Clergy/Leaders' Mail-list No. 2-189 (Expository Sermon)

HEARTS OF DARKNESS (Part 1/2) Isaiah 1:1-20

by Rod Benson

In his private journal, found on his desk after his tragic death in an plane crash, UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjöld wrote, "On a really clean tablecloth, the smallest speck of dirt annoys the eye. At high altitudes, a moment's self-indulgence may mean death."

For Judah, the southern kingdom of the divided nation of Israel in the late eighth century BC, the moral tablecloth was so dirty you could hardly see the original material. From the vantage point of God, the moment's self-indulgence had blown out to decades, and the smell of death was in the air.

I feel for the prophets. They had enormously challenging and terribly unpopular messages to pass on from God to their people. I suspect they were not all supremely confident preachers whose style we would describe as "fire and brimstone." But they understood God's great love for people and his unremitting desire for holiness, righteousness and justice; and they were generally faithful in fulfilling the work to which God had called them. Isaiah was among these.

Isaiah chapters 1-5 introduces the book. It describes the moral and ethical state of the nation of Judah, and introduces the major theological concepts that preoccupy Isaiah's prophecy: the uniqueness and sovereignty of God; his holiness, righteousness and justice; his supreme rule of history; the corruption and depravity of humanity; the dual themes of judgment and hope; the demand for moral purification; and the preservation of a "remnant" of faithful, godly people. For good reason Christians have called Isaiah "the fifth Gospel."

Chapter six records details of Isaiah's call by God, and his threefold response reflects God's desire for the whole nation - and for all people (we shall look at this in a few weeks' time).

NATIONAL CORRUPTION (1:1-9)

The first verse of this magnificent book establishes the historical and geographic context. Then there is no direct reference to history until chapter 6! We are about to encounter a vision - a mystical experience whereby God discloses truth to the visionary, and in doing so also discloses truth about himself.

This vision concerns "Judah and Jerusalem." It is communicated by a man named Isaiah, son of Amoz, an eighth century BC prophet in Judah whom God called in about 740 BC, and who lived during the reigns of four kings of Judah (from the year of Uzziah's death in 740 BC to the death of Hezekiah in about 686 BC).

Isaiah visualises a courtroom drama (v 2) with God's people in the dock, no less than the heavens and the earth called as witnesses, and God in the role of judge. Paradoxically, the judge is also the people's father - a father who never fails to express love and care for his children. Yet, for their part, the people never fail to express contempt and rebellion toward their father. Notice their unnatural ignorance and foolishness (v 3).

In one sense, the book of Isaiah as a whole, and specifically chapters 1-6, explores what happens when divine grace is followed by human rebellion.

Israel's loving Father and impartial Judge is also known as "the Holy One of Israel" - identifying the essence of the nature of God, and identifying God's special relationship with Israel. Israel not only belongs to the Lord; in a sense, because of his covenant relationship with them, he belongs to Israel.

In verses 5-8, the Lord points out the ridiculousness of inviting further pain and judgment (5f); the stark reality of his people's predicament (v 7); and the tragic results of their rebellion against him (v 8). Here we find images of injury to head and heart, burning cities, a devastated landscape, and a capital besieged and defenceless. The three similes in verse 8 accentuate the vulnerable and precarious circumstances in which the people of God now find themselves.

And yet God remains gracious and merciful. He continues to preserve a remnant of faithful, godly people. The impartial judge truly is also a loving parent (v 9 cf v 2). Alec Motyer observes that "There is a point at which the Lord sets his fence around his people and says 'No' to the consequences of sin and the power of the foe." Thank God that he is not like us!

SPIRITUAL CORRUPTION (1:10-20)

While God observes our heart attitudes and motivations, people are often satisfied with appearances. Sometimes we are even comforted by outward appearances of worship and devotion, although we may sense a lack of substance or vitality in the liturgy in which we participate.

But from God's perspective, form never defines or describes reality. It is not what I do, but who I am, that counts. Attitude is far more significant than action, character than clothes, motive than words.

In verse 10, the people are shocked: they have grown accustomed to thinking of Sodom and Gomorrah, with its legendary wickedness, in contrast to the righteousness and godliness of Jerusalem. But Isaiah places them on a par, and God himself equates the holy city with the two most abhorrent and deplorable cities of antiquity - both of which were destroyed by divine wrath (Gen 13:13; 18:20f; 19:5, 24f). Where does this leave Jerusalem? What now is the destiny of Israel?

It gets worse. God declares that all their sacrifices (that is, their religious rituals) mean nothing (v 11a), add nothing (v 11b), and do nothing (v 11c). God detests their worship. He hates listening to their songs. He abhors watching their obeisance. It all burdens him; it wearies him - so much so that, when they attempt to worship him, he hides his eyes and blocks his ears (vv 12-15).

But God does not leave them there. He offers them a way back to vitality and purity in their pursuit of authentic worship and godly living. They need to do three important things.

First, they must purify their hearts: " wash and make yourselves clean" (v 16a). Second, they need to stop doing wrong, and learn to do right (vv 16b-c, 17a). Third, they must seek justice: in practical terms they must rebuke those who oppress, defend the cause of orphans, and plead the case of widows (v 17b) - acts of justice and mercy that they were not engaged in.

Barry Webb writes, "The exodus itself had flowed out of God's concern for the oppressed, and from the very beginning he had demanded that his people should have a special concern for the poor and defenceless among them."

In verses 18-20 God says to his people, "Enough is enough! Let's get serious." Their spiritual corruption has led them to the brink of national oblivion, but at the very point at which they can expect divine judgment in its fullness and finality, divine grace intervenes.

These people have a clear choice before them: they can choose between life and death (cf Dt 30:15-20). Wherever he discerns an urgent need, whether spiritual or moral, God provides an effective remedy. Here the people need an awakening to their spiritual corruption and destitution. They need access to forgiveness, cleansing and purification.

They need to wash away their defilement so they can enjoy relationship with God, the Holy One of Israel (v 16). They need to draw closer to God and converse with him (v 18). And they need to obey God with willing hearts (v 19). Do you?

[To be concluded in CLM-2-190]