| Scripture |
Additional Comments |
| |
|
| 1 The vision of Isaiah, son of Amoz, which he saw, concerning Judah and Jerusalem,–in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah,–kings of Judah. |
|
| |
|
| 2 Hear, O heavens, And give ear, O earth, for, Yahweh, hath spoken:–Sons, have I brought up, and advanced, And, they, have rebelled against me. |
Heavens – The power of spiritual control. - While this prophecy is primarily one concerning Natural Israel, yet it is clear from the overall context that there is a good portion that applies to nominal spiritual Israel.
Earth – Organized society under religious restraint.
Thus this prophecy is directed to the church-nation of natural Israel, and by extension also applies to the church-state systems of Christendom.
I – Jehovah God.
Hath nourished – Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Matt. 4:4.
Brought up thy children – During the Gospel Age, the Lord was blessing the children of nominal spiritual Israel because of the Lord's true people who were held captive in her.
They – These children of mystic Babylon, the tares.
Have rebelled against Me – This they have done by rejecting God's Truth, that which reveals His wonderfull character. |
| 3 An ox, knoweth, his owner, And an ass, his masters crib,–Israel, doth not know, My people, doth not consider. |
|
| 4 Alas! a nation–committing sin, a people–burdened with iniquity, a seed–practising wickedness, sons–acting corruptly. They have, forsaken Yahweh, despised the Holy One of Israel,–Are estranged and gone back. |
Sinful nation .. laden with iniquity – This phrase helps us identify the target of this prophecy. ".. for her sins have reached unto heaven .. come out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive of her plagues." Rev. 18:4,5.
Seed of evildoers – "An enemy hath shown them" - tares.
Children that are corrupters – "Ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of gehenna than yourselves." Matt. 23:15.
Provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger – The Lord's anger is an expression of His fundamental attribute of Justice. This anger or wrath is expressed in the pouring out of the seven last plagues upon the symbolic earth (Rev. 16:1). |
| 5 Why should ye be smitten any more? Ye would again, turn aside! The whole head is sick, And the whole heart faint: |
|
| 6 From the sole of the foot, even unto the head, there is in it no soundness, Bruise and stripe and newly-made wound,–They have not been pressed out, nor bound up, nor soothed with oil. |
|
| 7 Your country–is a desolation, Your cities–are consumed with fire,–Your soil–right before your eyes, foreigners are devouring it, And it is a desolation, a very overthrow by foreigners; |
|
| 8 And left, is the Daughter of Zion, Like a hut in a vineyard,–Like a lodge in a gourd-plot, Like a city besieged. |
|
| 9 If, Yahweh of hosts, had not left us a very small remnant, Like Sodom, had we become, Gomorrah, had we resembled. |
|
| |
|
| 10 Hear the word of Yahweh, ye rulers of Sodom,–Give ear to the instruction of our God, ye people of Gomorrah:– |
|
| 11 Of what use to me, is your multitude of sacrifices? Saith Yahweh: I am sated with ascending-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts,–In the blood of bulls and young rams and he-goats, have I no pleasure. |
|
| 12 When ye enter to see my face, Who hath required this at your hand, trampling my courts? |
|
| 13 Ye shall not again, bring in an empty, present, Incense, an abomination, is that, unto me! New moon, and sabbath, calling an assembly–I cannot endure, iniquity and sacred festival! |
|
| 14 Your new moons, and your appointed feasts, my soul, hateth,–They have become unto me a burden I am too weary to bear:
|
|
| 15 Even when ye spread forth your open palms, I hide mine eyes from you; Yea, though ye multiply, prayers, I am not hearkening,–Your hands, with deeds of blood, are filled. |
|
| |
|
| 16 Wash you, make you clean, Put away the wickedness of your doings from before mine eyes,–Cease to do evil. |
|
| 17 Learn to do well–Seek justice, Correct the oppressor,–Vindicate the fatherless, Plead the cause of the widow. |
|
| 18 Come, I pray you, and let us settle the dispute, Saith Yahweh,–Though your sins be found like scarlet, As snow, shall they be made white, Though they appear red like crimson, As wool, shall they become. |
|
| 19 If ye be willing–and hearken, Of the good of the land, shall ye eat; |
|
| 20 But, if ye refuse and rebel, With the sword, shall ye be devoured, For, the mouth of Yahweh, hath spoken it. |
|
| |
|
| 21 How, hath she become unchaste!–The city that was Faithful,–Full of justice, Righteousness lodged in her, But, now, murderers! |
The faithful city – The early true church
Become an harlot – Gradually, beginning with 314 A.D. when the Roman emperor Constantine (civil power) convened a church council (August 1, 314) in Arles, France, beginning the union of church and state in Europe.
It was – Prior to 314 A.D.
Full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it – In the early church.
Now – After 314. |
| 22 Thy silver, hath become dross,–Thy wine, weakened with water; |
Thy silver – The Bible truth given to the early church.
Become dross -- |
| 23 Thy rulers, are unruly, and companions of thieves, Every one of the people, loveth a bribe, and runneth after rewards,–The fatherless, they do not vindicate, And, the plea of the widow, reacheth them not. |
|
| 24 Therefore, Declareth the Lord, Yahweh of hosts, The Mighty One of Israel,–Alas! I must appease me on mine adversaries, I must avenge me on mine enemies; |
|
| 25 That I may turn my hand against thee, And smelt away, as with potash, thy dross, And remove all thine alloy; |
|
| 26 That I may restore, thy Judges, as at the first, and, thy Counselors, as at the beginning,–After that, shalt thou be called, Righteous, citadel, Trusty, city,– |
|
| 27 Zion, with justice, shall be redeemed,–And, her returning ones, with righteousness; |
|
| 28 And, the downfall of transgressors and sinners, shall be, together,–And, they who forsake Yahweh, shall be brought to an end; |
|
| 29 For they shall turn pale on account of the oaks, which ye desired,–And ye shall blush on account of the gardens, which ye had chosen; |
|
| 30 For ye shall be as an oak with its leaf faded, And as a garden, that hath no, water; |
|
| 31 Then shall the strong, one become tow, And his work, a spark,–And they shall both blaze together, And there be none, to quench the fire. |
|