Is. 1: Israel in Rebellion

Isaiah 1:21 "See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; righteousness used to dwell in her—but now murderers!"

Isaiah was the prophet in office during the reigns of Judah's Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah. 3 out of the four were relatively good men, and wise rulers, Ahaz being the scumbag of the bunch.

Israel has been doing wrong, and Isaiah points it out with very vivid language. I imagine him being very upset, yelling and causing a scene. He compares Israel to Sodom and Gomorrah, the utmost example of depravity and sin. Can you imagine fancying yourself as God almighty's chosen people, His partner in covenant, and then hearing Isaiah say this about you?

God didn't even want anything to do with their supposed acts of righteousness, their sacrifices and their feasts. These events were created with very specific purposes, among those being God's deliverance of Israel from Egypt and from famine. Yet Israel went through the motions, on autopilot, not truly knowing why they were doing what they were doing. God, who was after a person's heart and soul, instead got a burning carcass. And he had plenty of those, and was in need of none (v. 11). Not only was this meaningless to God, it was a giant step further...it was detestable...the worst kind of sin.

God did not want their self-righteous acts, undertaken with the wrong attitude. He wanted true righteousness and devotion from Israel, who prostituted themselves to other gods, violating God's command to serve no other god but Him.

Israel had become that fool described in Proverbs...beaten every time they open their mouth, but they never learn.

Their silver became dross, what was purged from the silver. There was no longer any part of value...they were total rubbish.

So what is Israel to do? Isaiah admonishes them to make themselves clean, to repent and turn whole-heartedly back to the LORD. The deal is that they will be made white as snow. They will be purified from their sins. Where there was crimson, there will be wool.

God makes it pretty clear what will happen either way. If Israel repents, they will be restored to greatness, to righteousness. If not, they will be crushed and beaten. They will burn. Let's see...