Posted by Chester Morton / Sunday, 15 January 2017 / No comments
How God used Isaiah to prophesy to the people of Israel
In inviting the people of Israel to listen to what God wanted
to tell them, Isaiah referred to them as the people of Sodom and Gomorrah to
show that they had become disobedient like the people of Sodom and Gomorrah.
According to Isaiah, God was tired with their offerings and their
sacrifices of ram and other fattened animals. He said God was no longer
interested in the blood of the bulls, lambs and he-goats they offered.
Isaiah continued that God was not happy about their fake
appearances in his court because they have become an abomination to him. He did
not want their offerings. He hated their new moons, their Sabbaths and their other
religious activities because they smell of immorality. God said he could not
bear them anymore.
God threatened not to listen to them when they pray because
their hand was tainted with blood. To make him change his mind, they must cleanse
themselves and remove every evil from their midst and stop doing evil. According to Isaiah, God said
they should do good, seek justice for everybody, remove oppression from their
midst, defend the fatherless and plead for the widow.
Isaiah told them of God’s promise that if they are obedient,
they shall eat the good of the land but if they refuse and rebel against him,
they shall be defeated by the sword in battle.
MANNER IN WHICH THE
ISSUES RAISED BY ISAIAH ARE STILL PREVALENT IN OUR SOCIETY
Corruption in the judiciary
One of the ways in which the issues raised by Isaiah still
persist among us today is reflected in the modern court system which is tainted with corruption. To get justice, sometimes one has
to pay his way. The judgments handed down by some judges are very suspicious, putting the innocent in jail but
there is nothing one can do.
Ritual murder
In the present day society, people engage in ritual murder to
obtain all kinds of things including money and power. Human parts are obtained and sold.
The poor are oppressed
Another way in which Isaiah’s expose still persists in our
community is that the poor are still oppressed by the rich and powerful in
society. The rich take them to court and obtain judgment against them through
fraudulent means.
Absence of inner spirituality
The people of the present day generation want to be seen to
love God but inwardly do not really love God. They just appear to love God to
portray to the outside world that they are God fearing.
SAMPLE QUESTIONS
1. How did God react to the disobedience of the people of
Israel during the time of prophet Isaiah?
2. Explain the prophesies of Isaiah to the rulers and people
of Israel on how worthless their rituals had become.
3. a. State three criticisms Isaiah made against the people
of Israel.
b. What three
suggestions did Isaiah make to the people if they want to return to God?
