Isaiah 1:21-31

Read Isaiah 1:21-31

In the previous verses the prophet has here relayed the words of God, including the last few 5 verses wherein the Lord promises reconciliation. And what does Isaiah now see? Not the repentance he would have liked to see! Here is the poor fate of the prophets of God, sent to a people that usually would rather take affront than heed a warning. So the prophet writes his inspired impressions down…and they are not good ones. That city which represents the seat of God’s chosen nation…it has polluted itself and committed adultery against its Master.

Of these verses John Calvin writes the following:

“This astonishment of the Prophet was undoubtedly joined with the deepest grief; for we ought to look upon it as something monstrous when men revolt from God, and refuse that allegiance which they have promised to render; nor is it possible that right-hearted men, when they behold such a revolt, can fail to be affected with the most poignant grief.”

How accurate indeed are these words…and how appropriate for every age that has come and gone and which is to come until the return of the Lord. All we need to do is look around at our society to realize that we are indeed in a monstrous revolt from our God…and what should fill us all with grief even more is the ultimate end for those who rebel, for they have no hope of succeeding against our mighty God. All the more reason for us to be like an Isaiah in our generation and warn those around us of the judgment that is to come!

Note what Isaiah says:

· The city which should have been faithful is like a harlot

· The city which should have represented justice is now the den of murderers

· The aristocracy of the faithful city are friends to thieves, thereby no better than thieves themselves

· Bribery is rampant and the magistrates do not fulfill their duty and look after the orphan and the widow

Having noted all this, Isaiah once more speaks the very words of God:

“Therefore…”

Because of the conditions he has just described…as a direct result and in consequence of their behaviors, the Lord speaks the words to follow!

“I will rid Myself of My adversaries, and take vengeance on My enemies.”

These are strong words…words that should suffice to strike dread into the hearts of those to whom they are addressed! And to whom does God speak? Who are the adversaries and the enemies of the Lord?

“I will turn My hand against you, and thoroughly purge away your dross, and take away your alloy.”

These enemies of God are the people who should have been His faithful servants! Imagine the consternation of a people who expect that they are by right His special people…imagine their fear when He groans aloud and declares He will rid Himself of the adversaries and enemies that are among their own nation!

And, yet, the love of God for His people is infinite! His anger and the chastisement He is to bring upon them is for their own good, for note what He will do to rid himself of these enemies:

· He will purge the dross away from the silver: I looked up how dross is removed from silver today and it is done by adding nitric acid…upon which you see the boiling of the silver and the dross (the impurities) come away. Something similar was probably done in biblical times, the point being that it is a violent thing done to the silver but which ultimately leaves us a more perfect and expensive metal! Such is what God promises to do…

· He will restore to them wise judges and counselors of note: So we see that a violent cleansing is to be followed by a restoration of what is needed to remain a worthy nation!

The result? They will once more be known for their faithfulness and their righteousness will be made manifest to all!

An obvious application we have here relates to how the Lord uses our circumstances to refine us and mold us into the image of the Son. Whether He acts to reprove us or whether He permits trials not related to any hard headedness in us, the result is a cleansing of the dross that accumulates in our lives and that impedes us from walking day by day at His side!

_________________________________________

The restoration continues as we read in verse 27 that the Lord will redeem Zion, that His justice will take the place inhabited by murderers and that righteousness will abide in the city!

“The destruction of transgressors and of sinners shall be together, and those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed.”

In this verse and in the ones that follow through the end of the chapter we see the fate of those who are the dross…those whose removal is necessary for the restoration of the people as a whole. Truly we see here the truth of the words Paul is to speak, that “they are not all Israel who are of Israel” (Romans 9:6)

God, you see, does that which is necessary to redeem for Himself a people, and quite frankly we should be glad that He does since it maintains the purity of His church…all the more reason for us to daily examine ourselves to make sure we are in the faith.

We see in the closing verses the truth of Psalm 2:1-6…for you see how those that stand against God, who do not yield to His reasoning, they are nothing before His judgment! The Lord says they are like an unwatered garden and like tinder…in other words, easily consumed! O pray that when we rebel against our Lord that by His grace we will be reasoned with! That we will be quick to confess and be forgiven!