PART SIX: THE FUTURE GLORY GOD HAS PROMISED FOR HIS PEOPLE, THE NEW ZION (58:1-66:24) - Having revealed the captivity to come, the assured return of the remnant, salvation in the Servant, and the glory of future Zion, Isaiah now addresses his thoughts to conditions during his lifetime (Hailey).
I. THE MERIT OF TRUE AND SINCERE SERVICE TO GOD (58:1-14)
A. Hypocritical Formalism Is Rebuked And Contrasted With The Blessings Of True Religion (58:1-12)
1. Cry out! Spare not! (58:1,2)
(1) The prophet is to warn the people using a forceful voice. He is to expose the sins of the people and warn them of the consequences of those sins.
(2) Their sin is not unlike that of the New Testament Pharisees - formalism and hypocrisy. The prophet has already pointed out that outward appearances of religion without sincerity are an abomination to the Lord (Isa. 1:11-14).
2. Hypocritical formalism versus true fasting (58:3-12)
(3) Fasting had been a part of Israel's life from the beginning and was usually practiced out of a genuine sense of need, yet in this period before the captivity their fasting had become meaningless (Jer. 14:12). The people could not understand why God would not take note of their fasting. The prophet makes it clear that their fasting was not recognized because it was not sincere.
(4) The fasts are becoming a time of strife and contention among the people. Their hearts are not humble and contrite, but instead selfish and contentious.
(5) Jehovah only ordained the fast of annual atonement (Lev. 16:29-31). These fasts that the people had taken upon themselves in no way met the requirements of the Lord's ordained fast. They were fasting without the spirit of remorse, humility, and sincere petition to the Lord ­ their fasts were nothing more than hypocrisy.
(6) The fast that the Lord commands is more about the people's relationship with one another than it is about abstinence from food. Some of the Jews were being held in illegal slavery by their fellow countrymen in violation of (Ex. 21:2, Deut. 15:12; Lev. 25:39).
(7) Other demands required by the "Lord's fast" include: 1, sharing food with the hungry; 2, opening one's home to the distressed and destitute; and 3, providing clothes for the unfortunate. The New Testament calls this hospitality (Heb. 13:1,2).
(8) God will reward just conduct. If the fast is carried out correctly then Jehovah will recognize it and bless the participants.
(9a) Jehovah will answer the prayers of the true believers - in this case, those that fast correctly. The prayers of the hypocrites will neither be heard nor answered (Prov. 28:9).
(9b) Verses 9b-12 will repeat and enlarge on what has already been said in verses 1-9a. The Lord's blessings are always conditional. Among the changes the people must make are: removing the yoke of affliction from their brethren, stop making scornful accusations towards one another, and they must cease from speaking wickedly of their brethren.
(10) Additionally, the Lord demands that the people be sharing, sympathizing, comforting and willing to bear one another's burdens. It is upon these righteous souls that the blessings of Jehovah will come.
(11) The upright will also: 1, have Jehovah's guidance and will not stumble; 2, have Jehovah comfort and fill their souls; and 3, have Him make strong thy bones. The upright will be as productive as an irrigated garden.
(12) The one's that will spiritually rebuild the places laid waste by sin will be the offspring of the righteous of (vv. 9b-11). The time of this rebuilding could occur during Isaiah's time, after the return, or even today. In each generation it is the spiritual remnant of God's people that rebuilds upon the foundation left by the previous remnant.
B. Proper Observance Of The Sabbath Is Enjoined (58:13,14)
(13) In Isaiah's day the Sabbath was not being properly regarded. A hundred years later, during the time of Jeremiah things were no better (Jer. 17:21-23). The people were not keeping the Sabbath as a day of rest, but using it as a day of secular pleasure. Isaiah presents three ways to keep the Sabbath honorably: 1, by forsaking their own ways and emphasizing Jehovah's ways; 2, setting aside their own wants and doing the wishes of the Lord; and 3, avoiding trivial conversations or empty words during worship. Following these guidelines will make the Sabbath a day filled with spiritual delights and enrichments.
(14) By keeping the Sabbath each person shall delight thyself in the Lord. In addition to being a day of rest, the Sabbath was a day for spiritual refreshing and fellowship with God. Faithful Israel will find delight in God and His ways. Jehovah will feed faithful Israel with the true heritage of their father Jacob and the full wealth of the promised land. All guaranteed , for the mouth of Jehovah has spoken it. [TOP OF THIS PAGE]
II. SIN WAS A WALL OF PARTITION BETWEEN GOD AND ISRAEL (59:1-21)
A. The Lord Rebukes His People For Their Sins (59:1-8)
(1,2) The separation from God that the people are experiencing is caused strictly by themselves, God is not responsible. Their iniquities and transgressions have caused God to hide His face from them.
(3) Their hands were defiled with blood (Isa. 1:15; Mic. 7:3). This charge is both literal (Isa. 1:21; Mic. 7:2) and figurative (Isa. 3:14,15; 10:2; Mic. 2:1-3). Their lips have spoken lies in political, economic, social, and religious matters (Mic. 2:11; 6:12).
(4) The land was characterized by social and judicial injustice, a pattern set for the people by their rulers (Mic. 3:9).
(5) The egg of a venomous snake is poisonous whether eaten or allowed to hatch and bring forth another viper. Lies and lack of moral integrity are bound to poison a society and bring it to destruction.
(6) What the poisonous spiders weave are unfit garments and only benefit the spider. Their works are works of iniquity (Mic. 7:3).
(7) The wicked are in a hurry as the travel down Hell's Highway to do their premeditated evil. Their attitude and lifestyle are reminiscent of Noah's day (Gen. 6:5).
(8) The wicked know no peace, justice, or sense of right in their dealings with either God or their fellow man (Isa. 57:21). Paul believed these verses fit the universal condition of his day (Rom. 3:15-17) - can our world be far behind?
B. Israel's Sins Are Acknowledged And Confessed (59:9-15)
(9) The prophet acknowledges and confesses the sins of the nation. Their sinful condition has left them in despair, gloom, and through their blindness outright darkness. Still they do not turn to Jehovah and therefore His justice does not allow Him to act on their behalf.
(10) Like physically blind men in a strange, dangerous place, the people grope for a wall which they might follow to safety. Even at noon, all appears as midnight to these blind sinners. What exactly is meant by among them that are lusty we are dead men is in dispute among the various conservative commentators. Regardless of their different interpretations the picture is one of utter hopelessness.
(11) In turmoil the people growl like bears, with sad hearts they moan sore like doves.
(12) The prophet confesses the cause of the people's stumbling: their transgressions are multiplied before God and their sins testify against them. Their sins stand as a wall of separation between them and God. The people have no excuse for not correcting their ways as their sins are known not only to God, but also to themselves.
(13) Here the transgressions are summed up: 1, by continuing in their sins, the people are denying Jehovah as their God; 2, they are mistreating those that do not have adequate protection of their rights and they have turned away from God; 3, they are conceiving in their hearts false thoughts, words, and deeds. Their failure to keep their hearts pure has caused them to act and speak against God.
(14) Again we see the combination of justice and righteousness. But here we see the people practicing injustice and unrighteousness. Truth has been cast down and without truth there can be no uprightness.
(15) In an environment like this, anyone attempting to practice righteousness will be persecuted, oppressed and destroyed by the unrighteous (Mic. 2:1,2). While the heathen had indeed afflicted Israel to a degree, the bulk of their problems had been self-inflicted by their own rejection of truth.
C. The Lord Responds By Promising Vengeance Upon His Enemies And Blessings To Those Who Turn From Transgressions (59:16-21)
(16) Jehovah was appalled at both the unrighteous condition of the people and that no man had risen up as their intercessor. It would take the work of the Ideal Servant to intercede for spiritual Israel and bring God's people back into a right relationship with Him.
(17) Jehovah assumes the role of a warrior in His fight against injustice, transgression, and sins. He dons the armor of the warrior: His breastplate is His righteousness, His helmet is salvation, His garment is vengeance, and His cloak is zeal.
(18) Upon his victory, God will render fair and just judgment to all. This judgment will be based on the attitude of the people towards God and the deeds performed by them based on their attitude. It appears that adversaries represent the unfaithful from among the Jews, while enemies represent the heathen.
(19) Men from all corners of the earth will respond to Jehovah's judgment and offer of deliverance. Whatever the exact translation of the second half of the verse, the conclusion is the same - God is in complete control.
(20) A redeemer is one who buys back or pays a ransom for someone else's liberty or freedom. While Isaiah often refers to Jehovah as Israel's Redeemer, here we believe (along with Paul, see Rom. 11:26,27) he has the Ideal Servant in mind. In spite of Isaiah saying "to Zion" and Paul saying "out of Zion" the connection between the two passages is apparent. The Servant came to Zion offering salvation to God's chosen people, when they rejected Him He came out of Zion offering salvation to the Gentiles (Eph. 2:17).
(21) Jehovah makes the covenant and man either accepts it or rejects it. Jehovah has put His Spirit upon the Redeemer and supplied the Redeemer with words. The Redeemer will not compromise those words. The Redeemer shall see His seed (Ps. 22:30,31). There will always be a seed (remnant) to hold to His word and faithfully pass it along to the next generation of believers.