Clergy/Leaders' Mail-list No. 2-190 (Expository Sermon)

[Continued from CLM-2-189]

HEARTS OF DARKNESS (Part 2/2) Isaiah 1:21-2:5

by Rod Benson

In Part 1 we saw how Isaiah's world was overwhelmed by national spiritual corruption, and what God recommended his people do to change their precarious situation. Today we consider the social aspect of Israel's corruption during Isaiah's lifetime, and what God deeply desired for his people.

SOCIAL CORRUPTION (1:21-31)

In these verses Isaiah vividly describes the social collapse of Israelite society (vv 21-26), outlines the moral ground of redemption and judgment (vv 27-28), and portrays the inherent destructiveness of counterfeit spirituality (vv 29-31).

Verse 21 contrasts Israel's ideal past with its shocking and degrading present experience. Verse 22 illustrates the power and depth of their corruption. Commenting on the allusions to metal and beverage in verse 22, Alec Motyer writes, "Silver can contain some alloy and still be silver, but silver which has become 'dross' has suffered total degeneration. Similarly, as soon as wine is touched with water no particle of it remains undiluted. So when sin enters, in departing from the Lord (v 21), it destroys the nature it enters and leaves no part untainted."

Verse 23 demonstrates that social corruption is especially endemic at the apex of the community. The welfare of widows and orphans was a test case of the quality of biblically-shaped society (Ex 22:22; Dt 14:29; 16:11-14; cf Jas 1:27). The rulers of the nation are culpable. In assuming national leadership, they have taken on a great responsibility and have miserably failed God, failed others, and in fact failed themselves. How do political leaders today appear in light of this kind of standard?

In verses 24-26 we learn that God is about to judge this social corruption, but he will do so within a wider purpose of purifying his people rather than annihilating them. God will restore justice and righteousness to the community, returning the society to the state it had enjoyed during the reign of David (cf the Davidic promises, 2 Sam 7; Ps 89).

Isaiah links this future restoration with the theme of redemption (v 27a). There can be no effective and lasting social transformation without a prior obliteration of the root causes of corruption. The root causes are self-will, pride and rebellion against God.

Further, "God will redeem (rescue) his people in a way which is in complete accord with his holiness. That is how he always acts, and how he acted supremely in the cross of Christ" (Barry Webb). Note also the beautiful phrase in verse 27b: "[Zion's] penitent ones." The divine initiative in offering redemption and restoration is necessarily followed by an appropriate human response. God's amazing love and grace are met - in the hearts of at least some people - with repentance and faith.

We are not automatons; nor are we entirely autonomous. We are dependent creatures, subject to our Creator but tending to err and falter and fail. Hence our very practical need for redemption and righteousness.

These two themes of redemption and penitence are mentioned briefly again in 35:9-10, and treated fully in chapters 40-66, where they occur especially in reference to the Suffering Servant whom the Christian church understands to be Christ.

The harshness of 1:28-31 suggest, though, that the redemption Isaiah refers to in verse 27 will be experienced and enjoyed by just a few. This particular redemption, it seems, will not be universal in scope but partial and conditional (cf vv 16, 18, 19: "wash," "come," "obey").

Verses 28-31 return our attention to the corrupt state of the once faithful city and people, and to the threat of imminent judgment. This is caused by rebellion (v 28a), apostasy (v 28b), and the assumption of a counterfeit spirituality in place of the true worship of the living God, "the Holy One of Israel." Note the natural symbolism of oaks with fading leaves, a garden lacking water, and a mighty man reduced to tinder whose work burns him (vv 30-31). These are tragic and frightening images of the outcome of divine judgment.

WHAT GOD DESIRES FOR HIS PEOPLE (2:1-5)

Now Isaiah sounds a very different note. The poetry of verses 2-4 also appear, with slight variations, in Micah 4:1-4 (Micah was a contemporary of Isaiah). We have seen above that Isaiah was passionate about denouncing apostasy and various forms of corruption in his society. But it was this awesome vision of the future that inspired and consoled him in his prophetic ministry.

"In the last days" (v 2) - the undated future (cf v 12; 9:1-7; Hosea 3:5). I understand this as equivalent to the term "the Day of the Lord" used by other Old Testament prophets. What Isaiah means, I think, is this: one day the universal truth will be universally recognised. One day the unsurpassed God will be absolutely unchallenged. One day the Creator of all peoples will be greeted by people from every tribe, language and nation (cf 45:14-24; 60:1-22; 66:23).

The glorious future that Isaiah perceives approaching from far off will have an altogether appropriate air of exclusiveness about it. There will be one God, one temple, one faith. But this future will also have an unmistakable inclusiveness: "all nations will stream to [Zion]."

It is important to remember that the Bible does not promise universal salvation. For a stark reminder of this unpopular but biblical doctrine, see Isa 66:23-24. Yet multitudes will be redeemed. Notice their attitude, as Isaiah describes it: voluntary, expectant, obedient - in contrast to the corrupt, rebellious sinners of Isaiah's day, trapped in their fallen ways. And they are multitudes of Gentiles, not Jews alone - another significant expression of God's amazing grace.

Verse 4 speaks also of universal peace: arms reduction and conflict resolution done God's way. The means of war, the practice of war, and the attitudes leading to war will all be swept away when the Prince of Peace comes to establish his righteous government and eternal kingdom.

Verse 5, the last in our passage today, is Isaiah's final challenge or plea in this section of his great prophetic book. And it carries a message relevant to us today. If others are one day to walk to the house of the Lord, we must walk in the light of the Lord. Let our hearts of darkness be illuminated by God's light and love. Let our sins be forgiven by his Son's death on the cross. Let our defilement be washed clean. Let our wrong and dangerous attitudes be healed, and our corrupt practices be transformed by his truth.

Finally, notice the characteristic humility of Isaiah, and his solidarity with others troubled by sin and guilt: he says "let us walk in the light of the Lord" (2:5b). He stands with his audience; he identifies with their weaknesses and their needs and their aspirations; energised by messianic hope and the assurance of divine faithfulness, he joins them in holy pilgrimage.

Having washed, drawn near, and obeyed, let us walk with Isaiah and other faithful people, in the light of the Lord.

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E095/E096 Copyright (c) 2002 Rod Benson. Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible: New International Version (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1980).

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