Introduction
We have been
working on a project called the Bible’s Wisdom of the Beginning for several years and are just
about ready to release it. For the past few days I have been working on a
translation/commentary/midrash of Isaiah 1:12-26. The finished version will be
included in the project above. However, I decided to share what I have done so
far (in its unfinished form) because I feel that it should be considered as we
enter into another season of elections. I am sure you are aware of the flood of
political propaganda that is being produced at an increasing rate.
The principles and values of the Bible’s Wisdom of the Beginning (you
will have to wait for their publication in the near future) are clearly seen in
the writings of the Prophets. They leave no doubt that religious rituals and
blind allegiance to authority are not what God requires. They also make it
clear that religious institutions and their rituals cannot free people from the
consequences of what they do to other people. Pay close attention to the words
of Isaiah and consider their relevance to our world today.
Isaiah
1:12-26
[Note: Please remember that this is not
in its final edited form. You also must know two definitions to understand the
translation that follows.
● TOV is “an act that is pleasing to God’s eyes
because it increases the quality of life, makes life more functional, protects life,
and/or preserves life.” It is
traditionally translated as “good.”
● RA is “an act that is
unpleasant to God’s eyes because it decreases the quality of life, makes life
less functional, threatens life, and/or destroys life. It is traditionally translated as “evil.”]
Now let’s travel back in time over 2,700
years and listen to words of one of the Bible’s greatest prophets – Isaiah:
“When you come to appear before Me, who has
required this from your hand, to trample My courts? Do not add bringing empty
false sacrifices! Incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moon, Sabbath, and
the calling of assemblies, I cannot endure the harm, trouble, injustice and the
sacred meeting. Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul is unwilling to put up with. They
are a burden upon Me. I am tired of bearing them. When you spread
out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you. Also, when you increase your
prayer, I will not hear. Your hands are full of bloods.”
When Isaiah said “empty sacrifices” and
“hands full of bloods” there is no doubt that everyone hearing him immediately
thought of Cain – the one who took his
brother’s life instead of guarding and protecting it. A message the
Prophets will often repeat is that ritual and blind obedience to institutional
or tribal authority does not relieve anyone from the universal requirement and
responsibility to guard and protect life established by the Creator. What
people do to their fellow human beings affects their relationship with God.
● I cannot endure the harm, trouble, injustice
● I will hide My eyes from you
● I will not hear your prayers
During the time of the Temple, ritual
purity was one of the most important requirements. Failure to maintain a state
of ritual purity would keep one from entering the Temple. The focus of the
religious authorities was often on external causes of ritual impurity, which
was caused by not keeping a ritual correctly. The Prophets, on the other hand,
focused on a spiritual impurity.
Wash yourselves! Purify yourselves!
Remove the RA (evil) of your doings from before My eyes. Cease doing RA (evil).
This applies equally to everyone --
kings and priests, as well as the rich and the poor. The power to restore one’s
relationship with the Creator rests in the hands of each person. The first step
to restoration is to cease from doing acts of RA – acts that are unpleasant to the eyes
because they decrease the quality of life, make life less functional, threaten
life, destroy life, and/or take the property of others. The second step after ceasing to do RA is this:
Learn to do TOV!
Learning requires two things:
(1) receiving instructions
(2) demonstrating that one can do what was
instructed
The thing they are learning to do are
acts of TOV – acts that are pleasing to the eyes
because they increase the quality of life, make life more functional, protect
life, preserve life, and/or return the property taken by those who do RA.
Seek justice, restrain and reprove the
oppressor.
Help and give legal aid to the fatherless.
Speak out in public and conduct the legal
case for the widow.
Isaiah
reveals the specific acts of RA that his generation faced:
(1) a
justice system that did not restrain and reprove oppressors;
(2) the
failure to help and give legal aid to the most powerless members of society;
(3) failure
to speak out in public and conduct legal cases for the most powerless members
of society.
It was not
only Isaiah’s generation that faced these issues. This is what every generation
must step forward and prevent:
Unrestrained people who do acts of RA to
the most powerless members of society in order to take their property so they
can increase their wealth and power.
Now let’s
continue with Isaiah’s message.
“Come
now, let us argue out together
in legal dispute, so we can be found to be right,” says God, “though
your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red
like crimson, they shall be as wool. If you are willing, hear and obey, you
shall eat the TOV of the land.”
Most people today do their best to avoid arguments. Why? The
best result is often a deadlock where both parties come to loggerheads and
neither party is listening to the other and both become further entrenched in
the belief that they are right. And at worst, arguments can result in hurt
feelings, loss of respect for the other person, or loss of a close
relationship.
[i]
Arguments like these can result in acts of RA by those involved.
This was not what Isaiah meant when he said “argue.” The
context makes it clear that these arguments were to take place in the framework
of a legal dispute. The idea expressed in Isaiah’s words is the germ of the
seed that will sprout and is now known as the rule of law:
The principle that all people and
institutions are subject to and accountable to law that is fairly applied and
enforced; the principle of government by law.[ii]
The principle of legal argument begins the
acknowledgement of a common authority by all parties involved –
the kingship of the Creator. He is the
highest authority and all people are members of His kingdom. It also requires
that all parties recognize that they are all created “in the image of the
Creator” and “with His Spirit.” It also requires that all parties acknowledge
their commitment to a common legal code, which has the requirements for a TOV
life revealed in the
Bible’s Wisdom of
the Beginning as its cornerstone. Richard K. Neumann, Jr., professor of law
at Hofstra University in New York, provides instructions for how to write a
simple, single-issue legal argument, which can be very helpful in resolving
issues we face today.
[iii]
(1) statement of your conclusion;
(2) a statement of the rule that supports the conclusion;
(3) proof of the rule through citation to authority;
(4) application of the rule's elements to the facts;
(5) restate the original conclusion.
Keep in mind that the shared goal of all of the parties involved is “so we can
be found to be right (as defined by the Creator).
” This is what
arguing means in this context. It is not
screaming endless accusations and dehumanizing those with whom one does not
agree and cannot control. The
etymology of our English word “argue” reminds us of the Creator’s first
creative act -- from root *arg-"to shine, be white, bright,
clear." [iv] The
first thing the Creator chose to change was darkness and He changed it by
speaking. The darkness was a state in which there was an absence of the
Creator’s words. When He spoke “light” was created and that “light” signaled
the creation of life and enlightenment. The ultimate outcome of this type of
argument also brings the Creator’s light to the issues being addressed.
“But if you refuse and rebel, by the sword
you shall be devoured;” for the mouth of God has spoken. How the faithful
city has become a harlot! She was full of justice; righteousness lodged in her,
but now murderers. Your silver has become dross. Your wine is diluted with
water.
The punishment for those ignoring God’s words will not be
a flood, like in the time of Noah. For Isaiah’s generation it will be a war that
they will face and they will be defeated. The consequences of doing acts of RA
to each other will ultimately lead to the downfall of the nation at the hands
of foreigners. It must be understood that the acts of RA that Isaiah focuses on
are not those of the poorest weakest members of the nation – the widows and orphans.
Your chiefs are rebellious and stubborn.
They are friends and companions
of thieves.
They love a bribe and seek gifts.
They do not help and give legal aid to the fatherless.
The legal case of the widow does not come to them.
The goal of the leaders of the nation is to acquire
property and wealth for themselves. They accomplish their goal by being friends
and companions of thieves. Who are the thieves stealing from? Their victims are
the fatherless, the widows. The property
and wealth the leaders of the nation were given by the thieves came from the
poorest weakest members of the nation. Isaiah’s words reminded me of an
interview I saw on the CBS program 60
Minutes with Jack Abramoff, the notorious former lobbyist at the center of
Washington's biggest corruption scandal in decades, spent more than three years
in prison for his crimes. Below is the comment Abramoff made that reminded me of Isaiah (underlines
added for emphasis):
“I
think people are under the impression that the corruption only involves
somebody handing over a check and getting a favor. And that's not the case. The
corruption, the bribery, call it, because ultimately that's what it is.
That's what the whole system is. . . In my view. I'm talking about giving a
gift to somebody who makes a decision on behalf of the public. At the end of
the day, that's really what bribery is. But it is done every day and
it is still being done. The truth is there were very few members who I could
even name or could think of who didn't at some level participate in that.”[v]
What will be the ultimate outcome of a nation that is
governed by leaders like these? Here is the warning Isaiah delivered to his
generation:
Therefore states the Master of hosts God,
the Mighty One of Israel,
“Alas, I will be eased of My adversaries, and take vengeance
on My enemies.
I will return My hand upon you, refine your
dross as with lye, and take away all your alloy.
I will return your judges as at the first and
your advisors as at the beginning.
Afterward the city shall be called a city of righteousness,
the faithful city.
How will God
return the judges and advisors that will make the city be called “a city of
righteousness, the faithful city?” Will it be by a supernatural act of
bestowing divine power on a select few? Probably not. The Bible’s Wisdom of the Beginnings provides a possible answer in the
story of the first man identified with righteousness – Noah. The Creator saw him doing
acts of righteousness – acts that were pleasing
to His eyes because they increased the quality of life, made life more
functional, protected life, and/or preserved life. It is the responsibility
of those created in His image, and endowed by Him to act as His co-vice-regents,
to find those doing acts of righteousness and make them their judges and
advisors.
●
● ● ● ●
If you feel it is important and relevant
today, share this Bible study with others, especially those who consider the
words of their Bible important.
SHALOM
& Be Empowered!
