Isaiah6-3

1. What might we think when God's appear to hear, speak or move?

2. Yet what does Isaiah say is the truth about this?

3. What specific things does he blame Israel for?

C. Comment:

In the previous chapter the Lord pushed aside Israel 's religious acts (fasting etc,) to reveal the unrighteousness that was still continuing at the same time. Now He focuses solely on their unrighteousness.

First of all He deals with a suggestion that might be (foolishly) made by some: well God isn't speaking, He isn't hearing us, or doing anything about our plight, perhaps He's just incapable (v.1). It's almost as if the Lord laughs at this foolish suggestion. Don't you realise, is His response, it's your sin that comes between you and me which keeps me at a distance from you!

It's as is sin is like a thick black cloud that cannot be permeated, and so when they persisted with it, it was like a barrier between them and the Lord that prevents cross communication. Perhaps this was exactly what happened on the Cross when Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” What was happening at that moment? The Son of God in human form was taking on himself all the sin of the world and as that enveloped him, it was as if the Father's presence (for the first time ever) was cut off from him. Sin separates us from God! Isn't that why you hear people saying, “Oh God seems so distant!” Yes, their sin drives a wedge between them and Him.

The Lord then specifies their sin: they have oppressed people; there is blood on their hands. They have spoken against people. There have been bad actions and bad words. Unrighteousness is rarely limited to one or the other. If there is an unrighteous heart, then it will express itself in thoughts, words and deeds; it is all pervading.

D. Application:

1. Does God seem distant? What is the reason? It's not Him.

2. Will our lives today stand inspection?

Chapter: Isaiah 59

Passage: Isaiah 59:4-7

A. Find Out:

1. What isn't happening? v.4a

2. What is happening? v.4b

3. What 2 illustrations are given of what is happening? v.5

4. What is his conclusion about this? v.6a

5. What does he say about what they are doing? v.6b

6. What are they doing and with what outcome? v.7

B. Think:

1. How are their words described in these verses?

2. How are their deeds described?

3. What outcomes are given?

C. Comment:

It is often said that before the Good News of the Gospel can come, the Bad News has to come first. This chapter is bad news! It rolls on describing the awfulness of what they are doing as a people ay that time.

First there is a negative absence: no one is crying out for justice, no one can claim integrity. In their society there is obviously oppression and injustice and no one is doing anything about it. Instead words spoken are lies and they excuse themselves by arguments that have no base. Instead they are just plotting wrong all the time.

Their evil plans are like a snake's egg, just waiting to hatch and cause harm. They spin webs of deceit to catch others, as if such webs can provide security for themselves. Whoever takes on board these evil schemes (eats the egg v.5b) will die. When a plan is hatched it just causes more harm. All of their evil schemes will leave them naked (v.6) because what they do is evil, what they do causes harm to others. Their very thoughts are evil and so ruin and destruction will be theirs. As we saw yesterday, thoughts and deeds go hand in hand. Evil starts in the mind but soon turns into deeds.

The overall sense in these verses is of the awfulness of what they are thinking and doing: it is evil! But more than that, it is destructive. It will not only destroy them themselves, but it will destroy anyone else who gets involved. There is ALWAYS a destructive aspect to sin, because it's how God has made things to be.

D. Application:

1. Watch what you are thinking. It may hatch.

2. Steer clear of sin; it is destructive.

Chapter: Isaiah 59

Passage: Isaiah 59:8-11

A. Find Out:

1. What is absent? v.8a.c

2. Why? v.8b, 9a

3. What do they look for but find is absent? v.9b

4. Who are they like? v.10

5. What creatures are they like? v.11a

6. Why is all this? v.11b

B. Think:

1. What is the main sin he is talking about?

2. What sort of society does that produce?

C. Comment:

In this passage the tone changes. In verse 8 it is still “They” but in verses 9 onwards it becomes “We”. It is as if the prophet, as he denounces the state of the nation eventually comes to identify with it and reminds himself that he is part of it. This is his experience. Can we identify like this?

First of all he continues to denounce the lives of so many who are acting unrighteously towards one another. There is no peace (v.8) because there is no justice because there is only crookedness of thinking and behaviour. Now he changes the direction, “So justice is far from us ” (v.9). He speaks now from his own experience. They look for goodness (light) but find only bad (darkness). They are like blind men groping for something but not being able to find it (v.10). They know what should be there, but it's beyond their grasp, such is the state of the nation. At the time when it should be brightest ( midday ) it's just the same. It doesn't matter what the outward circumstances, they are still the same – groping after what is not there! When they confront those who are strong in evil, they themselves are weak, shadows of what they should be. They growl in anger against all this, like angry bears (v.11) but in the face of strong evil they simply moan like doves, pathetically!

They desire justice and righteousness and deliverance from this evil, but there is no way out. They are stuck with it; it seem interminable, and any hope of deliverance seems far, far off.

D. Application:

1. When sin settles in a nation, it settles! God is our only hope.

2. When sin takes hold, it is strong! Only God can be our hope.

Chapter: Isaiah 59

Passage: Isaiah 59:12-15

A. Find Out:

1. What does Isaiah feel about their sin? v.12

2. How does he see that as expressed towards God? v.13a

3. How does he see that in society? v.13b

4. So what 4 things have suffered? v.14

5. What had disappeared? v.15a

6. And who became prey? v.15b

B. Think:

1. How is “sin” always against man AND God?

2. What again, are the casualties of sin?

3. How are these verses summary verses?

C. Comment:

Isaiah concludes what he has been saying about their wrong behaviour by summing it up in court terms. He speaks about their “offences” (v.12). Now an offence is something done against someone , and the someone in this case is the Judge, God. And as they stand before God and try to appear spiritual (58:2,3) their sins stand their and testify against them, and show that although they may have some spiritual appearances, in reality they are sinners! They have to face their iniquities or wickedness. They are NOT good.

In respect of God, they have rebelled against Him (v.13a) and have treacherously broken their covenant with Him. They have turned their back on Him and have been causing every form of social unrest (v.13b). They have been unrighteous in the ways they have been treating one another.

The casualties of their sin are listed: justice has been pushed out, righteousness is something that is only a distant memory, truth has been turned over and is now nowhere to be found, honesty is not allowed a place in their community. The very foundation stones of any civilised society have all gone! They are mutually exclusive to sin. At the end of the day, those who try to avoid evil and maintain righteousness become prey to the majority who are lawless, unrighteous and ungodly. This is what happens when a nation abandons their God. The very act of abandoning or rejecting God is sin, and that sin begets multitudes of other sins towards people, and as that happens truth, integrity, justice etc. flee the city. What a terrible state!

D. Application:

1. Don't be deceived: sin and righteousness cannot exist side by side.

2. Be clear: when sin pours in, goodness runs out.

Chapter: Isaiah 59

Passage: Isaiah 59 :15-18

A. Find Out:

1. Why was the Lord displeased? v.15a

2. Why was He appalled? v.16a

3. So what did He do? v.16b

4. What 4 things did He put on? v.17

5. How will He repay His enemies? v.18

B. Think:

1. What first upset the Lord about Israel ?

2. Then what did He expect and not find?

3. So what did He then do?

C. Comment:

Isaiah now moves away from categorising Israel 's wrong's and instead moves towards the Lord's response.

First, he shows us why the Lord responded. The first reason for His response was that He was unhappy about the injustice that prevailed in the land. From what we have seen previously we know that sin had settled in the land and now prevailed. It wasn't a case of occasional sin but a case of sin that was the norm. The Lord had watched this build up and now could just stand back no longer. The second reason He responded is that He looked around to see who would rise up and do something about this situation and found no one! He was appalled! Where were the remnant who were faithful? Why wouldn't one of them rise up and challenge the nation? This was desperate: the nation was in a dire spiritual state and no one was doing anything about it. The so-called leaders were falling down on the job!

So next Isaiah shows us the Lord's response. He realised that He Himself would have to act, He alone would bring salvation to the nation. He would come bearing righteousness and salvation, He would come in vengeance against sin and with zeal that would not be put off.

He would measure the judgement out according to what people had done. THIS would be justice. He will give people what they DESERVE! There is nothing unkind or unfair in this; it is simply that the Lord will bring on the people exactly what they deserve. Yes, this will be justice. Don't complain!

D. Application:

1. Nations deserve justice. Heaven help them!

2. Individuals receive grace & mercy. That is what the Cross is about.

Chapter: Isaiah 59

Passage: Isaiah 59:19-21

A. Find Out:

1. How will God be considered, where? v.19a

2. How will He come? v.19b

3. Where will He come to and how? v.20a

4. To whom will He come? v.20b

5. What agreement will He make with them? v.21

B. Think:

1. How, does he say, people will think of the Lord's name?

2. Why will this be?

3. What will be the end outcome change in people?

C. Comment:

In yesterday's verses we saw that the Lord had looked on the awful situation in Israel, had seen there was no one who would do anything about it, and so had decided to come Himself and change the situation, bringing judgement on those who opposed Him.

Now we see the expressions or outcomes of His coming. Now people ignore Him or demean His name. Once He comes, those who are left will revere His name, for they will know what He has done, they will have seen the works of judgment and know that He is not to be trifled with! The first thing, therefore, will be the change in the way people view God.

Next, the people who are left will be a righteous people, they will have repented and because of their repentance God will have redeemed or saved them from destruction.

Third, they will be a people of the Spirit (“My Spirit who is on you”). The people of God will be a people of the Spirit. This is one of the key characteristics of Christians – they are people of the Spirit.

Fourth, they will be people of the Word (“my words that…”). The word of God will be in them and on their lips. People who are redeemed, rescued from destruction, people of the Spirit, are people who are hearing and speaking the word of God. God's word is constantly being spoken out by them, they just can't help it!

D. Application:

1. Do I appreciate the wonder of my life – rescued by God through Jesus,

bringing honour to His name?

2. Am I a Spirit person – empowered by the Spirit, and a word person, who

knows and speaks the word of God?

RECAP - "The Lord comes to fallen Israel" - Isaiah Chapter 59

SUMMARY :

In this third group of 6 studies we have seen :

- declaration - Israel 's sins have separated them from God (v,1,2)

- condemnation for their violence, their injustice and their

unrighteousness (v.3-11)

- an acknowledgement of their guilt of turning from God (v.12-15)

- the Lord looking and finding no one to intervene (v.15-16)

- the Lord Himself preparing to come and bring salvation (v.16-19)

- the promise of a Redeemer coming to Jerusalem (v.20)

- a promise of a new eternal covenant with the Lord. (v.21)

COMMENT :

This chapter started off with a desperate note – surely things aren't too bad for God to deal with it? But then came a long prophecy about the awful state of the nation. It starts out pointing the finger – “your sins” – it moves into neutral – “They” – and ends up personal – “We” and “our”. The prophet starts from a place of righteous indignation but the more he goes on with the prophecy the more he identifies with the nation. Self-righteousness has no place in the prophetic ministry!

But then the Lord takes action. First it is to deal with His enemies, then it is to send a Redeemer and finally it is to establish an everlasting covenant with His people.

LESSONS?

1. Sin separates us from God.

2. Confession & repentance are precursors to salvation.

3. If repentance doesn't come, God will bring judgement,

4. Where the Lord finds repentance He brings blessing for evermore.

PRAY :

At Communion Paul challenges us to examine ourselves (1 Cor 11:28 ). Ask the Lord to help you do that even now.

PART 4 : "Transformation by the Lord"

In this final Part, chapter 60 we are shown the heart of the Lord for Jerusalem – transformation through blessing. Where there was darkness, now light comes. Where there was scarcity of peoples, now the people come to Jerusalem from all over the world. Where there was poverty, now come riches. Watch for the details of this work of the Lord.