Overflowing Grace

Ch.

1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, concerning Judah and Jerusalem which he saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, [and] Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

2 Listen, O heavens, and hear, O earth; For the LORD speaks, "Sons I have reared and brought up, But they have revolted against Me.

3 "An ox knows its owner, And a donkey its master′s manger, [But] Israel does not know, My people do not understand."

4 Alas, sinful nation, People weighed down with iniquity, Offspring of evildoers, Sons who act corruptly! They have abandoned the LORD, They have despised the Holy One of Israel, They have turned away from Him.

5 Where will you be stricken again, [As] you continue in [your] rebellion? The whole head is sick, And the whole heart is faint.

6 From the sole of the foot even to the head There is nothing sound in it, [Only] bruises, welts, and raw wounds, Not pressed out or bandaged, Nor softened with oil.

7 Your land is desolate, Your cities are burned with fire, Your fields-- strangers are devouring them in your presence; It is desolation, as overthrown by strangers.

8 And the daughter of Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard, Like a watchman′s hut in a cucumber field, like a besieged city.

9 Unless the LORD of hosts Had left us a few survivors, We would be like Sodom, We would be like Gomorrah.

10 Hear the word of the LORD, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the instruction of our God, You people of Gomorrah.

11 "What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?" Says the LORD. "I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams, And the fat of fed cattle. And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats.

12 "When you come to appear before Me, Who requires of you this trampling of My courts?

13 "Bring your worthless offerings no longer, Incense is an abomination to Me. New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies-- I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly.

14 "I hate your new moon [festivals] and your appointed feasts, They have become a burden to Me. I am weary of bearing [them].

15 "So when you spread out your hands [in prayer], I will hide My eyes from you, Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.

16 "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil,

17 Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless; Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow.

18 "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.

19 "If you consent and obey, You will eat the best of the land;

20 "But if you refuse and rebel, You will be devoured by the sword." Truly, the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

21 How the faithful city has become a harlot, She [who] was full of justice! Righteousness once lodged in her, But now murderers.

22 Your silver has become dross, Your drink diluted with water.

23 Your rulers are rebels, And companions of thieves; Everyone loves a bribe, And chases after rewards. They do not defend the orphan, Nor does the widow′s plea come before them.

24 Therefore the Lord God of hosts, The Mighty One of Israel declares, "Ah, I will be relieved of My adversaries, And avenge Myself on My foes.

25 "I will also turn My hand against you, And will smelt away your dross as with lye, And will remove all your alloy.

26 "Then I will restore your judges as at the first, And your counselors as at the beginning; After that you will be called the city of righteousness, A faithful city."

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

28 But transgressors and sinners will be crushed together, And those who forsake the Lord will come to an end.

29 Surely, you will be ashamed of the oaks which you have desired, And you will be embarrassed at the gardens which you have chosen.

30 For you will be like an oak whose leaf fades away, Or as a garden that has no water.

31 And the strong man will become tinder, His work also a spark. Thus they shall both burn together, And there will be none to quench [them].

Isa. 1:9

Unless the LORD of hosts Had left us a few survivors, We would be like Sodom, We would be like Gomorrah. [NASB]

My Translation

[my translatio]

Greek

καὶ εἰ μὴ κύριος σαβαωθ ἐγκατέλιπεν ἡμῖν σπέρμα ὡς Σοδομα ἂν ἐγενήθημεν καὶ ὡς Γομορρα ἂν ὡμοιώθημεν

Hebrew

לוּלֵי֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת הוֹתִ֥יר לָ֛נוּ שָׂרִ֖יד כִּמְעָ֑ט כִּסְדֹ֣ם הָיִ֔ינוּ לַֽעֲמֹרָ֖ה דָּמִֽינוּ

Comments

Unless the Lord of hosts Had left us a few survivors --

THIS IS THE CONDITION OF THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE

And still they refuse to repent
And still they seek after false gods
And still they continue to rebel against God

Yet the Lord left them a remnant. He did not allow Israel to be extinguished. The survival of a remnant is a key idea in the book of Isaiah and all the prophets. In a sense, this idea is echoed by Jesus: "Many are called but few are chosen.":

Isaiah 10:22

For though your people, O Israel, may be like the sand of the sea, [Only] a remnant within them will return; A destruction is determined, overflowing with righteousness.

Isaiah 11:16

And there will be a highway from Assyria For the remnant of His people who will be left, Just as there was for Israel In the day that they came up out of the land of Egypt.

Isaiah 28:5

In that day the LORD of hosts will become a beautiful crown And a glorious diadem to the remnant of His people;

Jeremiah 23:3

"Then I Myself will gather the remnant of My flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and bring them back to their pasture, and they will be fruitful and multiply.

Jeremiah 50:20

'In those days and at that time,' declares the LORD, 'search will be made for the iniquity of Israel, but there will be none; and for the sins of Judah, but they will not be found; for I will pardon those whom I leave as a remnant.'

Amos 5:15

Hate evil, love good, And establish justice in the gate! Perhaps the LORD God of hosts May be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

Micah 2:12

"I will surely assemble all of you, Jacob, I will surely gather the remnant of Israel. I will put them together like sheep in the fold; Like a flock in the midst of its pasture They will be noisy with men.

Micah 7:18

Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity And passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in unchanging love.

Zephaniah 3:13

"The remnant of Israel will do no wrong And tell no lies, Nor will a deceitful tongue Be found in their mouths; For they will feed and lie down With no one to make them tremble."

(by William Bell - - May 22, 2025, 7:35 p.m.

We would be like Sodom and Gomorrah --

There were no survivors from Sodom and Gomorrah. But still, the comparison is extreme. The number of survivors will be few:

Isaiah 17: 4-7

4 Now in that day the glory of Jacob will fade,
And the fatness of his flesh will become lean.
5 It will be even like the reaper gathering the standing grain,
As his arm harvests the ears,
Or it will be like one gleaning ears of grain
In the valley of Rephaim.
6 Yet gleanings will be left in it like the shaking of an olive tree,
Two or three olives on the topmost bough,
Four or five on the branches of a fruitful tree,
Declares the Lord, the God of Israel.
7 In that day man will have regard for his Maker
And his eyes will look to the Holy One of Israel.

(by William Bell - - May 28, 2025, 2:46 p.m.

NASB: New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org