God’s Eternal Covenant: Isaiah 59 (4)

Pray Psalm 38.9.
Lord, all my desire is before You;
And my sighing is not hidden from You.

Read Isaiah 59.9-15.

Reflect.
1. How does Isaiah describe the effects of unconfessed sin?

2. Notice the shift in pronouns: from second person plural (vv. 1-3), to third person plural (vv. 4-8), to first person plural (vv. 9-15). What is the significance of this?

Meditate.
Imagine this chapter as a sermon Isaiah might have preached to the people of his day. In the first part, verses 1-3, he addresses them directly, confronting them with their sins (“you”, “your”). In the second part (vv. 4-8), he appears to be pleading with the Lord, complaining to Him about Israel’s (“they”, “their”) sins, and outlining the consequences of those sins. In today’s verses (9-15), Isaiah puts himself among the people, and presents their sad condition before the Lord, including himself among the sinful people of Jerusalem (“our”, “us”). As we shall see, the final section (16-21) focuses on what the Lord intends to do about this whole situation.

A true prophet empathizes with those to whom he proclaims the Word of God. He knows that we are all sinners, and, while he must point the finger at times, he embraces his fellow sinners and seeks to draw them with him before the throne of God, that they might together find mercy and grace to help in their time of need.

And what a dark time it is! Justice and righteousness are nowhere in sight (v. 9). Darkness and confusion on every hand (vv. 9, 10). Groaning, complaining, moaning, and growling on the part of all the people (v. 11). All this because of unconfessed sin (v. 12). God’s people have been “lying” to Him by their phony worship and half-hearted attempts to follow His Word (v. 13). Their wicked and oppressive ways show that justice and righteousness are nowhere to be found, and truth is “fallen in the street” (v. 14). When Isaiah says that “truth fails” (v. 15), he does not mean that you can’t rely on truth. He means that they fail to see truth anywhere, because everyone is living in lies and rebellion against the Lord (v. 13). So wicked are the times, that anyone who does not join in with the wicked, but who seeks to keep the way of the Lord, becomes subject to the wrath and violence of their wicked neighbors (v. 15).

And yet here is Isaiah, standing before these people, embracing them as one with him in need of the mercy and grace of the Lord. What a picture of Christ the prophet shows us in these verses!

Prepare.
1. Why does sin have such deleterious effects on people?

2. What happens to truth when people choose to live in lies?  

3. How do verses 9-15 make you feel? How should they make us feel about sin?

It was not you who failed to be concerned for us, but it was our life of iniquity that deprived us of your care and concern. Theodoret of Cyr (393-466 AD), Commentary on Isaiah 18.59.12

Lord, we need revival in our souls! We need You to convict us of our sins and lead us to repentance so that we…

Pray Psalm 38.
Use this psalm of confession to renew your fellowship with the Lord. Pray it slowly, listening for the Spirit to convict you of any sins in your life. Confess and repent as the Lord leads, and give Him abundant thanks and praise.

Sing to the Lord.
Psalm 38 (Leoni: The God of Abraham Praise)
O Lord, rebuke me not, nor chasten me in wrath!
Your arrows pierce my sinful heart and fill my path.
Your heavy hand weighs down; my flesh and bones grow weak.
My sins oppress, confuse, confound – I cannot speak!

My sinful wounds grow foul, and fester painfully;
I bend and groan within my soul most mournfully!
Sin fills my every part; conviction stings my breast.
Lord, ease my numbed and burning heart and grant me rest!

You know all my desire, my sighs You know full well.
My strength fails and light’s holy fire my eyes dispel.
My friends and loved ones fail; the wicked do me wrong.
My life they seek, my soul assail the whole day long.

Their threats I will not heed, nor speak to their reproof;
To hear or speak I have no need – I claim Your truth!
Lord, hear my fervent prayer! Let not my foes rejoice;
Redeem me from their traps and snares – Lord, hear my voice!

My sins I now confess; my anxious soul relieve!
Though foes are strong, Lord, heal and bless all who believe!
Forsake me not, O Lord! Repay my foes with wrath.
Stand by me with Your saving Word and guard my path!

T. M. Moore

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Forward today’s lesson to some friends, and challenge them to study with you through this series on Isaiah. Each week’s lessons will be available as a free PDF download at the end of the week. Get a copy for yourself and send the link for the download to your friends. Plan to meet weekly to study Isaiah’s important message.

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006).All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (available by clicking here).