Season 6, Podcast 40, Isaiah 1:1-18, “The Atonement.” Artwork

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Season 6, Podcast 40, Isaiah 1:1-18, “The Atonement.”

April 02, 2025 • Ronald • Season 6 • Episode 1

Season 6, Podcast 40, Isaiah 1:1-18, “The Atonement.”

It is probably agreed among Christians that Isaiah is considered one of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament. One thing that makes Isaiah unique is that his prophesies coincide with the Prophecies of John the Revelator, and both speak not only of their own time but also of our day just prior to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and Christ’s Millennial Reign. The Central theme of both prophets is the Second Coming of the Messiah, the Only Begotten Son of God, even Jesus Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of the World. Both use highly metaphorical language and were masters of the ancient Hebrew poetic style as was King David.

Isaiah was prophet during the reins of the following kings.

Isaiah 1:1

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

They reigned in succession approximately from 792-687 BC. When the Children of Israel were righteous, kings consulted the prophets. When the Children of Israel were wicked, kings persecuted and destroyed the prophets.

Speaking for the Lord, Isaiah chastises Israel for rebelling against the Lord.

Isaiah 1:2

“Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.”

The poetic imagery of Isaiah is vivid and powerful. His use of simile, metaphor, and analogy, both literal and figurative helps reader not only see but also feel the anger of the Lord.

“The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.”

Notice the parallel structure for it is a hallmark of Hebrew poetry adopted by the prophets of the Holy Bible. Parallelism must be considered when studying the ancient prophets. The Hebrews did not use the syntax that English speaking nations are accustomed to. We use headings, sentences, and paragraphs set off with punctuation. The Old Testament Prophets used parallelism. For example, in the above, the clause, “The ox knoweth his owner” is coupled with, “but Israel doth not know.” The clause, “and the ass his master’s crib” is coupled with, “my people doth not consider.” As with most poetic language, Hebraic poetry demonstrates a mastery of economy, emphasis, coherence, unity, and clarity. If you read the couplet twice, you find that the clauses are interchangeable which increases the meaning. One cannot overlook that the Children of Israel have just been compared by the Lord to an ox and ass and they came up short.

But the Lord is not through chastising them.

Isaiah 1:4

“Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.”

Again, notice the parallelism. The Lord defines what he means by “Ah sinful Nation:” He provides six examples:

1. a people laden with iniquity,

2. a seed of evildoers,

3. children that are corrupters:

4. they have forsaken the Lord,

5. they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger,

6. they are gone away backward

Those are pretty serious charges. However, the Lord is trying to get their attention. The Lord knows something that they don’t know. In only a few years, 586 BC, King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon will sweep down and destroy the temple of Jerusalem, murder many of the Jews, and lead the rest into exile where they will live in captivity for 70 years. But this is virtually the end of their freedom.