Thesis on "Isaiah 57 3 13"

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II. The Accusation

a. Verse 6. The audience is partaking in idol worship, offering drink and grains to them.

We find that they are living in a valley. The speaker asks if they should ignore this. This comment is made in a sarcastic tone.

b. Verse 7. The village is on a high hill, also a place of sacrifice.

c. Verse 8. This verse tells us what the sinners do behind closed doors. It suggests adultery and sins of the flesh. We find that the sinners are not only committing public sacrifices, but that they are also practicing pagan religions in their homes as well. It has permeated all levels of their life, even the most private parts.

d. Verse 9. When things did not go as planned, the audience of sinners increased their prayers and pagan ways and sent ambassadors far away to plead on their behalf.

e. Verse 10. When their sacrifices and pagan prayers did not work, they did not stop and relent, but continued with their practices and rituals. They persevered in their practices against adversity.

III., Warning and Punishment

Verse 11. God accuses them of losing their fear of him, but not because he has been silent. This verse suggests that the sinners chose not to listen to the voice of God. It was a personal choice, not for lack of presence.

Verse 12. God promises to expose the works of the sinners. He promises that their idolatry will not benefit them.

Verse 13. God tells them that the wind will blow away their idols and that in the end, they will not save them, but if they will return to righteousness, then they will be safe from harm.

Isaiah Chapter 57, verses 3-13 can be summarized as God's accusation of the Israelites, their fall from grace, and a warning of what will happen to them if they do not change their ways.

Analysis

Point-of-View

The first point of significance that distinguishes this text from the surrounding text is that it is in second person. It directly addresses the group to whom the speaker (presumably God) is speaking. It is delivered as if it is a direct message to the intended audience. This contrasts with the first two verses, and the final section of the Chapter, which are delivered in third person. In the first two verses and the final section, the speaker is talking about the audience. In verses 3-13, the speaker is directly addresses the intended audience.

The transition to second person gives the impression that the speaker is present. However, this may or may not be the case. It may be that the speaker is addressing the audience through the interpreter to be delivered at a later time. However, verse 4, supports that argument that the audience is present, as we are given clues as to what their reaction is to the message. If one takes a literal translation of the verse, it suggests that the audience is present and reacting to the speaker.

There is the possibility the when the speaker refers to the audience sneering and sticking out their tongues, it may be metaphorical. It may simply mean that by ignoring the word of God and continuing to participate in Pagan practices, it is like sticking our one's tongue at God. There are two interpretations of the audience contained in verse 4, depending on whether one takes a literal or metaphorical translation of the verse.

Audience

Verse 3 tells us quite a bit of information about the audience in very few words. The audience is the sons of those less savory elements of society. This means that they have no chance of knowing anything but the sins of which they are being confronted. There is an implication that because they were born into a certain lifestyle, they are more likely to follow it themselves. They have "inherited" the sins of the parents through learning and socialization.

Up until this point, the audience is considered to be innocent victims of the sins of their parents. They did not know that what they were doing was wrong. Their parents were guilty of knowingly abandoning God's commandments. Their children had little choice in the matter. However, this warning places the responsibility of salvation on the children. They have a choice and are being given a warning to change their ways.

Setting

From the clues in the text, it can be determined that the location of the speech, and the location of the transgressions, is near t deep valley with a lofty hill nearby. The village has been set up on the hill, as indicated in verse 8 regarding sleeping arrangements. They travel to the valley to make sacrifices and have erected idols there. This indicates that the valley is close to the living residences. Another view of these verses may point to a more spiritual translation, indicating that the verses reference spiritual concepts, rather than referring to a geographical place. Lofty may be a reference to pride and self-importance.

Once again, the interpretation of these verses depends on whether one takes a literal or metaphorical translation. Hanna Liss demonstrates numerous instances throughout the Book of Isaiah where the author used metaphors to depersonalize the meaning, making it relevant to a larger audience

A Commitment to Sin

By examining verse 4, we find that the audience of the message is inherits their state of sin from their parents. They have known no other way of life, but this still does not serve as a pardon in an of itself.

In verse 8, God demonstrates his omnipotence by telling the audience that he knows what they do inside of their own homes. They cannot hide their transgressions from him.

Several times throughout this passage, the audience demonstrates that they do not have a desire to discontinue their ways. In verse 8, we find that not only do they sin, they have a personal connection and a sense of commitment to these acts. They do it in private, and engage in pagan worship in their own homes. This demonstrates that the audience feels a connection with the ritual and are not just acting one way in public and another in private. They feel a religious connection to their sinful ways. Verse 10 supports this level of commitment, when they will not stop their ways, even when it would seem "hopeless."

God's Wrath

Verses 5-10 describe the sinners and their action. We find out that they are committed to their ways and are presented a list of their transgressions, including child sacrifice. In verse 9, we find out that they are participating in Molech worship. Molech was the Canaanite god of fire, but is also found referenced in Assyrian texts

. The recipient of the message of the book of Isaiah was intended for the Israelites as a proclamation of God's righteousness and to provide a vision of the world that he intended for them

Isaiah 57, 3-13 is a response to a resurgence of the "old" religions of Canaan. In Verse 11, we find that God has not abandoned them, but that they simply were not listening any longer. Verse 12 expresses clear anger with the children of Israel. God informs the children of Israel of what he will do. There is an implied suggestion that they can change their ways and avoid the catastrophes that… READ MORE