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. 1:19

"If you consent and obey, You will eat the best of the land; [NASB]

My Translation

[my translatio]

Greek

καὶ ἐὰν θέλητε καὶ εἰσακούσητέ μου τὰ ἀγαθὰ τῆς γῆς φάγεσθε

Hebrew

אִם־תֹּאב֖וּ וּשְׁמַעְתֶּ֑ם ט֥וּב הָאָ֖רֶץ תֹּאכֵֽלוּ

Comments

Two Choices --

YOU HAVE TWO CHOICES:

repent and obey

or

refuse

If you repent, God will protect and provide for you. If not, you will die.

Dt. 32: 35-47

45 When Moses had finished speaking all these words to all Israel, 46 he said to them, “Take to your heart all the words with which I am warning you today, which you shall command your sons to observe carefully, even all the words of this law. 47 For it is not an idle word for you; indeed it is your life.

Dt. 30:

15 “See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity; 16 in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the Lord your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it. 17 But if your heart turns away and you will not obey, but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them, 18 I declare to you today that you shall surely perish. . . . 19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, 20 by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”

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

God is Love - All He does is motivated by His love for us --

Many people see God as one who imposes rules on us to keep us in line, and who punishes us when we color outside the lines.

Although this is true, this picture is incomplete. God is love. He loves us with a love that defies our understanding. We do not understand it because we don't love like that. He demonstrated His unwaivering love for us by becoming a man, humbling Himself by becoming a servant, and dying an agonizing, horrific, death of a criminal, falsely accused. And even in His agony, He forgave those who crucified Him. That is how much He loves us.

Everything He does is motivated by this love. Sometimes this love moves Him to reprove and punish us, with the hope that we will turn from evil. His laws are good. They flow out of His love for us. If we keep His laws, we will live . . . but we can't keep them without His life flowing through us.

Everything God does for us is designed to give us life, the life that is in Him.

(by William Bell - - June 4, 2025, 4:14 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