This week we will be reading from the prophet Isaiah. Today’s first reading is from the 1st chapter of Isaiah. This chapter provides an overview to the whole book of Isaiah, sounding some of its key themes and words. Like the prophet Hosea before him and Jesus after him, Isaiah criticizes worship without social justice:
“Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” (Matthew 9:13; 12:7; Hosea 6:6).
“What care I for the number of your sacrifices?, says the LORD. I have had enough of whole-burnt rams…Make justice your aim: redress the wronged, hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow.” (Isaiah 1:11, 17)
While later in the book Isaiah will preach a message of comfort and consolation here the message is shockingly challenging: “When you spread out your hands, I close my eyes to you; Though you pray the more, I will not listen.” The reason God refuses to listen to their prayers is because of their murderous injustices: “Your hands are full of blood!” God calls them to repentance: “Wash yourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil; learn to do good.”
Isaiah’s message is not just one of doom and gloom but also of comfort and hope as God promises salvation:
“In days to come, the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established as the highest mountain and raised above the hills. All nations shall stream toward it…. They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; One nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again.” (2:2, 4)
Isaiah proclaims and teaches that God urgent desire is to save and give comfort to his people.
“Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God. Speak to the heart of Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her service has ended, that her guilt is expiated… A voice proclaims:
In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God…Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” (Isaiah 40:1-5).
Image: “<div class=’fn’> The Prophet Isaiah</div>” by Valentin Bouché is marked with CC0 1.0.