Isaiah Chapter One
The beginning verses of Isaiah chapter one point out how God nourished and brought up the children of Israel. Even so, they rebelled against Him, despite His faithfulness to them.
In verse three, Isaiah contrasts the ox and the ass (who know their masters voice) with the children of Israel (who no longer know their Master’s voice). The ox listens for his master’s voice. In fact, it is his desire to hear it! The ox follows wherever the master leads, whether it is to work hard and plow in the field or to feed in the meadow. As the ox follows his master to plow in the field, so should we also plow in the field with our Master. In verse four, it says that the people of Israel had forsaken the Lord. They were no longer following their Master.
What shall we do instead?? How can we keep from falling away from a God that is ever faithful to us? Take note of verse three where Isaiah says that the ox and the ass know their master’s voice but, “Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.” “Consider” means to stir yourself up and give real effort to understanding that God is the Alpha and Omega. He is always and ever one hundred percent right! He is one hundred percent capable of busting all the right moves and making all the right plans! He is counselor, Prince of Peace, The Everlasting Father. He has no beginning and no end! The undeniable and irrefutable proof of his existence is His own intelligently designed creation. He has unlimited power, and He is omnipresent (everywhere at the same time). He is worthy of our simple, uncomplicated trust. We are safe in following Him innocently as a child because He is ALL OF THESE THINGS! How amazing!
God is telling us that in our humanness we need to stir ourselves up daily and give effort to knowing and realizing the depth of who our Mighty God is. It is in recognizing who God is that we find the strength and the courage to plow in the fields with our Him. It is harder to walk away from our Master’s voice if we are daily listening intently for it. It is indeed hard to walk away from our Master if we are daily recognizing His goodness and basking in it! Singing praises to Him daily and seeking and coveting his guidance and direction daily.
Verse three says, “the ass knows his master’s crib”. The crib is where the ass goes to feed. We need to stir ourselves up and make a daily effort to ensure that we feed on God’s Word.
Isaiah explains to us that Israel did not even do as well as an ass or an ox in knowing, considering, trusting, listening and following their master. So, what happened to them when they stopped knowing their master and following him?
“Ah, Sinful nation,” exclaims verse four! Yes, they became a very sinful nation! “A people laden with iniquity. They have provoked the Holy One of Israel into Anger.” Verse five says, “The whole head is sick and the whole heart is faint.” Verse six continues to describe their desperate situation, “From the sole of the foot even unto the head, there is no soundness in it.” Skipping down to verse twenty-three we read that “The city has become an harlot” “Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves, everyone loveth gifts (bribes) and followeth after rewards” (enticements).
What can we do instead of falling away from our faithful Master and Father? Verse sixteen says “Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doing from before my eyes; cease to do evil.” Verse seventeen says “Learn to do well; seek judgement, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless and plead for the widow.”
And finally verse eighteen says, “come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow!”