Isaiah 1:4,5 - Ah, sinful nation

1:4

The state of Israel was dire, God’s opinion of them was dire. Sin beset the nation. It was deeply ingrained in the nation. Previous generations had sinned and the current generation had inherited this sin and continued in the evil ways of their forefathers. They had forsaken the Lord and despised Him. They were estranged from their God. Even the surrounding nation would understand that this would leave the nation vulnerable. For surrounding nations knew that abandoning their false gods was asking for trouble. Yet, Israel, who had the true God, did not understand.

The primary problem the nation faced was her iniquity. It was not economic, political, diplomatic or military, but a moral problem. I believe that today the UK (and the West more generally) is under judgement from God because we have as a nation abandoned His ways with increasing vigour. If we look at all sorts of institutions we see that nothing much seems to work anymore, our political structures are failing. This certainly applies to the UK, with Brexit highlighting this among all shades of political leanings, but other Western nations are experiencing chaos. This does not mean that competent political, economic etc management does not matter, but unless we repent and turn back to God we will not make progress.

1:5

Our tendency is to look for some single simple solution. Leave the EU, remain in the EU. Increase public spending, decrease taxes. But none of these things will work, for the problem goes far deeper. “Why will you continue to rebel?” This is the root of our problem, and it is why we are “struck down”. “The whole head is sick and the whole heart is faint”. This aptly describes our nation. Society is sick. One of the major roots of this is the breakdown of the family. The issues to the fore at the moment in this regard are LGBT+, but these are just the latest symptoms of the ongoing disease of the breakdown of the family. Sex before and outside marriage were the initial symptoms and causes, along with divorce, and these are still primary causes of our malaise. A lack of concern for family and community, a self-centeredness, a me-culture. As a society we are floundering, and the only solution is to turn to God.