Making Sense in Confusion | Isaiah 1:24-31
Destruction, redemption, then destruction?
Welcome to Gateways, where you experience the Nevi'im—the Prophets—through the teachings of Don Yitzchak Abarbanel, distilled into easy-to-follow lessons.
In today’s lesson is the second part of Isaiah’s opening rebuke of the Jewish people, chapter 1, verses 24-31.
My additions here are in italics. I've used bold to highlight key ideas and make the content easier to follow.
I’ve included a brief overview, the verses, an abridged version of Abarbanel’s questions and his answers. I’ll conclude with a short takeaway of my own. I hope you’ll share yours.
I’m going to take a short break for the Jewish Holidays, with the exception of a special lesson for September 26 on the Book of Yonah.
Wishing everyone a Happy New Year, שנה טובה, Anyada buena i dulse.
Jeff
Overview
This prophecy fortells God’s destruction, redemption, and destruction once again.
Before we look at Abarbanel’s explanation, here are a few foundational concepts to keep in mind:
Children of Israel — Refers to the Northern Kingdom of Israel. After King Solomon’s reign, the united kingdom split into the north and south. The northern kingdom was steeped in idol worship—partly due to the influence of surrounding cultures, and partly for political reasons, to prevent people from traveling south to Jerusalem for worship.
Children of Judah — Refers to the Southern Kingdom. Judah remained more faithful to God and was always ruled by a descendant of King David.
Sennacherib — King of Assyria (705–681 BCE) who conquered the Northern Kingdom. He advanced toward Jerusalem and openly mocked God, until God forced him to retreat to Assyria.
Ahaz — King of Judah (735–720 BCE), remembered as an evil king.
Hezekiah — King of Judah (715–686 BCE), one of the most faithful and devoted kings in Judah’s history.
Okay, now let’s get into the verses.
Verses
And so, says the Master, the Lord of Hosts, the Mighty One of Israel:
Woe! I will find consolation—crush My foes,
Wreak vengeance on my enemies.I shall set My hand against you again,
As if smelting, refining away your dross;
I will remove all your lead.I will set up your judges again as first they were,
Your counselors as long ago.
Then you will be called Righteous City, Faithful Metropolis.Zion will be redeemed by justice,
Those who return to her by righteousness.Rebels and sinners will all be broken,
Those who forsook the Lord, all gone.How ashamed you will be of the oaks that you longed for,
How mortified over the gardens you chose.For you will be like an oak with withered leaves,
Like a garden that sees no water.The mighty oak will become flax fibers
And the one who once carved them the spark;
The two will burn together,
And no one will be there to quench the fire.
Questions
The sixth question: in that here the matters came mixed, from evil to good and from good to evil. For they said, “Alas, I will be comforted from My adversaries and I will take vengeance on My enemies” (Isaiah 1:24) — that is an evil prediction. And they said immediately, “And I will restore your judges as at first… Zion shall be redeemed with justice” (Isaiah 1:26–27) — that is a good prediction and consolation.
And it returned immediately to an evil prediction in saying, “And the breaking of transgressors… for they shall be ashamed of the terebinths… and the strong shall be as tow” (Isaiah 1:28–31).
And so the matters came confused, evil with good and good with evil, which is not proper.
Verses 24-25 foretell destruction. 26-27 are a promise of redemption. Then 28–31 again foretell destruction. It seems mixed up.
Answers
…Isaiah said, “And I will turn My hand upon you and smelt away your dross as with lye and remove all your alloy” (Isaiah 1:25) — for all this was said concerning the sinners of Israel in the days of Ahaz.
He also promised them—the children of Judah—that they would not go into exile at that time, for yet a little, in the days of Hezekiah his son, their honor would return to its strength.
And concerning him, Hezekiah, it said, “And I will restore your judges as at the first and your counselors as at the beginning” (Isaiah 1:26). And this will be after Jerusalem is called “The city of righteousness, the faithful city,” meaning that the children of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will return from their evil ways and cleave to their God.
Then, “Zion shall be redeemed with justice” (Isaiah 1:27) — and the redemption was from the hand of Sennacherib when he came upon them in the days of Hezekiah, as he will mention afterward. And “her returnees” — that is, the children of Jerusalem who returned to the Lord — will be redeemed from under his hand through the righteousness that will be found among them.
And after mentioning what would happen to the children of Judah, he mentioned the punishment of the children of Israel, the calf-worshippers. And concerning them he said, “And the breaking of the transgressors and the sinners together, and those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed” (Isaiah 1:28)...
…So it has become clear from this that the prophet foretold evil things according to what happened — whether what was in the days of Ahaz, or what was in the days of Hezekiah, the good in being saved from the hand of Sennacherib, and also the destruction of Samaria which was in his—Isaiah’s—days.
And with this the sixth question which I raised is resolved, and the explanation of the prophecy is completed.
Takeaways
Based on Abarbanel’s answer, the takeaway is that God’s messages to His people always follow a clear logic and order. The righteous will ultimately be rewarded, while the wicked will be punished.
At the same time, perhaps the very tension—the mixing of redemption and destruction—is itself part of the message. As I follow what is happening to the Jewish people in Israel and around the world, I can’t help but notice how much of life feels mixed up. One day brings terrible news. The next, an astonishing miracle. Then comes tragedy again. And through it all, God remains present, guiding the story from behind the scenes.