The book of Isaiah was written by a great man of God named Isaiah. He was a prophet for possibly as long as 60 years. The book of Isaiah is the first of 17 books of prophecy in the Old Testament. These books of prophecy include Isaiah through Malachi. Isaiah has often been called, the “Messianic Prophet.” In the 66 chapters in the book of Isaiah he wrote much about the Messiah. The book of Isaiah has been called the little Bible. “The first 39 chapters of Isaiah, like the Old Testament, are filled with judgment upon immoral and idolatrous men. The final 27 chapters, like the 27 books of the New Testament, declare a message of hope.” Isaiah was a prophet to the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Isaiah 1:18 is one of the most challenging verses in the Bible. It reads, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” In the books of Kings and Chronicles we observe Isaiah as he dealt with some of the kings. Isaiah is quoted more in the New Testament than any other prophet. He is quoted by John the Baptist, Jesus, Matthew, Mark, John and Paul. An example of these quotations is John 12:37-41 where we read, “But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.” (Isaiah 53:1, Isaiah 6:9-10)

Israel was a nation guilty of sin and a country in ruins – Isaiah 1:1-9: God gave Isaiah a vision which contained a message about Judah and Jerusalem when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were the kings of Judah. Man was obstinate and rebellious against God and would not hear Him. So he called upon nature to listen and he used dumb animals to show had sad the rebellion of the Jews was. God said, “I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.” In spite of all that God had done for them these people were less appreciative than an ox or donkey is to its master. God called Israel a sinful nation. They were loaded down with wickedness and corruption. They had turned from the Lord, the holy God of Israel. Their evil example was having a horrible effect on others. “The whole head was sick.” The king and the priests were equally turned away from truth and righteousness. The entire nation was plagued, but still they did not repent. Foreigners and strangers had taken over and destroy their land and they just stood and watched with no change of heart. Enemies had surround Jerusalem like it was nothing. The Jews would have been completely destroyed if God had not spared that remnant. 

Right living and purity of heart was needed – Isaiah 1:10-17: They were no better than the leaders and people of Sodom and Gomorrah. God had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. “Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.” (Genesis 19:24-25) These people also deserved to be destroyed for their wickedness. Although God had commanded the sacrifices He detested what they were doing. God was sick of their sacrifices because of the ungodly way in which they were living. Without faith and repentance God said He could not endure their worship and Sabbaths. What hypocrisy it was on their part to think that they could just live any way and then worship God and everything be alright. God said, “I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.” Before God could bless these people repentance and changed lives were necessary on their part. He told them in no uncertain terms what He expected. “Wash yourselves clean! I am disgusted with your filthy deeds. Stop doing wrong and learn to live right. See that justice is done. Defend widows and orphans and help those in need.”

          An Invitation to reason with God – Isaiah 1:18-20:0: “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD.” God gave them an opportunity to reason with Him if they felt He had accused them without cause. God told Israel to reason with Him in defense of their actions. Later He told them, “Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.” (Isaiah 43:26) He wanted them to state their case, that they might be acquitted. A defendant will contend, plead or reason his case before a judge. No matter how strongly we state our case to God, if we are not willing to obey we cannot expect His blessings. A change of heart on their part would make it possible for God to forgive their sins. God said, “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.” (Isaiah 1:19) God promised them that their land would not devoured by strangers if they would repent and obey His will.

          The Lord condemned Jerusalem, but He was willing to save them – Isaiah 1:21-31: Jerusalem had become a spiritual harlot. The people had given themselves over to covetousness, extortion and murder. What was pure in them had now become corrupt. Their coins were adulterated with brass, tin, and other metals, and yet were circulated as good money. Their princes and leaders were rebellious. They had become companions of thieves. The rulers were looking for gifts and bribes. The widows and orphans never got a fair trial. God promised to be Mighty against these people because of their wickedness. God said, “I make you a promise: You are now my enemy, and I will show my anger by taking revenge on you.” God promised them that His punishment would take away everything that made them unfit to worship Him. After the work of purifying was completed God promised to restore Jerusalem and give them godly judges and counsellors. Jerusalem would be called, “The city of righteousness, the faithful city.” God gave them hope. He said, “Zion shall be redeemed.” Zion would be redeemed by the truth and faithfulness of God in keeping His promises. God would destroy the rebellious, but He would deliver the penitent in righteousness. The wicked would be destroyed. They would not be partakers of God's promise. The rebellious would be made ashamed of those groves of trees where they worshiped idols. The idol worshipping Jew would be like an “oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water.” On the other hand, the godly person would be like that one described in Jeremiah 17:8, “For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.” The false god's in which they put their confidence would be consumed as easily as a piece of wick would burn up. Isaiah described sin with all of its ugliness and deadliness. We learn that those who forsake the Lord will face certain misery. Let us quickly learn that the result of sin is the destruction of the land before the eyes of the people. The lesson is ever before us that obedience will bring blessing, and disobedience will bring destruction. Those who choose to persist in their rebellion will perish.

          God used Isaiah to preserve the Jewish nation for the coming of the Messiah. He encouraged the people to reason with God and to do right in their lives. Our spiritual life is through and because of Jesus, the Christ. To be saved from sin hear the gospel (Romans 10:17), believe in Jesus (Mark 16:16), repent of sins (Luke 13:5), confess Jesus as Lord (Matthew 10:32), and be baptized into Christ. (Romans 6:3-4) God said to those Jews, “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.””