Barth Jones
Member
When you spend weeks carefully studying chapter 1 of Isaiah, in Isaiah's context, the context of the prophets, and of the Bible, the primary precept of chapter 1 starts to become very clear.
v. 2--Isaiah addresses the whole creation to hear what God says concerning the Judeo-Christian church.
vv. 1-20--a preface to and summary of Isaiah; an intersection of Old and New Testaments.
Primary precept of Ch 1:
Micah 6:8, Isaiah 1:17, 19 (,20)
Obey (meaning, "do justice, mercy, humility"). Do not spite me, do not come to me with bloody hands--do not spurn me as Cain, asking, "am I my brother's keeper?"
vv. 22, 30, 31--When justice ceases in the land: 1) it ceases when leadership corrupts itself (v 23, Isa 3:4). 2) v. 22--cessation of justice is as silver reverting to dross (silver is not extracted directly from ore; first you extract copper, the lion's share of precious metal in the ore; then a small amount of silver is extracted from a small amount of dross). 3) v. 30--when leadership ruins itself by stopping its ears to cries of justice, it's work is to ruin the people and the land; what flourished (as an oak, as a garden), will in time, as when leaves fade or water is cut off, or as a vine or lion slowly approaches unnoticed, what flourished will be ruined.
v. 31--The corrupt leadership and it's corrupt work will be consumed together, having ignited itself. The effect of it's own spark is part of God's process to restore justice.
vv. 19, 20--Whatever Jews do, whatever Christians do, whatever the world does, rest assured, God will restore justice, though judgment and mercy--in Judah and Jerusalem; in the land; in the new earth.
v. 2--Isaiah addresses the whole creation to hear what God says concerning the Judeo-Christian church.
vv. 1-20--a preface to and summary of Isaiah; an intersection of Old and New Testaments.
Primary precept of Ch 1:
Micah 6:8, Isaiah 1:17, 19 (,20)
Obey (meaning, "do justice, mercy, humility"). Do not spite me, do not come to me with bloody hands--do not spurn me as Cain, asking, "am I my brother's keeper?"
vv. 22, 30, 31--When justice ceases in the land: 1) it ceases when leadership corrupts itself (v 23, Isa 3:4). 2) v. 22--cessation of justice is as silver reverting to dross (silver is not extracted directly from ore; first you extract copper, the lion's share of precious metal in the ore; then a small amount of silver is extracted from a small amount of dross). 3) v. 30--when leadership ruins itself by stopping its ears to cries of justice, it's work is to ruin the people and the land; what flourished (as an oak, as a garden), will in time, as when leaves fade or water is cut off, or as a vine or lion slowly approaches unnoticed, what flourished will be ruined.
v. 31--The corrupt leadership and it's corrupt work will be consumed together, having ignited itself. The effect of it's own spark is part of God's process to restore justice.
vv. 19, 20--Whatever Jews do, whatever Christians do, whatever the world does, rest assured, God will restore justice, though judgment and mercy--in Judah and Jerusalem; in the land; in the new earth.
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