Isaiah 1:10 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom! Give ear to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah!

NIV: Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah!

NASB: Hear the word of the Lord, You rulers of Sodom; Listen to the instruction of our God, You people of Gomorrah!

CSB: Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah!

NLT: Listen to the Lord, you leaders of 'Sodom.' Listen to the law of our God, people of 'Gomorrah.'

KJV: Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.

NKJV: Hear the word of the Lord, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the law of our God, You people of Gomorrah:

In the previous verse (Isaiah 1:9), Isaiah compared the upcoming destruction on Judah for her rebellion against the Lord with the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah for their sins (Genesis 18–19). The people of those cities were utterly wiped out. But God would ensure, in His grace and mercy, that a remnant of Israel would survive the coming destruction.

Now Isaiah directly compares the sinfulness of the people of Judah to the sinfulness of the people of those infamous cities. He calls his audience the rulers of Sodom and the people of Gomorrah to drive home the point that their sin deserves the same destructive force.

Isaiah calls for the people of Israel to change direction before that day, to hear the word of the Lord and to give ear to God's teaching. Isaiah demands that they truly listen to what God is saying to them right now, instead of going about their daily lives as if God's judgment is not looming before them.

Isaiah 1:2–20 begins a presentation somewhat like a lawsuit against the people of Judah in Israel. The Lord will show many of the ways they have broken their covenant with Him. The people are saturated with sin. They have forsaken Him. Isaiah describes a spiritual sickness Israel refuses to treat. It will lead to their physical destruction by enemy invaders. Their offerings are meaningless because of their sinful rebellion. God calls them to stop sinning and to do good. He offers to make their sins white as snow if they repent and to consume them if they rebel.

After identifying himself as the son of Amoz, Isaiah begins his vision from the Lord with the introduction of God's lawsuit against the people of Israel. His children are living in rebellion against Him. They are saturated in sin and have forsaken the Lord. Their spiritual sickness will lead to their destruction, though a few will be saved. Their offerings are meaningless because of their sinful lifestyles. If they repent now, they will be redeemed. If not, they will be destroyed. The Lord will restore justice to once righteous Jerusalem. All who do not repent will be consumed.

Isaiah 1 begins Isaiah's massive book of prophecy with the Lord presenting a lawsuit against His people Israel in Judah for breach of covenant. They live in rebellion against Him and are saturated in sin. They refuse to treat their spiritual illness and will be decimated by their enemies. Their offerings are meaningless. They must stop doing evil and start doing what is good. The Lord will burn off the corrupt from Jerusalem and return it to a place of justice and righteousness. Those who refuse to repent will be broken and destroyed.

Isaiah is among the most important prophetic books in the entire Bible. The first segment details God's impending judgment against ancient peoples for sin and idolatry (Isaiah 1—35). The second part of Isaiah briefly explains a failed assault on Jerusalem during the rule of Hezekiah (Isaiah 36—39). The final chapters predict Israel's rescue from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 40—48), the promised Messiah (Isaiah 49—57), and the final glory of Jerusalem and God's people (Isaiah 58—66).

Accessed 5/3/2024 4:59:44 PM