Starting Isaiah - Isaiah 1

Isaiah 1:1 "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."

Here in verse one, we find out the time Isaiah lived in. We can see something of his longevity. He served during the reign of four kings.

Numbers 12:6 "And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision and will speak unto him in a dream."

The time is after Israel was split into two nations: Judah and Israel. It was after the high point in the kingdom. David has risen to be king and then Solomon followed him and built the great temple. Then there was civil war and the greatness slipped away and they were carried away by idols and other sins.

II Kings 15:1 "In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign."

The purpose is found in the second verse. The LORD's people have sinned. They are reaping the rewards of sin.

v2 "Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me."

It was no surprise for the children of Israel when they were conquered and most of them carried away. God gave them advance warning of what would happen and gave them prophets to continual warn them of the dangers of rebellion.

v3 "The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib; but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider."

I Kings 9:4-7 "And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness to do according to all that I have commanded thee and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments: Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father saying There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel. But if ye shall at all turn from following me ye or your children and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you but go and serve other gods, and worship them. Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people;"

Israel did rebel. The nation was ripped into two parts and ultimately destroyed. As we love our own children and still love them even when they make us angry, so the LORD became angry with Israel.

v4 "Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters; they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward."

So we begin the book of Isaiah. I expect there will be some difficult passages ahead. The book is historical to us now but it was present day for Isaiah. Also, the book is prophetic in that Isaiah looks forward to redemption and talks of the coming Christ.

So we again quote: II Chronicles 7:14 for it has been said that Israel is God's time clock: v14 "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

We could use some of that in our nation as well.