Note that Isaiah addressed the northern kingdom as “Israel” and the southern kingdom as “Judah” until Assyria conquered the northern kingdom in 722 BC. When Isaiah projected into the future, he called the people of Judah returning from Babylonian captivity “Israel,” “Jacob,” and “Zion.”
The Prophet and His Call Some scholars think Isaiah might have been a priest. His call to the prophetic ministry came through a vision in which he “saw the Lord” (6:1) in the temple. Perhaps Isaiah was literally in the temple during this life-defining moment. Without question, he was from a high-ranking family. The Bible mentions 13 times that he was the son of Amoz (not to be confused with the prophet Amos). Isaiah had two sons, Shear-jashub (see 7:3) and Maher-shalal-hash-baz (see 8:3).
The Prophet’s Authorship, Audience, and Message The New Testament writers frequently quoted the book of Isaiah and attributed these quotations to “the prophet Isaiah” (see Matthew 12:17 as just one example). The oldest manuscript of Isaiah, discovered in 1947 near the Dead Sea, contained almost the entire book of Isaiah on a single scroll dated in the first century BC. This date is about 1,000 years earlier than the oldest manuscript previously available. It is logical to conclude that the original manuscript of the whole book had been written around the late eighth century BC by Isaiah himself—before its predicted events occurred.
Think about the beauty of this book of prophecy. Isaiah’s poetry ranks with the writings of David and Solomon, as well as with the book of Job. Vivid images and masterful use of language make this book truly beautiful. God chose the poet David to express the emotional side of our relationship with God. He chose the poet Isaiah to convey significant prophecies related to His desire for a holy people and to the Redeemer who would pave the way for our eternal friendship with God.
God spoke through Isaiah during the reigns of Uzziah, also known as Azariah, Jotham, Hezekiah, and Manasseh. The historical context in chapters 1–39 at times relates to accounts in the books of Kings and Chronicles. Chapters 40–66 provide a message of comfort for the people of Judah who would later be exiled to Babylonia. Isaiah assured them that they would be delivered; that a suffering, righteous servant would provide atonement for sin; and that ultimate universal justice would be established.
The Nation’s Problem (Isaiah 1:1-17)
People’s Sin Nature. The command to God’s people to be holy as He is holy is a call to be obedient and set apart—a call that the Israelites ignored for years. They had “forsaken the Lord” and “despised the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 1:4). The people’s sin separated them from their holy, loving God. Isaiah repeatedly referred to the coming Messiah, God’s Anointed One, the “branch” who “shall bear fruit” (11:1), the “child … born,” the “son … given” (9:6), who would be God’s solution to the people’s sin and separation from Him. God gave Isaiah a message of judgment on a rebellious people, yet He also gave messages of grace and hope.
The Leaders’ Meaningless Worship. Isaiah sarcastically addressed Judah’s leaders as belonging to Sodom and Gomorrah. As in Isaiah 1:2, they were commanded to “hear” and pay attention to the “teaching of our God” (1:10), the standards by which God’s people should live. The leaders offered sacrifices as prescribed by God (Leviticus 1–7). They observed the Passover (Exodus 12–14), the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16), and the other feasts and seasons (Leviticus 23). Apparently, they were obeying the letter of the law, but God could not be pleased with ritualistic worship as long as social evils permeated Jerusalem. Failing to love one’s neighbor and care for the helpless showed they did not love God wholeheartedly. Their relationship with Him was broken.
Think about God’s criticism of Judah’s worship. He wasn’t against the sacrifices and the rituals themselves, for He had prescribed them. He was angry about the absence of whole-life devotion in those who offered the sacrifices. Worship is an outward demonstration of an inward love and reverence for God, resulting in love and concern for people. An outward display of religion was not all God required. He looked on their hearts (see 1 Samuel 16:7) and observed their behavior toward one another (see James 2:14-17)—as He still does with us.
God’s Appeal and Remedy (Isaiah 1:18-23) God appealed to Isaiah’s generation to make a choice: turn to Him and away from sin, or rebel and suffer the consequences. God invited His people to reason with Him, but only on the basis of first admitting their sin. The reference to harlotry in 1:21 means the nation had been spiritually unfaithful. Its actions were vividly portrayed by the image of a prostitute or “whore.” Murderers resided where justice and righteousness once lived. Rulers accepted bribes while ignoring widows’ and orphans’ needs.
The Lord promised He would restore His people to purity: “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool” (Isaiah 1:18).
The Divine Verdict (Isaiah 1:24-31) God promised He would purge Judah of her sin, restore Jerusalem, and redeem His people with righteousness and justice. As in Amos’s vision of God’s plumb line, justice and righteousness are God’s established standards. A lack of justice indicates sinning against other people. A lack of righteousness indicates sinning against God.
In contrast to the repentant, who would be redeemed, “rebels and sinners … and those who forsake the Lord” (Isaiah 1:28) would face eternal condemnation. The chapter concludes with a warning to all the rebellious who would not repent. Those who were participating in pagan rituals would face the unquenchable fire of judgment.
Personalize this lesson. God’s warnings of coming judgment can be difficult to read—especially when we struggle with some aspect of who God is. For example, if we believe that He acts more like a judge who is displeased with us unless we measure up to His standards, it colors how we experience the strong language in Isaiah. Instead of coming to know God more deeply as He truly is—a compassionate, long-suffering God of unimpeachable holiness and justice—our misconception of Him as a wrathful judge intensifies. Or, if our deeply held view of God is that His highest desire is our happiness, we can be shaken and confused when we hear Him talking of judgment. As you embark on this study, consider the effect your view of God has on your relationship with Him. Where does your perception need to be more closely aligned with who He is?
Review: God’s View of Judah
Chapter 1 of Isaiah introduces themes we will see throughout the entire book. How would you sum up the core issues that God was addressing?
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