From Isaiah 59-63
The author paints a very bleak picture of Israel. They only think of iniquity – sin. Their ways are full of destruction. Imagine every way you went and in everything you did, something went wrong, something went bad and it was because you wanted it to. They do not know the way of peace. God has not shown it to them, they have rejected him. They pursue conflict, arguments and violence. Their roads are crooked, not straight.
This post is part of my bible in a year series.
Passage and Comment
Yesterday’s passage contained a lot of hope for Israel. Today’s passage is not so bright. It is a message of judgment.
59 Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save,
or his ear dull, that it cannot hear;
2 but your iniquities have made a separation
between you and your God,
and your sins have hidden his face from you
so that he does not hear.
3 For your hands are defiled with blood
and your fingers with iniquity;
your lips have spoken lies;
your tongue mutters wickedness. (Is 59:1–3)
The author starts off saying the LORD can save and the LORD can hear their prayers. But the reason why they are being punished as they are is because of their sin, their violence, their lies and their wickedness.
4 No one enters suit justly;
no one goes to law honestly;
they rely on empty pleas, they speak lies,
they conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity.
5 They hatch adders’ eggs;
they weave the spider’s web;
he who eats their eggs dies,
and from one that is crushed a viper is hatched.
6 Their webs will not serve as clothing;
men will not cover themselves with what they make.
Their works are works of iniquity,
and deeds of violence are in their hands. (Is 59:4-6)
The people go into judgment against one another. They lie and bear false witness. They plan and commit sin. They try to make their wrongdoing clothing but everyone refuses. Their works and deeds are sins.
7 Their feet run to evil,
and they are swift to shed innocent blood;
their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity;
desolation and destruction are in their highways.
8 The way of peace they do not know,
and there is no justice in their paths;
they have made their roads crooked;
no one who treads on them knows peace. (Is 59:7-8)
The author paints a very bleak picture of Israel. They only think of iniquity – sin. Their ways are full of destruction. Imagine every way you went and in everything you did, something went wrong, something went bad and it was because you wanted it to. They do not know the way of peace. God has not shown it to them, they have rejected him. They pursue conflict, arguments and violence. Their roads are crooked, not straight.
At this point he differentiates himself from them and laments the sin and wickedness of his people. He does not mention the faithful or the righteous. Those who trust in the LORD, make him their refuge and obey his voice.
He is judging the sinners, the wicked of Israel.
9 Therefore justice is far from us,
and righteousness does not overtake us;
we hope for light, and behold, darkness,
and for brightness, but we walk in gloom.
10 We grope for the wall like the blind;
we grope like those who have no eyes;
we stumble at noon as in the twilight,
among those in full vigor we are like dead men.
11 We all growl like bears;
we moan and moan like doves;
we hope for justice, but there is none;
for salvation, but it is far from us. (Is 59:9-11)
If they had trusted in the LORD and listened to his voice, he would have sent them justice, righteousness, light and brightness. But they didn’t. So instead they are given over into darkness and blindness. They moan in dismay and salvation is far from them.
12 For our transgressions are multiplied before you,
and our sins testify against us;
for our transgressions are with us,
and we know our iniquities:
13 transgressing, and denying the LORD,
and turning back from following our God,
speaking oppression and revolt,
conceiving and uttering from the heart lying words.
14 Justice is turned back,
and righteousness stands far away;
for truth has stumbled in the public squares,
and uprightness cannot enter.
15 Truth is lacking,
and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. (Is 59:12–15a)
Now the author involves himself in the judgment. Identifying himself with the people. He is aware of their sins and confesses them.
The LORD saw it, and it displeased him
that there was no justice.
16 He saw that there was no man,
and wondered that there was no one to intercede;
then his own arm brought him salvation,
and his righteousness upheld him.
17 He put on righteousness as a breastplate,
and a helmet of salvation on his head;
he put on garments of vengeance for clothing,
and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak. (Is 59:15b–17)
There is no man who can stop this. So the LORD himself will step in and act, setting things right.
Story of Israel
It seems clear from this passage Israel is still in need of a saviour. The LORD had not yet come, clothed in salvation, righteousness, vengeance and zeal.
Story of Jesus
Paul uses some of these verses from Isaiah to describe the Jews as being under sin.
9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written:
“None is righteous, no, not one;
11 no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one.”
13 “Their throat is an open grave;
they use their tongues to deceive.”
“The venom of asps is under their lips.”
14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 in their paths are ruin and misery,
17 and the way of peace they have not known.” (cf. Is 59-7-8)
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. (Rom 3:9–19)
The LORD did come as he promised in Isaiah and he took the form of a man clothed in salvation, righteousness, vengeance and zeal. The man Jesus.
16 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:
He was manifested in the flesh,
vindicated by the Spirit,
seen by angels,
proclaimed among the nations,
believed on in the world,
taken up in glory. (1 Ti 3:16)
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