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Isaiah 48:1-11 The Lord’s Rebuke for Rebellious Israel
God had just given a harsh warning of the judgment that would fall on Babylon. Upon hearing this Israel might become proud. Babylon’s fate was a severe punishment and sudden downfall. If such a severe fate falls on Babylon in its pride, what ought God to do to Israel for its rebellion? He was refining their faith -judging the unbelievers and calling the remnant to repent and trust in him.
48:1-2 The Lord gives us a seven-fold title for the people of Jerusalem and Judah. Although it all sounds good the Lord points out the crack in their armor, the thing that makes all their claims crumble. Identify their sin and explain how we can fall into the same type of trap.
- They said the right things but did not have faith or they were just going through the words and actions without truth.
- It isn’t enough to simply belong to the right church, right family heritage, or to call yourself a child of God. What matters is faith in the Lord.
- Faith is more than a simple outward confession. It is putting your trust in him.
48:3 “I foretold the former things long ago” List some occasions in Bible history in which God had foretold future events to his people:
- He told Adam and Eve they would die, he told Noah a flood would come, he told Abram his descendants would be numerous, would be enslaved, would be freed, he told Moses he would deliver Israel from Egypt, he told Joshua he would conquer Jericho, he told Elijah it wouldn’t rain, … many things!
48:4 God gives two concrete pictures of stubbornness to describe Israel. Share at least two events from Bible history that demonstrated their stubbornness.
- Golden calf at Sinai, refused to enter promised land with faith, turned again and again in time of Judges, demanded a king, followed the gods of the nations around them with godless kings and people, Baal worship, did not take to heart all the miracles of prophets like Elijah and Elisha etc.
- They would remain stubborn in the face of all the things fulfilled and done by Christ.
- Stephen to the religious leaders of Israel: “You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit! You are doing just what your fathers did. 52Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who prophesied the coming of the Righteous One, and now you have become his betrayers and murderers—53you who received the law as transmitted by angels, but did not keep it.” -Ac 7:51–53.
48:4-6 God’s purpose in foretelling past events was to bring his people to acknowledge the truth that he alone is God. Use this section to form an argument against progressive Christians who to try to explain away the Bible’s miracles as merely exaggerated or natural events.
- God did the miracles and foretold his working so that his people would believe and acknowledge he alone is the one and only true God.
- Those who try to explain away prophecy (textual critical method) and downplay miracles are denying Divine Inspiration, God’s Absolute Sovereignty, and miss out on the whole point: Jesus is true God!
- Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” -Jn 20:30–31.
48:7 God’s prophecies and promises are original. He does not mimic other existing prophecies. He is the first to reveal them. Choose one other religion you have familiarity with and estimate how much of that religion has original prophecy that has proved true.
- So many religions are either law-based and lack real prophecy and promise or are a distortion of the one true religion, which is centered on Christ.
48:8-9 If Israel had been rebellious since birth, why did they have God’s blessings?
- It is the same with all of us, it is only by grace that we have any blessings from God, not by works.
- God made a promise to bless them and all nations through their offspring. Christ came not because Israel was faithful, but because God was faithful.
48:10-11 Read Isaiah 1:18-27. God was refining his people through the Babylonian exile. Use your life or other Bible accounts to describe some other ways he might refine his people when they need it. (Compare also 1 Pt 1:6-7)
- Consider within exile the persecution of Daniel etc. When they returned form exile they faced pressures from their enemies. Rome ruled over them during the time of Christ and made some aspects of life difficult and humbling. The prophets and apostles endured persecution. Reformers were killed and persecuted throughout history. Church history is full of examples!
- He sends calamity, trouble, and various trials so that we are strengthened in faith and turn to him and so that we might repent and trust in him alone.
Review Isaiah 48:1-11
Prophecy is real. Miracles are real. God intervenes in history. Ýet not all are willing to admit it. “You have heard these things; look at them all. Will you not admit them?” (Is 48:6) Breakdown the difference between the ancient people of Israel who gave credit to their idols for destroying Babylon and anti-Christian intellectuals who deny that Isaiah actually wrote these things ahead of time.
Breakdown the difference between the ancient people of Israel who gave credit to their idols for destroying Babylon and progressive Christians who give credit to scientific explanations for miracles recorded in Scripture.
48:11 Construct at least three examples of ways that the Lord’s name is defamed by those who bear his name.
Scan through these verses to find examples of Israel’s sin and God’s great grace.
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