Isaiah I
Please read Chapters 1-11 of Isaiah. What do you find here that suggest that Isaiah's message was a burden? Is there a passage here that particularly well reflects hope, beauty, faith in the triumph of justice, or anything else that would have made this burden worth bearing?
posted by Ancient Art at 2:30 PM
8 Comments:
I don't see any hope here for the people of Israel. Mostly all Isiah does is tell the people of Israel about all of their sins and how soon they will be judged by God and how He will exact his justice upon them. I thin he is warning of how low they have sunk and that they need to change their ways immediately. Basically, Israel has become like their neighbors, practicing religion for show, no meaning in it to them, exploiting the poor, and having a different sense of justice for each class. Chapters 1-11 are all about the misdeeds of the Israelites and how they are going to receive their just punishment. In Chapter nine, Isiah talks about the fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Though, I guess there is one small spark of hope for Israel. Chapter 11 begins with "But a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom."
Isaiah's message was a burden because it pronounced God's wrath onto his own people, whom God referred to as Sodom and Gomorrah because of their wickedness. The only way out was for the people is to repent and renounce their sin and be cleansed by God.
Isaiah himself had to be cleansed because he had "unclean lips" so an angel touched his tongue with a live coal and healed him of his sins. If Isaiah can be healed of his sin, then the people of Isreal and Judah should turn away from their sin by repenting and turning to God.
In Chapter 9, Isaiah brings a message of hope through the coming Messiah that will bring justice and righteousness to the lands of the Hebrews. Chapter 11 also mentions that a descendant of Jesse and David will reign over a united kingdom at peace.
I think there is a lot of burden in the book of Isaiah, however Isaiah in chapter 6 asks to carry God's message, so he should never complain about the burden he had to convey to the people. I did see promise and triumph in the first half of chapter 9 when he talks about how people are going to see the wonderful deeds of God. Those who see darkness will see light, etc. Then the second half of chapter 9 talks about the horrible things that the Israelites have done and why God is condemning them. I think it is a burden to for the Israelites, but you screw up this many times you deserve what God is dishing out.
i think that there is alot of signs to show that there was a burden. For starters he shows his displeasure of offerings. he says in (1:11) "i have no pleasure in the blood ofbulls and lambs and goats." there is light though for the Israelites. When he says "come now and let us reason together." so this shows that there is hope for them and that god wants to try to work things out.
The book of isiah is a book that seems to pertain to burdens, but there is some hope but not very much. Fortunately, I was able to find one of both....or at least i believe i have found one of both. The verse that pertains to being a burden is verse 1:15 "When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes form you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood." Not really giving the Israelites much hope to follow is it? But the verse of hope that i found was verse 9:2 "The people walking in darkeness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." NOw if i was in this situation i would have a great relief knowing that i can still be forgiven and loved by god.
While I was reading the chapters, it dawned on me that while the prophesy may be a burden on the prophet prior to speaking, once the message has been passed on the burden is also passed on.
In my opinion, the main burden on the prophet is the message itself and once it has been passed on, the burden is lifted. This does not mean the prophet does give up the burden.
While the book starts out with bad news it also mentions what the final outcome will be. In 1:18 mentions forgiveness. Chapters 1:26-31 mentions the restoration of Israel.
Isaiah's message is definitely a burden to carry. God is condemning Israel for their sins and this message is far from pleasant. However, in Isaiah 4:2-6 he tells them that God is also merciful. Here are some selected verses: (2)"In that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel.....(4)The LORD will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire..."
There was no doubt that the people would be punished for their sins. However, God is merciful and would bless those to survive and make them prosperous.
Distruction is never pleasant, but God is showing Isaiah and the people of Israel that there is also hope. The burden will be hard, but there will be relief.
I think that any prophet that is given this obligation to tell, not just one person, or a crowd of people, but a WHOLE NATION how terrible they are has to be burdened. I know Isaiah seems to feel that way. Fortunately for Isaiah, his message is not one of all burden, but of hope as well. A few examples of this hope:
1:26-27 "I will restore your judges as in days of old, your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City."
Zion will be redeemed with justice, her penitent ones with righteousness.
or in Isaiah 2:4
He will judge between the nations
and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.
Isaiah had a large job to do... he didn't worry about what was to happen to him, but he did the work God intended for him. It was a heavy burden, but I am convinced the God prepared Isaiah for the task at hand.
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