Isaiah 1:1-31
Here is the vision about Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah saw. It came to him when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah were ruling. They were kings of Judah. Isaiah was the son of Amoz.
The Nation Refuses to Obey the Lord
Listen to me, you heavens! Pay attention to me, earth!
The Lord has said,
“I raised children. I brought them up.
But they have refused to obey me.
The ox knows its master.
The donkey knows where its owner feeds it.
But Israel does not know me.
My people do not understand me.”
How terrible it will be for this sinful nation!
They are loaded down with guilt.
They are people who do nothing but evil.
They are children who are always sinning.
They have deserted the Lord.
They have turned against the Holy One of Israel.
They have turned their backs on him.
Israel, why do you want to be beaten all the time?
Why do you always refuse to obey the Lord?
Your head is covered with wounds.
Your whole heart is weak.
There isn’t a healthy spot on your body.
You are not healthy from the bottom of your feet to the top of your head.
You have nothing but wounds, cuts
and open sores.
They haven’t been cleaned up or bandaged
or treated with olive oil.
Your country has been deserted.
Your cities have been burned down.
The food from your fields is being eaten up by outsiders.
They are doing it right in front of you.
Your land has been completely destroyed.
It looks as if strangers have taken it over.
The city of Zion is left like a shed
where someone stands guard in a vineyard.
It is left like a hut in a cucumber field.
It’s like a city being attacked.
The Lord who rules over all
has let some people live through that time of trouble.
If he hadn’t, we would have become like Sodom.
We would have been like Gomorrah.
Rulers of Sodom,
hear the Lord’s message.
People of Gomorrah,
listen to the instruction of our God.
“Do you think I need any more of your sacrifices?”
asks the Lord.
“I have more than enough of your burnt offerings.
I have more than enough of rams
and the fat of your fattest animals.
I do not find any pleasure
in the blood of your bulls, lambs and goats.
Who asked you to bring all these animals
when you come to worship me?
Who asked you and your animals
to walk all over my courtyards?
Stop bringing offerings that do not mean anything to me!
I hate your incense.
I can’t stand your worthless gatherings.
I can’t stand the way you celebrate your New Moon feasts,
Sabbath days and special services.
Your New Moon feasts and your other appointed feasts
I hate with my whole being.
They have become a heavy load to me.
I am tired of carrying it.
You might spread out your hands toward me when you pray.
But I do not look at you.
You might even offer many prayers.
But I am not listening to them.
Your hands are covered with the blood of the people you have murdered.
So wash and make yourselves clean.
Get your evil actions out of my sight!
Stop doing what is wrong!
Learn to do what is right!
Treat people fairly.
Help those who are treated badly.
Stand up in court for children whose fathers have died.
And do the same thing for widows.
“Come. Let us settle this matter,”
says the Lord.
“Even though your sins are bright red,
they will be as white as snow.
Even though they are deep red,
they will be white like wool.
But you have to be willing to change and obey me.
If you are, you will eat the good things that grow on the land.
But if you are not willing to obey me,
you will be killed by swords.”
The Lord has spoken.
See how the faithful city of Jerusalem
has become like a prostitute!
Once it was full of people who treated others fairly.
Those who did what was right used to live in it.
But now murderers live there!
Jerusalem, your silver isn’t pure anymore.
Your best wine has been made weak with water.
Your rulers refuse to obey the Lord.
They join forces with robbers.
All of them love to accept money from those who want special favors.
They are always looking for gifts from other people.
They don’t stand up in court for children whose fathers have died.
They don’t do it for widows either.
The Lord is the Mighty One of Israel.
The Lord who rules over all announces,
“Israel, you have become my enemies.
I will act against you in my anger.
I will pay you back for what you have done.
I will turn my power against you.
I will make you completely ‘clean.’
I will remove everything that is not pure.
I will give you leaders like the ones you had long ago.
I will give you rulers like those you had at the beginning.
Then you will be called
the City That Does What Is Right.
You will also be called the Faithful City.”
Zion will be saved when justice is done.
Those who are sorry for their sins will be saved
when what is right is done.
But sinners and those who refuse to obey the Lord will be destroyed.
And those who desert the Lord will die.
“Israel, you take delight in worshiping among the sacred oak trees.
You will be full of shame for doing that.
You have chosen to worship in the sacred gardens.
You will be dishonored for doing that.
You will be like an oak tree whose leaves are dying.
You will be like a garden that doesn’t have any water.
Your strongest men will become like dry pieces of wood.
Their worship of other gods will be the spark that lights the fire.
Everything will be burned up.
No one will be there to put the fire out.”
Isaiah 2:1-22
People From Many Nations Will Worship at Mount Zion
Here is a vision that Isaiah, the son of Amoz, saw about Judah and Jerusalem.
In the last days
the mountain where the Lord’s temple is located will be famous.
It will be the highest mountain of all.
It will be raised above the hills.
All the nations will go to it.
People from many nations will go there. They will say,
“Come. Let us go up to the Lord’s mountain.
Let’s go to the temple of Jacob’s God.
He will teach us how we should live.
Then we will live the way he wants us to.”
The law of the Lord will be taught at Zion.
His message will go out from Jerusalem.
He will judge between the nations.
He’ll settle problems among many of them.
They will hammer their swords into plows.
They’ll hammer their spears into pruning tools.
Nations will not go to war against one another.
They won’t even train to fight anymore.
People of Jacob, come.
Let us live the way the Lord has taught us to.
The Day of the Lord Is Coming
Lord, you have deserted the people of Jacob.
They are your people.
The land is full of false beliefs from the east.
The people practice evil magic, just as the Philistines do.
They do what ungodly people do.
Their land is full of silver and gold.
There is no end to their treasures.
Their land is full of horses.
There is no end to their chariots.
Their land is full of statues of gods.
Their people bow down to what their own hands have made.
They bow down to what their fingers have shaped.
So people will be brought low.
Everyone will be made humble.
Do not forgive them.
Go and hide in caves in the rocks, you people!
Hide in holes in the ground.
Hide from the terrifying presence of the Lord!
Hide when he comes in glory and majesty!
Anyone who brags will be brought low.
Anyone who is proud will be made humble.
The Lord alone will be honored at that time.
The Lord who rules over all has set apart a day when he will judge.
He has set it apart for all those who are proud and think they are important.
He has set it apart for all those who brag about themselves.
All of them will be brought low.
The Lord has set that day apart for all the cedar trees in Lebanon.
They are very tall.
He has set that day apart for all the oak trees in Bashan.
He has set it apart for all the towering mountains.
He has set it apart for all the high hills.
He has set it apart for every high tower
and every strong wall.
He has set it apart for every trading ship
and every beautiful boat.
Anyone who brags will be brought low.
Anyone who is proud will be made humble.
The Lord alone will be honored at that time.
And the statues of gods will totally disappear.
People will run and hide in caves in the rocks.
They will go into holes in the ground.
They will run away from the terrifying presence of the Lord.
They will run when he comes in glory and majesty.
When he comes, he will shake the earth.
People had made some statues of gods out of silver.
They had made others out of gold.
Then they worshiped them.
But when the Lord comes,
they will throw the statues away to the moles and bats.
Those people will run and hide in caves in the rocks.
They will go into holes in the cliffs.
They will run away from the terrifying presence of the Lord.
They will run when he comes in glory and majesty.
When he comes, he will shake the earth.
Stop trusting in mere human beings, who can’t help you.
They only live for a little while.
What good are they?
