Term Paper on "Isaiah 58"

Term Paper 15 pages (5463 words) Sources: 7

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Isaiah 58 is a warning from God to his people. The chapter fits with the message contained in the entire second half of Isaiah (40-66). God expresses his displeasure with his children and gives them specific instructions that he wishes to be followed in order to return to his good graces. This research will support the thesis that Isaiah 58 is a call to action that provides essential clues as to the management of our resources today.

An Introduction to the Chapter

Isaiah served as a prophet in Jerusalem at a pivotal time in the relationship of the Israelites to God. He began his public ministry late in the reign of King Uzziah, just prior to the death of the King in 740 B.C.

Isaiah saw five wars during his lifetime, each of which led to a further decline of Israel's spiritual life and sense of morality. The decline of the state of the nation of Israel was a key theme in Isaiah's work. Isaiah was martyred by Manasseh

Throughout his time, Isaiah sent a strong message to the people of Israel to turn from their wicked and decrepit ways. He pleaded with them to return to their spiritual ways and to return to God's favor. He saw their ways as the path to destruction. The good works of Kings such as Hezekiah were seen as a delay of the final destruction, but in the end, Isaiah foresaw the downfall of the nation of Israel if they did not return to the ways of the Lord. In 586 Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem, taking the survivors as captive to Babylon

Isaiah 58 can be divided into four distinct sections. The first two verses serve as the introduction and set the stage for the remainder of the chapter. In the first two verses, God is speaking directly to Isaiah, giving him instructions as to how to deliver the message that he is about to receive. In the second verse, he provides Isaiah with the background as to why the message is needed.

In verses 3-6, God is speaking through Isaiah to the Israelites. His is talking about the practice of fasting. He tells the Israelites that fasting is not a spiritual act in itself and that they must return to fasting with the purpose of pleasing God. The material act does not equate the spiritual act.

Verses 7-8 instruct the Israelites to serve as examples of morality, feeding the poor both in material needs and in food for the soul. God renders this obligation onto the Israelites, and in return, he promises to provide for their material needs. In verse 9, God addresses the complaint that the Israelites feel that he has not heard their prayer. God informs them that they have prayed selfishly and that his gifts are not free. The Israelites must fulfill their obligation to him before their prayers will be answered.

Verses 10-14 inform the Israelites what they will receive in return for their good efforts. The Israelites have the chance to redeem all of their past faults and to be remembered as a great people, but only if they follow God's instructions as laid out in the earlier part of the speech. God promises to provide spiritual wealth if they obey his commandments.

Isaiah Chapter 58 is laid out in a logical progression, with an introduction, a body that consists of three main points, and conclusions that is meant to convince the Israelites to take action. The chapter stands alone as a message from God and does not depend on any prior knowledge of the audience. The chapter is organized in a logical progression that transitions easily from one point to another.

A Plea to the People

The central theme of Isaiah 58 is a plea to the people of Israel to turn from their false worship and to return to the true religion. The speaker is the almighty, delivered first person, through the prophet Isaiah. The first verse is an instruction of Isaiah of how to deliver the message. God wants the message to be delivered loud and clear, with emphasis.

"1 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins."

The first verse sets the tone for the delivery of the rest of the chapter. The first verse indicates the urgency of the message and the need for the people of Israel to hear and obey the message that is about to be delivered. The message is to be delivered as a strong warning to the people.

Verse 2 is still talking to the Prophet Isaiah, giving him a summary of the key points that he is about to make. The verse serves as a summary and an introduction to the rest of the text. Its position at the top of the list emphasizes the importance of the content of this verse.

" 2 Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God."

Here God tells Isaiah that he is going to admonish his people for hypocrisy. God cites the difference between and outward religion that is just going through the motions and an inward spiritual journey that is truly pleasing to God. Hypocrisy is not pleasing to God, which is the key point that God wishes to make to his people through the Prophet Isaiah in the message.

In the beginning of verse 2, God refers to the righteousness of the people in the past tense. One of the most notable attributes of verse 2 is the switching of verb tenses from present to past and back again. God indicates that they continue to seek him daily and that they continue to seek to know his ways, but that they were righteous in the past. Therefore, the people of Israel have fell from grace at sometime between the past and the present. Yet God still sees them as redeemable, as they continue to seek him. He is not ready to destroy them, but to give them one more chance. They continue to seek the laws of god and take delight in approaching God, but they do not do so in a way the is truly of the heart. God indicates that they did not break the laws of worship, and that they continue practice the religion outwardly. Verse 2 indicates that the children of Israel have turned from the true ways of God on the inside, not in their daily ritual. Ritual religion is still intact, but they no longer practice it with their hearts.

Israel is outwardly righteous, but God is no longer real to them. God sees the hearts of man, not the outward actions or appearance. The theme of Isaiah 58 is the difference between true worship from the heart and false ritual. God reiterates this message in Matthew 22: 37-38, when he makes the first great commandment to "love the LORD, you God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." This was the first great commandment, once again, it was placed first for emphasis. God does not build to a climax, but cuts straight to the point in both Matthew and Isaiah. These examples tell us that when God is speaking, he places the most important idea first, everything else that follows is of less importance. This is not to say that it is unimportant, just that the key to the message is placed first. These two examples give us a clue as to the oratory style of the message, when the message is being delivered by God. We can expect that the most important point of the message will be placed first.

As the chosen people of God, the Israelites had a special purpose. They were supposed to be examples to gentiles and the rest of the races of how to live. They were to be model characters in the sight of God. They, more than nay other race had to be upright and steadfast in their ways. When they repeatedly dishonored God and his commandments, they showed this example to the world. This is one of the key reasons why God was so hard on the Israelites. The hypocrisy of the Israelites would not be likely to convince others that they could be attracted to the God of the Israelites. The Israelites were not furthering God's plan, which was the key inspiration for this admonishment delivered by Isaiah.

Fasting With a Purpose

The first issue that God present is the manner in which the Israelites carry out the fast. Fasting is not an outward act, but an inward act. In verse 3, we find the Israelites fasting, but carrying on business as usually, going about their work as any other day.

'3 Wherefore have we fasted, say… READ MORE

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