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ISAIAH CHAPTER 1
OBSERVATION STAGE
The purpose of
the observation stage is to maintain focus on the text at hand within the
normative rules of language, context and logic 
.
.This
limits the observer to the content offered by the book of Isaiah. This
will serve to avoid going on unnecessary tangents elsewhere; and more
importantly, it will provide the framework for a proper and objective
comparison with passages located elsewhere in Scripture.
Remember that something elsewhere may be true, but in the text at hand it may not be in view.
(Isa 1:1 YLT) The Visions of Isaiah son of Amoz, that he [had] seen concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
(Isa 1:2 NKJV) Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the LORD has spoken: 'I have nourished and brought up children, And they have rebelled against Me:
(Isa 1:3 YLT) An ox [has] known its owner, And [a donkey] the crib of its master, Israel [has] not known, My people [have] not understood.
(Isa 1:4 YLT) Ah, sinning nation, a people heavy [with] iniquity, A seed of evil doers, sons - corrupters! They have forsaken Jehovah, They have despised the Holy One of Israel, They have gone away backward.
(Isa 1:5 NKJV) Why should you be stricken again? You will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick, And the whole heart faints.
(Isa 1:6 NKJV) From the sole of the foot even to the head, There is no soundness in it, But wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; They have not been closed or bound up, Or soothed with ointment.
(Isa 1:7 NKJV) Your country is desolate, Your cities are burned with fire; Strangers devour your land in your presence; And it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.
(Isa 1:8 YLT) And left [has] been the daughter of Zion, As a booth in a vineyard, As a lodge in a place of cucumbers - as a city besieged.'
(Isa 1:9 NKJV) Unless the LORD of hosts Had left to us a very small remnant [lit., a few survivors], we would have become like Sodom, We would have been made like Gomorrah.
(Isa 1:10 NKJV) Hear the word of the LORD, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the law of our God, You people of Gomorrah:
(Isa 1:11 YLT) 'To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?
(Isa 1:12 NKJV) When you come to appear before Me, Who has required this from your hand, To trample My courts?
(Isa 1:13 NKJV) Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies - I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting.
(Isa 1:14 NKJV) Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul [has hated]; They are a trouble to Me, I [have been] weary to bear [them].
(Isa 1:15 YLT) And in your spreading forth your hands, I hide [my] eyes from you, Also when [you] increase prayer, I do not hear, Your hands of blood have been full.
(Isa 1:16 NKJV) Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil,
(Isa 1:17 NKJV) Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow.
(Isa 1:18 NKJV) Come now, and let us reason together,' Says the LORD, 'Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.
(Isa 1:19 NKJV) If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land:
(Isa 1:20 NKJV) But if you refuse and rebel, You shall be devoured by the sword'; For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
(Isa 1:21 NKJV) How the faithful city has become a harlot! It was full of justice; Righteousness lodged in it, But now murderers.
(Isa 1:22 NKJV) Your silver has become dross, Your wine mixed [in the sense of diluted] with water.
(Isa 1:23 NKJV) Your princes are rebellious, And companions of thieves; Everyone loves bribes, And follows after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, Nor does the cause of the widow come before them.'
(Isa 1:24 NKJV) Therefore the Lord says, The LORD of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, 'Ah, I will rid Myself of My adversaries, And take vengeance on My enemies.
(Isa 1:25 NKJV) I will turn My hand against you, And thoroughly purge away your dross, And take away all your alloy.
(Isa 1:26 HOLMAN) I will restore your judges to what they once were, and your advisers to their former state. Afterwards you will be called the Righteous City, a Faithful City.
(Isa 1:27 NASB) Zion will be redeemed with justice And her repentant ones with righteousness.
(Isa 1:28 YLT) And the destruction of transgressors and sinners [is] together, And those forsaking Jehovah are consumed.
(Isa 1:29 YLT) For [you, plural] are ashamed because of the oaks [lit. terebinth trees] that [you] have desired, and [you] are [ashamed] because of the gardens that [you] have chosen.
(Isa 1:30 YLT) For [you, plural] are as an oak [lit., terebinth tree] whose leaf is fading, And as a garden that [has] no water.
(Isa 1:31 HOLMAN) The strong one will become tinder, and his work a spark; both [will have burned] together, with no one [quenching the flames].' "
(Isa 1:1 YLT) "The Visions of Isaiah son of Amoz, that he [had] seen concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, kings of Judah. (Isa 1:2 NKJV) Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the LORD has spoken: 'I have nourished and brought up children, And they have rebelled against Me: (Isa 1:3 YLT) An ox [has] known its owner, And [a donkey] the crib of its master, Israel [has] not known, My people [have] not understood. (Isa 1:4 YLT) Ah, sinning nation, a people heavy [with] iniquity, A seed of evil doers, sons - corrupters! They have forsaken Jehovah, They have despised the Holy One of Israel, They have gone away backward. (Isa 1:5 NKJV) Why should you be stricken again? You will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick, And the whole heart faints. (Isa 1:6 NKJV) From the sole of the foot even to the head, There is no soundness in it, But wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; They have not been closed or bound up, Or soothed with ointment. (Isa 1:7 NKJV) Your country is desolate, Your cities are burned with fire; Strangers devour your land in your presence; And it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. (Isa 1:8 YLT) And left [has] been the daughter of Zion, As a booth in a vineyard, As a lodge in a place of cucumbers - as a city besieged.' (Isa 1:9 NKJV) Unless the LORD of hosts Had left to us a very small remnant [lit., a few survivors], we would have become like Sodom, We would have been made like Gomorrah. (Isa 1:10 NKJV) Hear the word of the LORD, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the law of our God, You people of Gomorrah: (Isa 1:11 YLT) 'To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me? (Isa 1:12 NKJV) When you come to appear before Me, Who has required this from your hand, To trample My courts? (Isa 1:13 NKJV) Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies - I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. (Isa 1:14 NKJV) Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul [has hated]; They are a trouble to Me, I [have been] weary to bear [them]. (Isa 1:15 YLT) And in your spreading forth your hands, I hide [my] eyes from you, Also when [you] increase prayer, I do not hear, Your hands of blood have been full." =
The Book of Isaiah begins with a declaration of its contents. The writer's name was Isaiah, which means 'Yahweh is salvation.' He was the son of Amoz. He declared that he was reporting a vision which he received from the LORD concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the ruling days of Uzziah, (790-739); Jotham, (750-732), Ahaz, (735-715), and Hezekiah, (715-686); successive kings of Judah, the Southern Kingdom of Israel. While Isaiah's message was primarily about and for Judah, the Southern Kingdom of Israel; it frequently applied to the Northern Kingdom. For all the people of Israel would have a history of sin and idolatry which would cause destruction a number of times, throughout history. Hence in Isaiah's writing, the word rendered "Israel" may refer to one or the other or both kingdoms depending upon the context. Since author Isaiah called his book a vision; this implies that the prophet Isaiah wrote what he 'saw,' (cf. 2:1), and 'heard' mentally from the LORD, (cf. 1:1-2); (Isa 1:1).
In the second verse, author Isaiah wrote, "Hear, O heavens and give ear, O earth!" in the sense of being emphatic about the importance of his message throughout the universe to all beings, physical and spiritual, earthly and heavenly; implying that his message was from the LORD. He evidently reflected upon the words of Moses to the Israelites centuries ago, who implied the godly import of his words in Deuteronomy 32:1 which closely parallels what Isaiah wrote:
"Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; And hear, O earth, the words of my mouth."
The writer of Isaiah, having stipulated that what he had written was what the LORD had spoken to him in a vision, (cf 1:1), wrote:
"I [the LORD] have nourished and brought up children," evidently referring to the nation Israel - all twelve tribes; whom He called His people, (cf. vv. 2-3). The LORD declared, "And they have rebelled against Me." Israel was contrasted unfavorably with an ox which instinctively knew its owner, and a donkey which instinctively knew the crib, i.e., the stall / manger, its master had for it to go into. In stark contrast to the behavior of these domestic animals which intuitively knew their owners and went to the stall which their master provided for them; the people of the LORD neither knew their master, the LORD; nor did they understand Him, nor did they realize that He was their Provider. In view of the fact that an ox was so willfully and instinctively submissive; and a donkey was so well known for its stupidity; for the LORD to say that the people of Israel would not measure up to them was a strong affirmation of their willful and rebellious stupidity. And by being rebellious (1:2b) the nation would fail to obey God's commands, proving that they willfully refused to "understand" God, (Isa 1:3).
Hence the LORD declared that the people of Israel in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah would be a sinful nation. Both kingdoms throughout this time and throughout the centuries would prove to be a people heavy with iniquity, and a seed of evil doers. The children of the LORD during that time would be corrupters of the world. They would forsake and despise the LORD, the Holy One of Israel; and would go "away backward" from Him, turning their back on His Righteousness. Note that the title "The Holy One of Israel," contrasted the peoples' sins with God's Absolute Holiness, (Isa 1:4).
In order to make His point emphatic about the lack of repentance of those generations of Israel in view in Isaiah 1:1; the LORD asked, "Why should you [Israel] be stricken again?" The LORD implied that Israel's difficulties were due to her disobedience to Him. Despite being disciplined over and over again, the people of the LORD during that period of time, revolted more and more. Isaiah wrote that the whole head of the people of the LORD was sick; that her heart was faint in the sense of her being weak minded about changing her rebellious, unrighteous attitude toward the LORD. The LORD painted a picture of Israel's wounded condition: "From the sole of the foot to the head, there is no soundness in it, But wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; They have not been closed or bound up, Or soothed with ointment;" thus depicting a horrible picture of what Israel was like during that period of time, (Isa 1:5-6).
So, according to Isaiah, the countryside of Israel and Judah, within the timeframe of Uzziah, Jothan, Ahaz and Hezekiah, was to become desolate. Judah's cities were to be burned; strangers would overthrow her and devour the land. The LORD went on to say through Isaiah, "And left [has] been the daughter of Zion..."
Note that word "of" in the phrase "Daughter of Zion" does not indicate that Zion has a daughter; but it refers to Zion, i.e., Jerusalem, being the daughter of the LORD - an intimate personification of Jerusalem as the chosen city of the LORD for the chosen people of the LORD.
(Isa 37:21 NKJV) '''Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel, 'Because you have prayed to Me against Sennacherib king of Assyria,
(Isa 37:22 NKJV) this is the word which the LORD has spoken concerning him: 'The virgin, the daughter of Zion, Has despised you, laughed you to scorn; The daughter of Jerusalem Has shaken her head behind your back!' " '''
(Isa 60:14 NKJV) "Also the sons of those who afflicted you Shall come bowing to you, And all those who despised you shall fall prostrate at the soles of your feet; And they shall call you The City of the LORD, Zion of the Holy One of Israel."
So in Isa 1:8, Isaiah continues the context of Judah in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah with the destruction of Jerusalem, "And left [has] been the daughter of Zion [Jerusalem], As a booth in a vineyard. As a lodge in a place of cucumbers - as a city besieged."
Note the words rendered "booth" and "lodge" refer to lean-to shelters used by farmers and watchmen during the harvest. This pictures the ruined condition of the city of Jersusalem, as a city beseiged, (Isa 1:7-8).
Isaiah went on to write, "Unless the LORD of hosts...
[The word rendered "hosts," refers to angelic beings. The title "Lord of hosts" describes God as ruler over all powers in heaven and earth through His command of His angelic armies],
"Unless the LORD of hosts left to us a very small remnant [lit., a few survivors], we would have become like [in an emphatice sense] Sodom, We would have been made like Gomorrah, [in the sense of no one in Israel being left alive - referring to those two cities' judgments by "fire," which left no survivors. Note that Sodom and Gomorrah were regarded as the epitome of Gentile sinfulness. Hence to say that Jerusalem would become like those cities was a scathing condemnation, (Isa 1:9).
Whereupon author / prophet Isaiah declared that his words which he wrote down were words of the LORD, implying the weight of absolute law:
"Hear the word of the LORD, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the law of our God, You people of Gomorrah," (a condemnatory reference to the rulers and people of Israel. For Sodom and Gomorrah were Gentile cities which were so sinful that God utterly destroyed them)... "To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?" By this, the LORD questioned the multiple sacrifices that were being offered to Him at the altar in the Temple because they were evidently being offered in a formalistic, hypocritical manner that did not represent that the ones giving the sacrifices were bringing their lives into conformity with God's righteous standards. They were simply offered as if the formality would make them ceremonially clean before God, without having to repent of their sinfulness, (Isa 1:10).
"When you come to appear before Me, Who has required this from your hand, To trample My courts?" [in the sense of having an ungodly, self-serving attitude which was like a group of animals trampling through the courts of the Temple], (Isa 1:12).
"Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense is an abomination to Me," [in the sense of the ungodly manner in which the Israelites were offering it to the LORD],
"The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies - I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting," [in the sense that the Israelites demonstrated sinful attitudes when they gathered at their sacred meetings before the LORD].
"Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My Soul [has hated]; They are a trouble to Me, I [have been] weary to bear [them]. And in your spreading forth your hands, I hide mine eyes from you, Also when [you] increase prayer, I do not hear, Your hands of blood have been full." Notice that the LORD sarcastically referred to "your New Moons," and "your appointed feasts," rather than 'My New Moons' and 'My appointed feasts,' because His people of the generations of Judah during the rule of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah had changed the spirit of God's ceremonial laws from love of Him to sinful manipulation of Him.
So verses 13-15 cited above refer to the many misguided, self-serving sacrifices that would be offered by Judah formalisically without the change of attitude before the LORD; appearances in the Temple to manipulate rather than to worhip the LORD; the misuse of incense; the ungodly observation of holy days; the calling of assemblies in the Synagogue for all the wrong reasons; the increased but formalistic and manipulative prayers which would be performed by the people of the LORD with an ungodly attitude; the blood on their hands of the people in the sense of committing heinous sins, especially persecution of God's servants / His prophets. These things the LORD declared He hated. They were formalistic, lacking in true worship - ungodly, and even murderous. He turned a deaf ear to their prayers, in the sense that they would not be answered. It is evident that in these verses, especially with the references to Temple worship, that the Southern Kingdom of Israel was in view, (Isa 1:13-15).
(Isa 1:5 NKJV) "Why should you be stricken again? You will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick, And the whole heart faints. (Isa 1:6 NKJV) From the sole of the foot even to the head, There is no soundness in it, But wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; They have not been closed or bound up, Or soothed with ointment. (Isa 1:7 NKJV) Your country is desolate, Your cities are burned with fire; Strangers devour your land in your presence; And it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. (Isa 1:8 YLT) And left [has] been the daughter of Zion, As a booth in a vineyard, As a lodge in a place of cucumbers - as a city besieged.' (Isa 1:9 NKJV) Unless the LORD of hosts Had left to us a very small remnant [lit., a few survivors], we would have become like Sodom, We would have been made like Gomorrah... (Isa 1:16 NKJV) Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, (Isa 1:17 NKJV) Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow. (Isa 1:18 NKJV) Come now, and let us reason together,' Says the LORD, 'Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool. (Isa 1:19 NKJV) If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land: (Isa 1:20 NKJV) But if you refuse and rebel, You shall be devoured by the sword'; For the mouth of the LORD has spoken." =
After scathing comments about Israel's unrepentant behavior, past, present and future, (Isa 1:2-15); author Isaiah writes, "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow," (Isa 1:16-17) - with the result that they would not suffer further discipline by the sword, (Isa 1:5-9; cf. 1:20).
The following verse, (Isa 1:18), begins with the LORD's compassionate entreaty to His chosen people Israel of all generations: " 'Come now, and let us reason together,' Says the LORD, 'Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they [your sins] are red like crimson, They shall be as wool [in the sense of new wool which was brilliantly white]" The word rendered "reason" in the NKJV is a legal term used of arguing, convincing or deciding a case in court. They were to reason in the sense of coming to an understanding - a judgment to be arrived at - that they were sinners. This judgment to which the LORD and each Israelite was to agree to was stipulated twice in the verse for emphasis, namely: "Though your sins are like scarlet," and "Though they [your sins] are red like crimson," whereupon each Israelite acknowledging the LORD's judgment and trusting in Him for forgiveness, the promised result would be that each ones sins "shall be white as snow" and (once more for emphasis) "as [new] wool." The word rendered "scarlet" was from a red dye made from a worm. And the word rendered "crimson," described a red-colored cloth. In the case of the context of verse 18, the people were to be convinced with God that He was right and they were wrong about their sinful condition implying a moment of faith in God's provision of an atoning sacrifice for sins that they may be purged by the free grace of God - for there is no stipulation required other than the acknowledgment of sinfulness.
Note that the context of the previous two verses, (Isa 1:16-17), "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow," cannot be imposed upon Isa 1:18 relative to what one must do for forgiveness of sins, because the context of verses 16-17 is a command from the LORD to Israel to repent of her ways or face the temporal destruction previously referred to in verses 5, 7-9 and later in verse 20; whereas verse 18 is not a command, but a compassionate entreaty of the LORD to His people Israel of all generations to reason together with Him to arrive at an understanding - an acknowledgment which He had declared that they were sinners, which acknowledgment on each Israelite's part would result in his sins being "white as snow," "as [new] wool;" i.e., each Israelite who expressed a moment of faith alone in God's provision alone for his sins would receive eternal forgiveness of his sins.
Note that as the Book of Isaiah moves on, it will be made clear that a substitutionary sacrifice for sins will be made for the iniquities of all mankind which provides for the fulfillment of the promise of the LORD to make eternal forgiveness of sins available and possible for all mankind, (Isa 1:18; cf Isa 6:1-7; 53:1ff).
The next two verses, (Isa 1:19-20), have in view the temporal lives of the Israelites - how they might conduct themselves - believers and unbelievers alike. The LORD cited conditions which must be met for temporal blessings or temporal punishment when those conditions are not met: " 'If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land. But if you refuse and rebel, You shall be devoured by the sword.' " These results were declared to be from the mouth of the LORD, implying the sovereign and absolute certainty of the LORD. Notice that the result of being willing and obedient in verse 19 is stipulated as a temporal, not an eternal one; hence eternal forgiveness of sins is not in view: "If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land." And in verse 20, the result of refusing to be willing and obedient is likewise stipulated as a temporal, not an eternal one: "But if you refuse and rebel, You shall be devoured by the sword," i.e., physical / temporal destruction and death by military conquest; hence eternal forgiveness of sins is again not in view, (Isa 1:19-20).
So there is neither stipulated, nor implied any kind of behavioral response which is in any verse in Isaiah leading up to, after or in verse 1:18 that would be required in order to provide for eternal forgiveness of sins other than the moment of faith alone in the LORD alone for eternal forgiveness of sins. If there were such an additional response required, it would not serve the justice of the LORD; for a repentant lifestyle cannot logically be considered as payment for prior sins committed in ones life or in future moments when one was not leading such a godly lifestyle without impugning the integrity of God Himself. A good deed cannot be used to atone for a sinful one. There must be payment for sins - there is no exchange of good deeds for bad deeds available in order to receive forgiveness of sins before the LORD.
(Isa 1:21 NKJV) "How the faithful city has become a harlot! It was full of justice; Righteousness lodged in it, But now murderers. (Isa 1:22 NKJV) Your silver has become dross, Your wine mixed [in the sense of diluted] with water. (Isa 1:23 NKJV) Your princes are rebellious, And companions of thieves; Everyone loves bribes, And follows after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, Nor does the cause of the widow come before them.' (Isa 1:24 NKJV) Therefore the Lord says, The LORD of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, 'Ah, I will rid Myself of My adversaries, And take vengeance on My enemies. (Isa 1:25 NKJV) I will turn My hand against you, And thoroughly purge away your dross, And take away all your alloy. (Isa 1:26 HOLMAN) I will restore your judges to what they once were, and your advisers to their former state. Afterwards you will be called the Righteous City, a Faithful City. (Isa 1:27 NASB) Zion will be redeemed with justice And her repentant ones with righteousness. (Isa 1:28 YLT) And the destruction of transgressors and sinners [is] together, And those forsaking Jehovah are consumed. (Isa 1:29 YLT) For [you, plural] are ashamed because of the oaks [lit. terebinth trees] that [you] have desired, and [you] are [ashamed] because of the gardens that [you] have chosen. (Isa 1:30 YLT) For [you, plural] are as an oak [lit., terebinth tree] whose leaf is fading, And as a garden that [has] no water. (Isa 1:31 HOLMAN) The strong one will become tinder, and his work a spark; both [will have burned] together, with no one [quenching the flames].' " =
In verses 21 through 31, Isaiah provided the LORD's answer to generations of Israel's unfaithfulness with a view to His coming to purge the world of sin to establish His Eternal Kingdom on the earth at the time of a future generation of Israel; evidently beyond the timeframe of the four Kings of Judah, (Isa 1:1). Verse 21 began with a lamenting exclamation "How!" in the NKJV: "How the faithful city [Jerusalem] has become a harlot!" The LORD declared that formerly the city "was full of justice..." that "Righteousness lodged in it." But in that Day, the city would become full of murderers. The city's silver in the sense of the city's value would become like dross, i.e., impure, her wine diluted with water - meaning that generations of Israelites would become corrupted and ungodly. The city's princes, i.e., rulers were rebellious, and companions with thieves, looking for and taking bribes. They neither defended the fatherless, nor the cause of the widow. Verse 24 began with the LORD's expression of indignation rendered "Ah," in the NKJV: Author Isaiah then declared that the LORD said, "The LORD of Hosts, The Mighty One of Israel," to emphasize His Absolute Sovereignty. Whereupon the LORD stipulated that He would rid Himself of His adversaries, referring to those of His chosen people Israel who were as unfaithful wives. Evidently both Kingdoms of Israel were in view. So the LORD would take vengeance upon His enemies, turn His hand against those who were rebellious, purge them from the faithful ones of His people as the process of purifying silver purges and takes away the dross, the impurities, leaving the pure silver; i.e., the remnant of faithful ones of Israel, (Isa 1:21-25).
Verse 26 stipulated that the LORD would restore judges and advisers to their former state of faithfulness. Afterwards the city would be called the Righteous City, a Faithful City. Zion, i.e., Jerusalem would be redeemed with justice, and her repentant ones with righteousness - the city of the Eternal Kingdom of God on the earth, (Isa 1:26).
The text goes on to say that temporal destruction of transgressors would occur - those forsaking Jehovah would be consumed. Those who worshipped idols such as groves of terebinth [oak like] trees or specially grown gardens for that purpose would be ashamed because their idols would not rescue them. For Israel's unfaithful are like the terebinth tree whose leaf is fading; and like the pagan worship gardens which will die for lack of water. The strong one referring to an unfaithful ruler of Israel will become tinder like the terebinth tree which is felled and chopped up; his rebellious works will become as a spark. They will burn and be destroyed together. Note that the temporal destruction by the LORD for unfaithfulness when He comes to establish His Eternal Kingdom sets the pattern for previous generations who are unfaithful, (Isa 1:27-31).