Haftarah Devarim
“Remember”
Isaiah 1:1-27
excerpted from TorahScope Haftarah Exhortations
Devarim (Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22) begins the last book of the Torah, and in many regards becomes like a final review of recent history, in preparation for the Israelites’ entry into the Promised Land. In the fortieth year of their desert journey, Ancient Israel was encamped on the plains of Moab, overlooking the Jordan River to the west, and Moses began to reiterate many of the significant experiences of the previous forty years. Naturally, the critical story, of the twelve spies, and how their conflicting reports propelled the unbelieving nation into years of wandering, dominated the discourse. Yet as noted last week, the corresponding Haftarah does not necessarily correlate to the opening chapters of Deuteronomy, but instead was an attempt by the Sages to prepare the hearts of the faithful, for the remembrance associated with the national fast of the Ninth of Av.
Recall that during the time between the 17th of Tammuz and the Ninth of Av, the three Haftarah selections come from Jeremiah and Isaiah (Jeremiah 1:1-2:3; 2:4-3:4; Isaiah 1:1-27). Each reading is a stark reminder of how the consequences of disregarding the commands of the Lord, can be devastating. In the case of Jeremiah, who was an eyewitness to the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem, there are several warnings which need to be considered. This week we turn to Isaiah, who is often considered to be the preeminent prophet in the history of Israel, and is highly regarded for his many prophecies, which admonished Israel for more than a century before the time of Jeremiah.
Isaiah lived and prophesied during a very tumultuous time in the history of Israel. During his lifetime, Judah and Israel were separate political states and constantly at odds with one another. From the Biblical and historical account, it appears that Isaiah functioned as a prophet during the reign of King Uzziah of Judah, with his Temple vision (Isaiah 6:1) coming in 740 B.C.E., to his martyrdom sometime during the reign of wicked King Manasseh (696-642 B.C.E.). It was during this critical time, when the Northern Kingdom of Israel was ravaged by the Assyrians, and was ultimately overwhelmed and widely taken into captivity between 734-722 B.C.E.
When the Sages chose to review the opening chapter of Isaiah prior to the Ninth of Av, the choice was designed to rivet the attention of Torah students on the gravity of disobeying God. From the opening verses of Isaiah, the Prophet stated God’s dilemma with His people:
“Hear, heavens, and listen, earth; for the LORD has spoken: ‘I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me. The ox knows his owner, and the donkey his master’s crib; but Israel doesn’t know. My people don’t consider.’ Ah sinful nation, a people loaded with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the LORD. They have despised the Holy One of Israel. They are estranged and backward. Why should you be beaten more, that you revolt more and more? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in it, but wounds, welts, and open sores. They haven’t been closed, bandaged, or soothed with oil. 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. The daughter of Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard, like a hut in a field of melons, like a besieged city. Unless the LORD of Hosts had left to us a very small remnant, we would have been as Sodom. We would have been like Gomorrah. Hear the LORD’s word, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah!” (Isaiah 1:2-10, WMB).
As you read this description of the depths of depravity which the Ancient Israelites had succumbed to, you find that Isaiah was not mincing words—but was just telling it like it was in his era. Apparently, the debauchery was so severe, that images of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah had to be invoked. Thankfully, the Lord left a few survivors, or those still seeking the righteousness of their Maker, which prevented Him from destroying the nation.
Next, we find that the Lord was not at all impressed with human attempts to appear holy. He saw through all of the outward appearances, and looked directly to the heart. Sacrificial offerings, Sabbath gatherings, festival celebrations, and even prayer without the proper motivation, were an abomination to Him:
“‘What are the multitude of your sacrifices to me?’, says the LORD. ‘I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed animals. I don’t delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of male goats. When you come to appear before me, who has required this at your hand, to trample my courts? Bring no more vain offerings. Incense is an abomination to me. New moons, Sabbaths, and convocations—I can’t stand evil assemblies. My soul hates your New Moons and your appointed feasts. They are a burden to me. I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you. Yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood’” (Isaiah 1:11-15, WMB).
After stating His disapproval of heartless rituals, which were used for mere subterfuge for the true heart motivations, the Lord stated what He desired of His people:
“Wash yourselves. Make yourself clean. Put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil. Learn to do well. Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed. Defend the fatherless. Plead for the widow” (Isaiah 1:16-17, WMB).
God required that His people wash themselves and make themselves clean. They were to confess and repent of their evil ways. Evil deeds and thoughts were to be removed from their minds. They were to learn to do good, while seeking justice and reproving the ruthless (Micah 6:8).
James the Just, half-brother of Yeshua, understood the need to defend orphans and widows, as such appropriate works demonstrate a proper walk with the Lord, and a proper obedience toward the Torah. James’ epistle admonished his audience to be doers and just not hearers of the Word, evidenced by works such as taking care of orphans and widows:
“For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his natural face in a mirror; for he sees himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect Torah of freedom and continues, not being a hearer who forgets but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in what he does. If anyone among you thinks himself to be religious while he doesn’t bridle his tongue, but deceives his heart, this man’s religion is worthless. Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world” (James 1:23-27, WMB).
Isaiah was particularly concerned about Jerusalem. As a prophet to Israel, he warned that there was still time for the people to turn from their wicked ways. But if they did not change their evil ways, they would suffer the consequences of God’s judgment:
“‘Come now, and let’s reason together,’ says the LORD: ‘Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured with the sword; for the LORD’s mouth has spoken it.’ How the faithful city has become a prostitute! She was full of justice. Righteousness lodged in her, but now there are murderers. Your silver has become dross, your wine mixed with water. Your princes are rebellious and companions of thieves. Everyone loves bribes and follows after rewards. They don’t defend the fatherless, neither does the cause of the widow come to them. Therefore the Lord, GOD of Hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, says: ‘Ah, I will get relief from my adversaries, and avenge myself on my enemies. I will turn my hand on you, thoroughly purge away your dross, and will take away all your tin’” (Isaiah 1:18-25, WMB).
The admonition of Isaiah in ancient times, and to those reading his words today, is very serious. If one refuses to consent to and obey the Lord, choosing to rebel against His requirements, then will He send a devouring sword? The Prophet Isaiah was most concerned about Jerusalem, and how it had fallen from a time when righteousness was sought. Yet, a reward comes for turning from wickedness.
After a cleansing via the furnace of affliction, the Lord will restore righteous judges and counselors as in the days of old. Jerusalem will be renowned as a faithful city of righteousness. Zion will be redeemed with justice, and her repentant ones with righteousness:
“‘I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called “The city of righteousness, a faithful town.” Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and her converts with righteousness’” (Isaiah 1:26-27, WMB).
This should give each of us hope today, just as it gave hope to those in the past. We know from our study of history, that the Ancient Israelites did not corporately confess, repent, and take up the ways of pure and undefiled religion. So on the Ninth of Av: the Babylonians destroyed the First Temple, and the Romans would destroy the Second Temple. The center of God’s people—what was believed to be the one place on Earth where He would have to not only dwell, but could be communicated with—was taken away. Other traumatic events and tragedies have also occurred on the Ninth of Av, and that is why we once again consider the words of Isaiah. We do not want to repeat a pattern of sin leading to judgment!
I encourage you to prepare your heart for the fast of the Ninth of Av. Let us be a generation known for pleading the case of the widows, caring for the orphans, and desiring justice for the oppressed. Let us seek His righteousness as we do the work of the Kingdom, in whatever capacity He ordains. We need to remember.
Without remembering our sins, and rending our hearts before Him, where would we be? Does judgment sound appropriate? From God’s perspective through the words of Isaiah and Jeremiah and others, there is no other recourse—unless we confess and repent! Rather than read or hear and then look away, let us seek to do what He requires of His children.
