Book Of Isaiah First Section 2008
Category: Bible Studies
This is the expanded, narrative version (2008).
The original outline study (1998-1999) is available at this link.
To view the outlined, footenoted version of Isaiah by Chapter (2003) click here
This version is subject to change until the time of completion (expected in 2009).
First Section: Chapters 1-12 - The Ultimate Rule of Christ
Second Section: Chapters 13-26 - The Destruction of the Nations
Third Section: Chapters 27-35 - Preparation for Christ's Rule and Comparison to the World's System
Fourth Section: Chapters 36-39 - Interlude: The Faith and Fall of King Hezekiah
Fifth Section: Chapters 40 - 66 - The Tension Between God's Plan and Mans' Fall, Israel's return and Christ's Ultimate Dominion
Theme of the Book:
God owns the nations and they will be judged for their rebellion (beginning with His own people). Though all nations be destroyed beyond memory - He will bring his people back to the land and Christ will rule in righteousness and justice, from Jerusalem.
THE BOOK OF ISAIAH
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New International Version, (NIV) of the Holy Bible. Copyright © 1978, 1984 by the New York International Bible Society. We have changed the text by capitalizing the pronouns for God. All other translations of the Bible that are used are denoted by their three letter abbreviation in parenthesis; e.g. "(KJV)" for King James Version and "(NKJ)" for New King James, "(NAS)" for New American Standard.
Introduction: Synopsis of the Book of Isaiah
Most every subject in the Bible can be found in the book of Isaiah and structurally, there are similarities. For just as the Bible has sixty-six books, the book of Isaiah has sixty-six chapters. It could also be said the book of Isaiah is an expansion of the second Psalm. The nations are gathered together against Christ. Yet, He is not deterred or intimidated for He is the Creator of all things. The rebellion of the nations fails to make God anxious, and He is not unsettled by the rebellion of His chosen people. Christ has conquered, He reigns on High and He will reign in Jerusalem with His chosen people, Israel.
The first chapter of Isaiah begins with God's judgment upon His chosen nation—a people who make a pretense of religion but have rebelled against their Creator. After the introduction in the first verse, the book begins with God's case against Israel, spoken to the kings of Judah. That God would bring a case against His people is fitting because the next three chapters declare that God will judge all nations and the pride of man will be humbled. The apostle Peter maintains that judgment begins with the house of God. And if judgment begins with God's people, what will the outcome be for those nations and people who do not obey? (1Pe 4:17). Therefore, we see demonstrated that before God destroys the nations, He judges His chosen people.
Sidenote: Though God has promised destruction for His chosen people, they are never fully destroyed as are the other nations. Many nations were promised destruction by God and they are no more. If they exist in nomenclature, they are only a shell of what they used to be with people living in the land who do not share the heritage of the former nation. God's dealing with Israel and Judah is different, God always promised a remnant. Chapter eleven of Isaiah and chapter twelve of Zechariah make it clear that the restoration of Israel will consist of the true descendants and within the former location. "Has the Lord struck her down as He struck down those who struck her?" [27:7] The remnant will return as God promised.
Going back to chapter one: God presents His case against Israel. It is important to remember that God never violates His laws and His anger never oversteps His mercy (Hab 3:2). Yet His judgment will be just and sure. In His case against His chosen nation, God calls witnesses, brings three charges, states His case, and tenders an offer of reconciliation.
Chapters six through twelve demonstrate God's authority and His complete control of the ages—or history; past, present and future. This lays the foundation for His authority to judge the nations in the preceding chapters and the prophecies in the following chapters, thirteen through thirty. Who could be more qualified to foretell the course of nations than the One who has control of history, events, people and nations. Solomon wrote, "The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; He directs it like a watercourse wherever He pleases." [Pro 21:1] While Daniel affirms in chapter two, verse twenty-one that God controls times and seasons and He raises kings up and throws them down.
Chapters one through twelve are the essence of the book of Isaiah: God will judge the nations for their rebellion, beginning with His people. Chapters thirteen through sixty-six expand upon the declarations of the first twelve. Chapters thirteen through thirty are specific prophecies against the nations, affirming God's claim in chapters two through five that God will judge the nations and the pride of man will be humbled. Chapters thirty-one through forty demonstrate that man cannot overcome God's plan. Man cannot do it through alliances, conspiracies, nor through greatness and power - though every generation would strive to rebuild the Tower of Babel. This proves God's claim to control nations and history in chapters six through twelve. And finally, God's plan for Israel and the future kingdom in chapters forty-one through sixty-six expand upon chapters eleven and twelve which describe Christ's future reign and God's kingdom.
Christ is the focus of history - every event revolves around Him. This is the primary message of the book and it is set forth clearly in chapters six through twelve. The whole purpose of history, which God has the authority to control, is to bring forth the Christ; first as a child and finally as King of Kings. The last two verses in chapter ten and the first verse in chapter eleven describe the single event that changed history: God felled the lofty kingdoms of man like a tree and a shoot emerged from the stump of Jesse. Man's kingdoms are powerful, great and glorious, but they are cut down like a tree. While the beginning of the kingdom of Almighty God is almost unnoticed - a twig emerges from a stump; the birth of the One who is to rule the nations.
Daniel, in chapter two, describes the kingdoms of man as revealed by God to Nebuchadnezzar in a dream of a statue. The head was pure gold; the chest and arms were pure silver; belly and thighs of bronze; legs of iron and feet of iron and clay. A rock will strike this statue on the feet. Then the gold, silver, bronze, iron and clay will blow away while the rock will become a mountain that fills the earth. Many commentators have attached the various elements of the statue with specific kingdoms of man. We will not do that here, but it is interesting to note that there have been no new global kingdoms since the birth of Christ.
There is one more yet to come, the kingdom of the antichrist will emerge out of the iron and clay feet. It will be short lived. The end of this kingdom will be the final destruction of mans' glory and Satan's dominion. Christ will establish His throne and kingdom forever. Just as Daniel describes the rock that struck the statue's feet, demolishing the statue and transforming into a huge mountain that covers the whole earth, chapter nine declares that Christ will end all tyranny and the kingdoms of man will collapse - no more Tower of Babel. Chapters eleven and twelve affirm that Christ will reign in righteousness and God will be our salvation.
Finally, in chapter sixty-two, verses six and seven, we are to give no rest to our prayers. Much like Paul's instruction in 1Th 5:17 to pray without ceasing. But Isaiah goes much deeper. Through Isaiah, God commands us to give Him no rest in our prayers until He establishes Jerusalem. Think about this: we are to pray continually for Christ's millennial reign and we have this example within the Lord's Prayer: "Thy kingdom come." [Mat 6:10] If we are to give God no rest in this matter, wouldn't it suggest that the focus of our lives would be to work toward building His kingdom rather than our own? To proclaim His name more than working for our own comfort and glory?
"Make known among the nations what He has done, and proclaim that His name is exalted." [Isa 12:4]. Amen.
First Section: The Ultimate Rule of Christ (Chapters 1-12)
Introduction [1:1]
Isaiah's vision
Isaiah states the book is an account of his vision during the reigns of four kings of Judah: Uzziah (or Azariah), Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah. The word "vision" is not a singular event as evidenced by the length of years represented. The vision is representative of the full revelation of God to Isaiah during the years of the four kings. While the revelation may be multiple events, the theme of the vision revealed to Isaiah is singular: God will judge the nations and that judgment will begin with His own people. The end result will be the kingdoms of man will be brought low, Christ will reign in Jerusalem and God's kingdom will be eternal.
Isaiah states the vision is concerning the nation of Israel, Judah and Jerusalem, the capital city of Judah. The time is roughly one hundred fifty years before the captivity of Judah. Up to this time, there had not yet arisen any world kingdoms, though there were formidable empires. The Assyrian empire, which would take the nation of Israel captive early into Isaiah's ministry, was one such kingdom. However, even after the destruction of Israel, it would never rise to the status of world conqueror. Babylon would become the first, Rome would be the last. We can read Daniel's description of the world kingdoms to Nebuchadnezzar in chapter two of the book of Daniel. God chose Nebuchadnezzar to be the first and greatest of the world rulers (king of kings; Dan 2:37).
Nimrod was the first of the great empire builders and the father of great and powerful kings. He was the father of the Assyrian and Babylonian empires (Gen 10:8-12). It was little more than one hundred years after the Flood that Nimrod convinced the world to abandon God's requirement to fill the land and to come together under a centralized government at Babel (Gen 11). He was a skillful warrior and a consensus builder.
Even though God confused the language at the Tower and the effort failed miserably, man has never rested from his efforts to become his own god, reduce urban sprawl, become his own provider and rebuild the Tower. Here is something to think about: After God separated man at the Tower, Nimrod went on to create many more cities and centers of commerce. They all defied God's law, however, God used Nineveh (Assyrians) to remove Israel from their land and He used Babylon to remove Judah.
God placed Jerusalem strategically between the nations and established it as the gateway of the nations (Eze 5:5; 26:2). But it failed to be the city on a hill that God intended. It failed to influence the world for Him. It failed to give God glory. In fact, Judah turned against the laws of God and became more perverted than the pagan nations around her (Eze 5:5-6). So, God removed His chosen people and destroyed His chosen city, Jerusalem.
When the city of God no longer sat free at the crossroads to mans' commerce and enterprise, the banner of God's glory was gone. At this time, man had the moment to build up his own authority and this became the age of the world kingdoms. However, that moment was short lived. During the heyday of Roman Empire, when man was at his ultimate glory and peace reigned throughout the known world (with minor exceptions, of course), the beginning of the end was signaled with the quiet birth of Christ. Few saw it, and fewer still understood it but this is the One who would conquer sin and death - He would trample Satan's head as prophesied by God in Genesis chapter three. Mans' kingdom would soon be over and Christ would reign from His throne on high until the time He returns to establish His throne in Jerusalem.
Three other prophets were contemporary to Isaiah: Hosea, Amos and Micah. Hosea prophesied during the reigns of the same four kings. Amos prophesied during the reign of Uzziah and Micah during the years of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah.
Hosea's prophesies focused on the Northern Kingdom, Israel and her need for repentance. "My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge . . . Their deeds did not permit them to return to their God." [Hos 4:6; 5:4].
Amos prophesied against Israel and her neighbors. "You only have I chosen of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your sins. . . . You have lifted up the shrine of your king, the pedestal of your idols, the star of your god. . . . Woe to you who are complacent." [Amo 3:2; 5:26; 6:1]. Take note America: consider God's reference to "the shrine of your king" or central utopian government. Where do we place our faith? Who solves our troubles, God or the welfare state?
Finally, Micah prophesied to the Southern (Judah) and Northern (Israel) Kingdoms condemning the regulators (Mic 2:1-2) and false prophets (chapters two and three). "Then they will cry out to the Lord, but He will not answer them. . . . He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." [Mic 3:4; 6:8].
Four kings: Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah
Before there was ever a king in Israel, the people demanded they no longer be judged by God but by man and the prophet, Samuel, warned what would result if they pressed for a king. He would tax their harvest and commerce, conscribe their sons and daughters, regulate their lives and take their property (1Sa 8). Four kings later, when the people begged for relief from civil government regulation and taxes, Rehoboam (the son of King Solomon) replied, "My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier." [2Ch 10:14]. Because he would not listen to the people, the nation divided.
After the nation divided, Israel (Northern Kingdom) remained in the land for two hundred ten years and Judah (Southern Kingdom) remained for three hundred forty five years.
Of the nineteen kings of Israel, none were said to have done what was right. However, Jehu, who was commissioned to destroy the house of Ahab, (2Ki 9:6-10) was zealous for the Lord (2Ki 10:16). He destroyed the house of Ahab and destroyed the prophets of Baal. Yet, he continued the worship of the golden calves and did not return the nation to the Lord (2Ki 10:28, 31). His son, Jehoahaz, was evil but he did seek the Lord's help for deliverance from the nation of Aram (2Ki 13:1-6). His grandson Jehoash had a scant faith and was friendly to the prophet Elisha (2Ki 13:14-20).
Of the twenty kings of Judah, the Scriptures tell us that eight did what was right and served the Lord. About twenty years after the death of Elisha, the prophet Isaiah began to proclaim the Word of the Lord. He testified to four kings; of these, three were followers of the Lord.
The first of these kings is Uzziah, otherwise known as Azariah (767-740 BC). He was the son of Amaziah (2Ch 26:1). He was sixteen years old when he took the throne and reigned fifty-two years (2Ki 15:2). "He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the LORD, God gave him success." [2 Ch 26:5]. The twenty-sixth chapter of Second Chronicles gives us an account of his accomplishments, successes and failures. The Ammonites brought him tribute. He built towers and cisterns. He had a well-trained army of 307,500 men under 2,600 commanders. He provided shields, spears, helmets, coats of armor, bows and slingshots for the entire army. He built machines of war that shot arrows and hurled large stones. But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God, and entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar, imposing upon himself the role of priest.
The previous chapter of Second Chronicles describes the failure of Uzziah's father due to his pride from the success the Lord gave him. His father, Amaziah, who also followed the Lord, prospered but eventually became conceited. After the Lord granted him victory over Edom, he decided to make war with Israel - for sport. It was a disaster for Judah. "Every man fled to his home." [2Ch 25:22]. The king of Israel tore down six hundred feet of the Jerusalem wall from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate and removed all the gold and silver articles from the Temple. His arrogance caused his defeat and inspired a conspiracy to assassinate him. "From the time that Amaziah turned away from following the Lord, they conspired against him in Jerusalem and he fled to Lachish, but they sent men after him to Lachish and killed him there." [2 Ch 25:27].
Uzziah did not have the vision to learn from his father's failure. He, too, became unfaithful in his pride. When confronted by Azariah and "eighty other courageous priests" he broke out in leprosy and Jotham, his son, ruled in his place.
Herein is a Scriptural lesson on the Biblical view of 'separation of church and state.' When Uzziah was confronted by the priests, they sternly reminded him of the statutes and limits of jurisdiction and they ordered him to leave the Temple. The state has no jurisdiction over the church. It is the church, however, that judges the law and the people, including the lawmakers. Oh that we would have pastors in America who would not fear to confront our lawmakers who overstep their authority by overriding the authority of God, the jurisdiction of the church and the jurisdiction of the family.
While Uzziah was king, there was a sizable earthquake. This is mentioned in Amos 1:1 and Zechariah 14:5.
Jotham was the next king (740-732 BC). He did what was right in the Lord's eyes (2Ki 15:32-34). He was twenty-five years old when he became king and reigned sixteen years (2Ch 27:8). Four of those years were as co-regent with his father, Uzziah. Unlike his father, he did not commit the unfaithful act of entering the Temple (2Ch 27:2). The people, however, continued their corrupt practices (2Ch 27:2) because neither he nor his father had not removed the high places (2Ki 15:4).
His grandfather, Amaziah, who had walked with the Lord, brought back the gods of Edom and set them up as his own and offered sacrifices to them. This was just after he had, with the help of the only true God, defeated the Edomites. When confronted by a prophet of the Lord, he threatened to strike him down (2Ch 25:14-16). Can we condemn him? Why is it that we, also, look to other nations and religions and glorify their diversity and uniqueness and follow after them, when it is God Almighty who has given us our life, freedom and prosperity?
Close to this time period, 2Kings 17:29ff recounts the efforts of the King of Babylon to re-populate the Israelite territories after carrying Israel off to captivity. He brought people from all nations, including an Israeli remnant, to resettle the land. "Nevertheless, each national group made its own gods in the several towns where they settled, and set them up in the shrines the people of Samaria had made at the high places . . . . They worshiped the LORD, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought." 2Ki 17:35-41 - Then recounting God's dealings with Israel: "When the LORD made a covenant with the Israelites, He commanded them: 'Do not worship any other gods or bow down to them, serve them or sacrifice to them. But the LORD, who brought you up out of Egypt with mighty power and outstretched arm, is the one you must worship. To Him you shall bow down and to Him offer sacrifices. You must always be careful to keep the decrees and ordinances, the laws and commands He wrote for you. Do not worship other gods' . . . . They would not listen, however, but persisted in their former practices. Even while these people were worshiping the LORD, they were serving their idols. To this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their fathers did."
Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate to the Temple (2Ki 15:35, 2Ch 27:3). He was successful in battle against the Ammonites and they brought tribute (2Ch 27:5) and he grew powerful because he walked steadfastly before the Lord his God (2Ch 27:6). However, he did not train up his son to follow the Lord.
Ahaz, the son of Jotham, was twenty years old when he became king and he reigned for sixteen years (732-716 BC). He did NOT do what was right in the Lord's eyes (2Ki 16:2, 2Ch 28:1ff). "He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and even sacrificed his son in the fire." [2Ki 16:3]. The king of Aram and the king of Israel, inflicted heavy losses on him, but God did not allow them to defeat him. Ignoring God's providential protection upon his nation, he made an alliance with the king of Assyria (2Ki 16:5-9, 2Ch 28:5-15). The king of Assyria responded by taking Damascus, the capital of Israel (2Ki 16:8).
While visiting the king of Assyria, Tiglath-Pileser, in Damascus, Ahaz noted the altar there and sent a sketch to the priest, Uriah. Unlike the priest, Azariah, who stood up to King Uzziah, Uriah had the new altar completed before Ahaz returned. The king had the bronze altar moved and ordered Uriah to perform the sacrifices on the new altar and use the bronze altar for seeking guidance. Uriah complied with the king's order (2Ki 16:12-16). It is common and human in a corrupt age, the men who serve as men of God are either corrupted themselves, or they lack the spine to stand against evil.
Ahaz made other changes to the Temple and articles of worship (2Ki 16:17ff). In time, the man he tried to appease, the king of Assyria, became a thorn to him. (2Ch 28:20). So he became even more unfaithful to the Lord. "In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the LORD. He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus, who had defeated him; for he thought, 'Since the gods of the kings of Aram have helped them, I will sacrifice to them so they will help me.' But they were his downfall and the downfall of all Israel." [2 Ch 28:22-23]. Ahaz finally closed the Temple and set up altars at every street corner in Jerusalem. He built high places in every town to burn sacrifices to other gods [2Ch 28:24-25].
Finally, Hezekiah was the fourth king. The Scriptures speak higher of no other king, save David, because he closely followed the Lord. He was twenty-five years old when he became king and he reigned twenty-nine years (2Ki 18:2, 2Ch 29:1). This was from 716 to 687 BC. His first act was to reopen the Temple and repair the doors (2Ch 29:3). He removed the idolatrous practices and articles and there was no king like him because he held fast to the Lord and "kept the commands the LORD had given Moses." He reestablished worship in the Temple (2Ki 18:4-6, 2Ch 29:4-36, 2Ch 30:14, 2Ch 31:1). He reestablished the Passover celebration and invited all Israel, Judah and Ephraim and Manasseh to join (2Ch 30:21). The Lord was with him and he was successful in whatever he undertook (2Ki 18:7).
In Hezekiah's seventh year, the king of Assyria carried off the neighboring Israelites captive after a three-year siege of Samaria (2Ki 18:9-11). In his fourteenth year, the king of Assyria hit closer to home. He captured all the fortified cities of Judah. He demanded three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold from Hezekiah. So Hezekiah gave him all the silver from the Temple and stripped all the gold off the doors and doorposts. Then envoys were sent from Assyria to taunt Hezekiah. They blasphemed God. So, God destroyed them and Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, was killed by his two sons (2Ki 18:13-19:37, 2Ch 32:1-22).
Hezekiah became ill unto death but God healed him and granted him fifteen more years of life and rule (2Ki 20:1-11, 2Ch 32:24-31). Then came Hezekiah's pride and God's test. Merodach-Baladan, king of Babylon heard of the king's illness and recovery and sent him gifts. Hezekiah, in his pride, displayed the entire wealth of the kingdom to the envoys. Isaiah rebuked him for this and prophesied that Babylon would carry off all the wealth (2Ki 20:12-19, 2Ch 32:24-31).
After Hezekiah there were seven more kings. The first of the seven was Manasseh (2Ki 21:1-18; 2Ch 33:1-20). He did more evil than the Amorites before him. He desecrated God's Temple with altars to other gods. He practiced the occult and consulted spiritists. He led Judah into sin with his idols. He shed so much innocent blood that he filled Jerusalem from end to end. So God gave him over to captivity. This is a demonstration of God's mercy, for God could have just as well had him killed. He was given a second chance (2Ch 33:11-13).
Manasseh was captured by the commanders of the king of Assyria and taken to Babylon, bound in shackles and with a hook in his nose. In his distress he humbled himself before God and sought His favor. God brought him back to Jerusalem and restored his throne. Manasseh rebuilt the wall, got rid of all foreign gods and restored the Lord's altar (2Ch 33:14-16). Even though the king was repentant and following God, the people did not fully return to the Lord their God (2Ch 33:17). Because of the rebellion of the people and because God was not willing to forgive the innocent blood that Manasseh had shed, the Lord sent judgment upon Jerusalem. Babylonian, Aramean, Moabite and Ammonite raiders were later sent to destroy Judah (2Ki 24:1-4).
God presents His case against Judah. [1:2-31]
God selects the jury
God calls creation to listen. He testifies before heaven and earth - this is a witness to everything living. "Hear, O heavens! Listen O earth! For the LORD has spoken." [v 2]. Here, God calls heaven and earth to witness the charge He has against His people. In Micah chapter six, God calls the hills, the mountains and then, the foundations of the earth to witness the charge against His people. These are not mere words.
First: Paul tells us, "since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - His eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood by what has been made, so that men are without excuse." [Rom 1:20] Here we see the creation has worked to proclaim and give glory to God who made it. Man has ignored what creation has obediently proclaimed. Now, God calls all creation to witness the charge He has against His people who have rejected Him.
Second: In the eighth chapter of Romans, Paul tells us the "creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed." [Rom 8:19] WHY? Because the creation was subjected to frustration, or decay, on account of the fall of man - and one day "creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God." [Rom 8:21] The world is waiting for the sons of God, those who believe in Jesus Christ (Gal 3:26), to be revealed; those of the nation of Israel, God's chosen people and of the church, the bride of Christ. But this is not happening in the time of Isaiah's vision. The creation has witnessed how God made a peculiar people to reveal this Christ. He did not do this by choosing a nation or finding a people of power. Instead, God called one man, Abraham, a man who believed God and obeyed. God called him to leave one of the most modern and worldly cities and go to a land He had set aside for him. God built a nation out of a man of faith - and creation saw it. Now, God calls all creation to witness that their hope of liberation from decay is not now - for He has a charge against His people. And, this will not be the time the sons of God will be revealed.
Why shouldn't creation be the jury? When the crowd of disciples were publicly praising God for the miracles Christ had done, the Pharisees commanded that He should rebuke His disciples. His response was "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out." [Luk 19:40]. The fact is, all creation gives glory to God! "The heavens declare the glory of God and the skies proclaim His handiwork." [Psa 19:1]. The bondage to decay will end and creation will rejoice when God's Word comes to completion. "So is My word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands." [Isa 55:11-12]. This will be a glorious day! And God is telling us creation has a vested interest in the victory of His truth. Does it not seem reasonable that creation be the jury?
Three charges against Judah - or One Charge in Three Parts:
The first charge: They have rebelled against Me (v 2). This is the premise of the major and minor prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea and Micah. Isaiah begins the book with this charge and he ends the book with the verdict: "All mankind will come and bow down before Me . . . And they will go out and look upon the dead bodies of those who rebelled against Me; their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind." [Isa 66:23-24]. Christ repeated this same warning in Mark 9:48. There is only one reward for rebellion against God: eternal destruction in Hell. So, get your name written in the Book of Life (Rev 20:11-15).
God said, "I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against Me." [v 2]. How does God "rear children"? Remember when God brought the nation out of the land of slavery, He did not take them along the direct route because they would have met war and become disheartened and returned to slavery (Exo 13:17-18). He lead them along a safer route; He allowed them to meet smaller adversaries and display His hand of protection; He fed them and disciplined them. He did not put up with their whining but taught them how to trust in Him and be strong. Now they are older and are in rebellion to Him.
God compares them to the donkey, a dumb animal, a beast of burden. The donkey serves man and knows his master. He does his work and the master gives him shelter, food and care. The Israelites forgot they serve God and don't understand the way back home. Hosea prophesied, "My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge." [Hos 4:6] Israel is in a worse shape than a dumb animal, because they do not understand without God, without His provision and protection, they are like a dumb animal left prey to the elements and predators.
This is the second time God has used a dumb donkey to impart wisdom. In this instance, the donkey is used as an illustration. In the case of Balaam (Num 22), the donkey had to talk to him before he, too, could see the angel of the LORD. Today, we have so many donkeys talking to us. Unlike Balaam's donkey, they are in rebellion to the angel of the LORD and are making outrages and ungodly claims regarding the salvation of man through the redeemer state and confusing liberty with licentiousness. What will it take for us to wake up and return to the law of God?
Hosea makes it clear, in the following verse, the lack of knowledge is not due to ignorance. It is the direct result of rejecting the law of God. This is a common frailty with man. Even nations that ascribe to God's law, find freedom and prosperity. Then, they become self sufficient and self important and they exchange the law of God for laws that satisfy their own desires (Deu 8:10-18) and, as Paul describes mans' condition in Romans 1:18, "their suppress the truth by their wickedness."
God brought Israel out of slavery but they have forgotten Him. Because they have rejected Him, they lack knowledge and understanding. Solomon told us, the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, or knowledge (Pro 1:7 et al). Jesus said, "if the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness." [Mat 5:23] We trust in our own wisdom and don't understand why we are in slavery. Isaiah warned Israel, if they do not return to God, to slavery they will return (Isa 5:13).
verse 4:
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