The Rebellion and Restoration of Israel

By Dan & Brenda Cathcart

The video version of this teaching is at: https://youtu.be/s61lkuLX4dc

The Scripture reading is: Isaiah 1:1-27

The last few weeks we have been focusing and studying the life and prophecies of Jeremiah. Jeremiah lived in Judea and Jerusalem at the time of king Josiah and later through the destruction of Jerusalem, the first temple and the subsequent exile of most of the inhabitants of Judea to Babylon. This week Shabbat falls on the ninth day of the month of Av, the very day that Jewish history records that both the first and second Temples were destroyed.

As we finish out the remainder of the year leading up to The Feast of Trumpets or Rosh Hashanah, we will be reading exclusively from the prophet Isaiah.  The opening chapter of the book of Isaiah is a kind of preface or table of contents to the rest of the book. Isaiah introduces us to himself and outlines the overarching themes of his dissertation.

Isaiah 1:1-2 NKJV 1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. 2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the LORD has spoken: "I have nourished and brought up children, And they have rebelled against Me;

It all sounds so familiar. Although Isaiah lived some one hundred and thirty years prior to Jeremiah, the pattern is the same; rebellion against God, judgment, and restoration. On this ninth day of Av, the saddest day in history, there is still the hope of restoration.

In this Haftarah we are dealing with a very short passage of scripture, but it contains vitally important information about the state of Jerusalem and Judah. The entire scope of the book of Isaiah is about Judah’s rebellion and restoration and is summarized in this short reading. In it we will see the nature, the judgment, the remnant, and the cure of their rebellion along with their restoration.

Over the last several months and especially the last few weeks while studying the prophecies of Jeremiah, I have been amazed at how often the people of Israel and Judah, primarily the leadership, had repeated the pattern of sin against God and the amount of trouble it caused them. You would think they would learn!

Isaiah uses the term “rebel” or “rebellion” throughout his writings.  The Hebrew word is “paw-shah”, number 6586 in the Strong’s concordance meaning to break away, trespass, apostatize, or revolt. Israel, or in Isaiah’s situation, primarily Judah, was in a near constant state of rebellion.

In verse two Isaiah announces their rebellion to all of the heavens and earth. In verse three Isaiah indicates that even the ox and donkey know who their master is.

Isaiah 1:3 NKJV 3 The ox knows its owner And the donkey its master's crib; But Israel does not know, My people do not consider."

It might not be a good idea to open your argument by insulting the intelligence of your audience, but that is what Isaiah did by comparing them to oxen and donkeys. In calling on the witnesses of heaven and earth, Isaiah is reminding them of the covenant God made with them referring to some of the last words from God to the Children of Israel at the plain of Moab.

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 NKJV 19 "I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; 20 "that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them."

Isaiah then launches into a listing of the specific rebellions that Judah did beginning with forsaking the LORD.

Isaiah 1:4 NKJV 4 Alas, sinful nation, A people laden with iniquity, A brood of evildoers, Children who are corrupters! They have forsaken the LORD, They have provoked to anger The Holy One of Israel, They have turned away backward.

Israel was intended to be called a holy nation, set apart for God among all the nations of the earth to be priests to the nations and an example. Isaiah now calls them a “sinful nation.” They have abandoned and turned away from God and have become like the other nations around them. The Hebrew verbs used by Isaiah make for a particularly strong rebuke against Israel. They have literally “turned away backwards” in their heart, actions and words.

The concept of the holiness or separateness of God is a driving theme throughout the book of Isaiah. The prophet refers to God by the title “The Holy One of Israel” no less than thirty-nine times. By invoking this title, Isaiah is undoubtedly reminding Israel of the nature of God and their unique relationship to the creator of heaven and earth!

In verse seven, Isaiah changes the tone of his oratory from a metaphorical presentation to a present tense. He speaks as if the physical judgment that is coming as a result of their rebellion has already happened or is happening as he is writing.

Isaiah 1:7 NKJV 7 Your country is desolate, Your cities are burned with fire; Strangers devour your land in your presence; And it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.

The next type of rebellion that Isaiah speaks of is their practice of an empty religion.

Isaiah 1:11-12 NKJV 11 "To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?" Says the LORD. "I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, Or of lambs or goats. 12 "When you come to appear before Me, Who has required this from your hand, To trample My courts?

God was not telling them to abolish the sacrificial system, but that they were abusing the system God put in place and had created an empty religious ritual from it. Perhaps their thoughts were if one sin offering was a good thing then ten was certainly better!  They were also just going through the motions of celebrating the new moons and the appointed festivals as if they were merely the right thing to do in their culture without giving consideration as to what their purpose was.

Isaiah 1:13-14 NKJV 13 Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies-I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. 14 Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them.

These empty religious practices were going on for quite some time before Isaiah entered the picture. Many celebrations of the Feasts of the LORD are mentioned throughout the books of Kings and Chronicles, but by the time of Isaiah, they were practicing the appointed times in their own way, changing the very character, nature, and purpose of God’s Feast days and filling them with empty ritual.

In addition to the physical judgment because of their rebellion, they will experience a spiritual separation from God because of their empty religious practices.

Isaiah 1:15 NKJV 15 When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.

Isaiah goes on to point out their lack of justice toward each other and the most vulnerable in their society.

Isaiah 1:16-17 NKJV 16 "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, 17 Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow.

The rulers and leaders of Judah and Jerusalem had become degenerate and corrupt.

Isaiah 1:21-23 NKJV 21 How the faithful city has become a harlot! It was full of justice; Righteousness lodged in it, But now murderers. 22 Your silver has become dross, Your wine mixed with water. 23 Your princes are rebellious, And companions of thieves; Everyone loves bribes, And follows after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, Nor does the cause of the widow come before them.

We see some terrible consequences for their rebellion against the Holy One of Israel! We see the consequences of this rebellion throughout the book of Isaiah, but we also see the promise of healing. Chapter fifty-three, for example, in particular speaks volumes of the healing power of the Messiah and how He will minister to His people.

Isaiah 53:5-6 NKJV 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

The Hebrew word translated as “stripes” in fifty-three five is number 2250, khab-boo-raw, from the root word number 2266, khaw-bar meaning to couple together, to have fellowship with. Any healing from their rebellion can only be accomplished by entering into fellowship with Messiah, a personal relationship, not empty religious practices.

Back in chapter one verses eight and nine, Isaiah introduces us to the concept of a remnant.

Isaiah 1:8-9 NKJV 8 So the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard, As a hut in a garden of cucumbers, As a besieged city. 9 Unless the LORD of hosts Had left to us a very small remnant, We would have become like Sodom, We would have been made like Gomorrah.

The image of the shelter in the vineyard and the watchman’s hut are like small islands of refuge in a sea of desolation and destruction. Sodom and Gomorrah did not have any righteous remnant left within them once Lot and his family were removed.  In chapter’s thirty-six through thirty-nine, Isaiah relates the story of the siege of Sennacharib during the reign of king Hezekiah where all of Judah was overrun and only Jerusalem remained. If it was not for the grace of God, Jerusalem would have been lost as well.

The existence of a remnant does not mean that God would not execute judgment on them for their unfaithfulness to the covenant. In verse ten, Isaiah addresses a warning to the remnant as if they were Sodom and Gomorrah.

Isaiah 1:10 NKJV 10 Hear the word of the LORD, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the law of our God, You people of Gomorrah:

The concept of a faithful remnant is seen throughout Isaiah. And we see that this remnant is a righteous remnant that owes its salvation and existence solely to the grace of God! We also see that this remnant is the preserved true believers and covenant keepers from Israel.

The apostle Paul also speaks of a remnant of those who were faithful and believed God’s word, at one point, quoting Isaiah.

Romans 9:27-29 NKJV 27 Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, The remnant will be saved. 28 For He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, Because the LORD will make a short work upon the earth." 29 And as Isaiah said before: "Unless the LORD of Sabaoth had left us a seed, We would have become like Sodom, And we would have been made like Gomorrah."

So far in the opening chapter of Isaiah, we have read about the nature, judgment, and remnant of Judah’s rebellion. But there is more, there is hope! There is a cure for their iniquity and rebellion should they choose to accept it. Part of the cure we already read, but it deserves repeating. Isaiah presents the cure in verses sixteen through twenty.

Isaiah 1:16-20 NKJV 16 "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, 17 Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow. 18 "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land; 20 But if you refuse and rebel, You shall be devoured by the sword"; For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

Isaiah tells Israel of the path to spiritual and ritual purity.  Their sickness can be cured, and they can be counted as the remnant. The first step is that they must wash themselves from the stain of their sin. The second step is they must do good. Doing good is the outward sign of true repentance. Living a life reflecting God’s righteous acts is a characteristic of repentance.

In verse seventeen, Isaiah tells them that they must learn to do good. Learning involves the study of the ways of God through His word. The Bible, from Genesis to Revelation is God’s instruction in righteous living. The apostle Paul spoke of this to Timothy.

2 Timothy 2:15 NKJV 15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Just learning God’s word on an intellectual level is not good enough.  The people Isaiah and the other prophets address were primarily the leaders, priests, and kings. They had come to know the words, the forms, and the rituals, but little else beyond that. Their religious practices had little substance. If the leadership is practicing an empty religion, how can they properly teach the people the ways of the LORD?

Isaiah puts some emphasis behind his words when he says that doing good means physically practicing justice for the vulnerable and less fortunate of their society.

In verse eighteen of our Haftarah, Isaiah indicates that the stain of their sin can be washed away, and the curse removed. Their sin is a crimson stain that can be made white again.  This is exactly what John referred to in Revelation

Revelation 1:5 NKJV 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,

In verses nineteen and twenty, Isaiah reminds Israel of the benefits of repentance and returning to covenant faithfulness. Isaiah restates the conditions recorded in Deuteronomy. The wording that Isaiah chooses emphasizes that obedience will bring blessings and disobedience, disaster.  But the important thing to remember is that nowhere, in Isiah’s prophecies or anywhere else is there ever a dissolution of the covenant God made with the Children of Israel at Mount Sinai!

At the close of the Haftarah reading, Isaiah finishes with stating the things that God alone will do. He gives a hint to the Messianic Age yet to come!

Isaiah 1:24-27 NKJV 24 Therefore the Lord says, The LORD of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, "Ah, I will rid Myself of My adversaries, And take vengeance on My enemies. 25 I will turn My hand against you, And thoroughly purge away your dross, And take away all your alloy. 26 I will restore your judges as at the first, And your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city." 27 Zion shall be redeemed with justice, And her penitents with righteousness.

Ultimately all these things will only happen in their fullness when Messiah returns to rule from the throne of David in Jerusalem. God declares that He will redeem Jerusalem with justice and put an end to all His enemies. At the same time God’s judgment will fall on the unfaithful and unrepentant.

What we see in this opening chapter of Isaiah is a hint at the central, overarching theme of his entire book: the coming of Messiah and His atonement for His people! What is clear from Isaiah is that God alone is the only one able to redeem Israel. The righteousness of Messiah Yeshua and His atoning blood is the only path to the ultimate salvation of Israel. And it is that salvation through Messiah, which is open to all who call upon the LORD God of Israel!

Study Questions:

1. Discuss the connection of this teaching to the Torah Portion Devarim, Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22.

2. Isaiah describes the leadership of Judah and Jerusalem as being apostates practicing a dead or empty religion. Describe the problem they had with their religious practices. Discuss how they fell into this state and how we too can be trapped in empty ritual. Share personal experience if you wish.

3. What is the remnant described by Isaiah? How does this remnant affect the rest of the nation?

4. What are the possible ways to understand verse 1:18?  What is your interpretation and why?

5. What is the difference between the ways God judges the ungodly nations and the way he judges His own people?

6. What new insight did you gain from this teaching? How do you respond to this new insight? How will you realign your life based on this new understanding?

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