A God Who Saves (Isaiah 1-12)
Have you ever wondered what God really wants from us? Isaiah shows that even his judgment flows from a deeper desire to save
Isaiah 1-12
Today's Scripture Passage
A Few Thoughts to Consider
What is God about in his world?
That’s a question those in Isaiah’s time struggled to grasp. Isaiah chapters 1-12 set the stage with a strong critique of Judah's social, moral, and religious failings. Isaiah calls out the people's hypocrisy, urging repentance and warning of impending divine judgments. These chapters oscillate between visions of impending doom for the unrighteous and hopeful glimpses of a restored and ideal future under a divinely appointed leader.
The setting of Isaiah 1 is in the southern kingdom of Judah, particularly focusing on the capital, Jerusalem, during the late 8th century BC. This period is marked by significant political and social turmoil. “In the beginning of this period, Israel was controlled by Assyria, a major world power. Assyria’s capital, Nineveh (modern-day Mosul in Iraq), was on the Tigris River, but Assyria’s empire in this period stretched from what is now Iran as far west as Egypt. Lying across major land routes between Assyria and Egypt, Israel felt repeatedly the horrors of war and destruction.”[1]
Isaiah's ministry begins in the last years of King Uzziah's reign and continues through the reigns of subsequent Judean kings. The book opens with a prophetic critique of Judah's moral decay and corruption, reflecting a society that, despite prosperity, is spiritually bankrupt and unjust. Isaiah's prophetic messages address both the imminent threat from Assyrian aggression and internal decay, calling for repentance and renewal. “Since the historical scope of the prophecy covers a period of over two centuries, it is possible that Isaiah’s voice was joined by the voices of others who eventually compiled his words, though Isaiah’s God-given prophetic gift could easily have allowed him to view these historical vistas himself.”[2]
In Chapter 1, God, through Isaiah, tells his people that he has “had enough of burnt offerings and rams.” He goes on to say in Verse 15, “When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will refuse to look at you; even if you offer countless prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.” In Isaiah 5:13, God says, “Therefore my people will go into exile because they lack knowledge; her dignitaries are starving, and her masses are parched with thirst.” According to Oswalt, “these drunken people simply do not perceive what God is about in his world.”
So what is God about? The answer is salvation. Indeed, even Isaiah’s name means “Yahweh saves.” As John Oswalt writes, “One could hardly imagine a more appropriate name in the light of the overall message of the book. For while it is true that Yahweh judges and destroys, these are not the final expressions of his will. Ultimately, he intends to save.”[3] This is who God is. Isaiah 12:2 says, Indeed, God is my salvation; I will trust him and not be afraid, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my song. He has become my salvation.”
It's because of his desire for all to be saved that he calls on his people to be clean. In Isaiah 1:16-17, God says, “Wash yourselves. Cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from my sight. Stop doing evil. 17 Learn to do what is good. Pursue justice. Correct the oppressor. Defend the rights of the fatherless. Plead the widow’s cause.” Then, in Chapter 6, we notice Isaiah’s vision of God is directly followed by a call for the people to turn to him and experience his salvation.
