Sermonette: The Isaiah 58 Puzzle
#1643s
David C. Grabbe
Given 19-Mar-22; 19 minutes
description: Attempting to put a puzzle together while having the picture before us may lead to premature incorrect conclusions. In our personal Bible study, we find it necessary to gather all the pieces, examining how each piece fits together with all the others. In exploring Isaiah 58, we learn that although the trumpet sounds (Isaiah 58:1-5) the nation's sins are not being atoned for. The outward hypocritical piety amounts to tithing on miniscule items but overlooking the weightier matters of the law. Fasting was not used as a means of drawing close to God, but instead a lever to manipulate God. Instead of exercising mercy, the greedy leaders and employers of Israel exploited laborers, exacting every last shekel, demonstrating a hyper-selfish approach, ignoring the plight of the impoverished. The Day of Atonement and the weekly Sabbath prefigure the Jubilee (Leviticus 25:8) and the Land Sabbath, a time of releasing the bonds of those afflicted with poverty and starvation. The failure of leaders of Israel who will not release debts (as is required by the Shemitah) makes atonement a meaningless, empty ceremony and brings a curse on Abraham's offspring. The collective ignoring of the Sabbath by today's religious, economic, and political leaders of Israel, have brought about the current disastrous consequences in today's immoral culture. Far from hypocritical piety, God is looking for yielded people with pure hearts which fear Him and tremble at His words (Isaiah 66:2).