Isaiah 1:21-31

The last part of Isaiah 1 targets Israel's ruling class:

See how the faithful city
has become a harlot!
She once was full of justice;
righteousness used to dwell in her
but now murderers!

²² Your silver has become dross,
your choice wine is diluted with water.

²³ Your rulers are rebels,
companions of thieves;
they all love bribes
and chase after gifts.
They do not defend the cause of the fatherless;
the widow's case does not come before them.

It is those in power and wealth who are saddled with the greatest responsibility for justice and care of thedisenfranchisedd. Why? Because they are the ones most capable of doing so. As Christ said "To those who are given much, much will be expected." Justice has always weighed more heavily on the powerful, if only because the structural means of justice are controlled by them. Further, if leaders are corrupt and injust, where does that take the followers? We must uphold our leaders to as high a standard as we hold ourselves and possibly a higher one - after all, shouldn't they be setting an example for those who would follow them?

I do not mean to absolve those of lesser means of responsibility, but once again, it is God through Isaiah who is pointing the finger, not me. It is very hard for me not to draw parallels to modern America in Isaiah's words. Our leaders have become good at saying the right things but doing the wrong ones. We could blame the "system", but ultimately it is up to the individual to eschew the bribe (even if it is legal), to avoid the thief (even if wearing a suit) and defend the fatherless and plead the widow's cause. How I would like to cast my votes for people whose hearts were truly compassionate towards the needy, who sought justice for all and led the people with humility. Isaiah isn't suggesting legislation or policy, but he is addressing a heart condition in Israel's leadership. Their hearts were hardened and they sought only to add to their wealth and power. They had lost sight of the awesome responsibility of leadership and what role they were to play in their nation's health.

Isaiah's words should weigh heavy on those of us who are able to influence our leadership. We, too, have a responsibility for justice. If we allow or encourage misbehavior by our leaders, we become guilty either implicitly or explicitly. Our sins of omission sit on our hearts as well. I confess that I often feel I do not do enough to address poverty, injustice or affliction in my own locale. The problems seem overwhelming and intractable, yet God calls on us to be involved as part of the solution even as much as our leaders. We are expected to do as much as we can with what God has provided us. As I stated in my previous post, it is the positive commandments which are most difficult to follow for the boundaries are much wider and terms fuzzier. That does not release us from the responsibility, however. We are still called to love our neighbor as ourselves and be our brother's keeper.

As in the previous section, Isaiah starts with an indictment then moves tojudgmentt and promise. Two paths are simultaneouslytraveledd - the path of redemption and the path of ruin. God will restore His people but that will only come about by repentance or destruction. Those who repent will be saved, but those who do not will find that the pride, power and glory they once had is the source of their downfall:

²⁴ Therefore the Lord, the LORD Almighty,

the Mighty One of Israel, declares:
"Ah, I will get relief from my foes
and avenge myself on my enemies.

²⁵ I will turn my hand against you;
I will thoroughly purge away your dross
and remove all your impurities.

²⁶ I will restore your judges as in days of old,
your counselors as at the beginning.
Afterward you will be called
the City of Righteousness,
the Faithful City."

²⁷ Zion will be redeemed with justice,
her penitent ones with righteousness.

²⁸ But rebels and sinners will both be broken,
and those who forsake the LORD will perish.

²⁹ "You will be ashamed because of the sacred oaks
in which you have delighted;
you will be disgraced because of the gardens
that you have chosen.

³⁰ You will be like an oak with fading leaves,
like a garden without water.

³¹ The mighty man will become tinder
and his work a spark;
both will burn together,
with no one to quench the fire."