Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world.” In James 4:4b, we read, “…anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.”  

When God acts in judgment, it is often to upset human values so that everything can be seen from a divine perspective. The “dread of the Lord” (v. 19, 21) is the terrifying revelation of the glory, power, and judgment of the one true God. The purpose of such a revelation is to establish a proper sense of values and to expose the worthlessness of idols, gold, and silver.  

God, through his prophet Isaiah, exposes the utter frailty of man “who has but a breath in his nostrils.” This is in contrast to the eternal majesty of God. In Revelation 4:8, the apostle John writes, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.” Later in Revelation 4:11, John writes “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things.” We should always remember that we are the creatures, and He is the creator.  

“You are not who you are supposed to be” is the opening call in the book of Isaiah. Here, the prophet Isaiah shares the vision regarding the people of God that he has received from Heaven. While Israel was reared by their Heavenly Father, they have since rebelled from Him. They have become thieves, materialistic, murderers, and downright unjust. However, in spite of all of these things they have continued to have their festivals and sacrifices to God. It’s like they are saying, “We want to live as if God doesn’t exist but still have God in our corner”. In response to their festivals and offerings God says, “I hate with all my being. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening.” (v. 14-15). God is tired of watching this two-faced game take place. He knows that their hearts are not with Him. So are the people of God too far gone to be redeemed?

The chapter shifts in verse 17, “’Come now, let us settle the matter,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.’” What a relief! God is willing to forgive Israel of all of their unrighteous living. But this verse is followed with an important qualifier in verse 18, “If you are willing and obedient”.

The problems of God’s people in Isaiah’s day are similar to God’s people today. It’s easy to live for the world, but still want God on our side. He will not be played by our fickle ways. He is looking for men and women with hearts that are fully devoted to Him. No matter what you have done, God is ready, willing, and eager to forgive. But He will only forgive if you are coming to Him for His’ own sake. If He is just a pawn in your game to get more for yourself, Isaiah 1 is a sober reminder that He will not be listening.