#isaiah 1

[many-sparrows]

First Week of Advent: Can I Have Hope When The World Is Falling Apart?

Adapted from a sermon preached 12.4.2024

This advent I am going to share some of the writing I’ve done for my church! I adapted this one from a sermon I preached for the first week of advent last year on Isaiah 1.

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Judah's Rebellion

1 The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

Warning to a Sinful Nation

2 Hear this, O heavens, and listen, O earth, for the Lord has spoken.    I have raised children and brought them up,    but they have rebelled against me. 3 The ox knows its owner, and the donkey knows its owner’s manger, but Israel does not know. My people do not understand.

4 How terrible it will be for that sinful nation, for a people loaded with guilt, offspring who act wickedly, children who are corrupt! They have forsaken the Lord. They have despised the Holy One of Israel. They have deserted him and turned back.

5 Why do you keep earning more beatings? Why do you continue to rebel? Your whole head is wounded. Your whole heart is weak. 6 From the sole of your foot to the top of your head    there is nothing healthy,    but only wounds, welts, and open sores. Your wounds have not been cleaned or bandaged    or soothed with olive oil. 7 Your country is desolate. Your cities are burned with fire. Foreigners devour your farmland right in front of your eyes, and it is desolate, overthrown by foreigners. 8 The daughter of Zion is left    like a shelter in a vineyard,    like a hut in a melon field,    like a besieged city. 9 Unless the Lord of Armies had left us a small surviving remnant, we would have been like Sodom; we would have become just like Gomorrah.

The Lord’s Proclamation

10 Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah! 11    What do your many sacrifices mean to me? says the Lord.    I have more than enough rams as burnt offerings    and enough fat from well-fed animals.    I am not pleased with the blood of bulls    or the blood of lambs and male goats. 12    When you come to appear before me,    who has asked for this from your hands:        this trampling on my courts? 13    Stop bringing worthless offerings!    Your incense is an abomination to me.    I cannot stand your sinful assemblies    on the new moons, Sabbaths, and holy days.

14 Deep in my soul I hate your new moons and your appointed feasts.    They have become a burden to me.    I am tired of putting up with them. 15    When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you.    Indeed, even though you make many prayers, I will not hear.    Your hands are full of blood. 16    Wash yourselves. Purify yourselves.    Remove your evil deeds from my sight.    Stop doing evil. 17 Learn to do good.    Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed.    Seek justice for the fatherless. Plead for the widow.

18 Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord.    Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow.    Though they are as red as crimson, they will be like wool. 19    If you are willing and obedient, you will eat good things        from the land, 20    but if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.    Yes, the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

21 Look how the faithful city has become a prostitute! She was full of justice. Righteousness once lived in her, but now murderers live there. 22 Your silver has become slag. Your drinks are mixed with water. 23 Your officials are rebellious. They are partners with thieves. Everyone loves bribes and chases payoffs. They do not obtain justice for the fatherless, and they do not take up the cause of the widow.

24 Therefore the Lord, the Lord of Armies, the Mighty One of Israel, says:    I must certainly get relief from my adversaries.    I will avenge myself on my enemies. 25    I will turn my hand against you.    I will smelt away all your slag.    I will take away all your impurities. 26    I will restore your judges as they were at first,    and your advisors as they were in the beginning. Afterward you will be called a righteous city, a faithful town. 27 Zion will be redeemed with justice, and those who return to her will be redeemed with righteousness. 28 But the rebels and sinners will be destroyed all together, and those who forsake the Lord will come to an end. 29 For you will be ashamed of the oaks that you have desired, and you will be embarrassed by the groves that you have chosen. 30 For you will be like an oak whose leaves wilt, and like a grove that has no water. 31 The strong will be like tinder, and their work will be like a spark. Both will burn together, and no one will put out the fire. — Isaiah 1 | Evangelical Heritage Version (EHV) The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved. Cross References: Genesis 12:6; Genesis 49:24; Exodus 12:16; Exodus 23:17; Leviticus 26:33; 1 Chronicles 23:31; Deuteronomy 4:26; Deuteronomy 28:1; Deuteronomy 32:43; 2 Samuel 14:25; 2 Kings 1:13; 2 Kings 15:1; Nehemiah 1:7; Psalm 119:119; Isaiah 5:13; Isaiah 10:32; Isaiah 35:5; Isaiah 35:9-10; Isaiah 42:17; Matthew 3:12; Matthew 22:4; Luke 24:27; John 9:31; Romans 9:29; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9; Titus 1:2; James 1:27; James 4:8; Revelation 7:14; Revelation 17:1

[quotesfromscripture]

But rebels and sinners shall be destroyed together,  And those who forsake the LORD shall be consumed.  For you shall be ashamed of the oaks in which you delighted;  And you shall blush for the gardens that you have chosen.  For you shall be like an oak whose leaf withers,  And like a garden without water.  The strong shall become like tinder,  And their work like a spark;  They and their work shall burn together,  With no one to quench them. 

- Isaiah 1:28-31 NRSV (1989)

[roratecaeli]

[quotesfromscripture]

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Isaiah 1:18 KJV

[revdrewdowns]

"Attack" is a strange word for protest

Attack is a strange word for protest. For standing up to injustice. It’s a shocking characterization. Then I looked up the word. Webster’s defines it: Transitive Verb : to set upon or work against forcefully attack an enemy fortification to assail with unfriendly or bitter words a politician verbally attacked by critics to begin to affect or to act on injuriously plants attacked by…

"Attack" is a strange word for protest

[madewithonerib]

GOD Saw It All & Still Chose to Love You || DailyHolyGOD

Have you ever wondered if GOD would still love you if HE truly saw everything—the flaws, the failures, the hidden struggles? The truth is... HE already did. HE saw it all—and still chose you. This MSG is for those carrying shame, regret, or silence. Let these Scriptures remind you: You are fully known, and still fully loved.

Narrator - David Suchet, Bible Version NIV

Romans 5: GOD loved us in our brokenness & made the first move toward us, not after we changed, but while we were far from HIM.

Psalm 103: HE knows our weakness & limitations, yet chooses to cover us with deep compassion and enduring love.

Isaiah 1: Even when we are stained by sin, GOD offers a path to complete cleansing and restoration.

Hosea 11: Despite our wandering and resistance, GOD's love remains fierce, tender, and unwavering.

John 21: After failure and regret, JESUS meets us again—not with rejection but with love, grace, and a new beginning.

[nach-yomish]

Day 148: Isaiah 1 // 'ישעיהו א

Welcome back and happy Pesach!

Today (until sundown) is the 2nd day of the omer.

(Link to full chapter text on Sefaria)

Isaiah - Chapter 1 - Nach Yomi - OU Torah

Isaiah (Yeshayahu) was the son of Amotz, who was the brother of Amatziah, then king of Judah (Megillah 10b). He prophesied to the nation of

There are also a couple of introductions to the book, here and here, written by Rabbi Jack Abramowitz (who writes the summaries for each chapter below the audio).