Isaiah 58

Isaiah 58:1:
​ Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.

​Trumpets symbolize a loud, warning cry of impending danger. These verses from the prophets impart a dire warning to those living in the end time: The day of the Lord is at hand, a day of darkness, gloominess, and clouds over man's society! The prophets strongly admonish the ministry to raise their voices as trumpets to warn of sudden, terrifying destruction!
Though originally intended for Israel, these warnings apply specifically to the called-out children of God since we are the ones living in the end time with the understanding of God's plan! In fact, we have the most to lose by ignoring these stern prophecies of death and destruction. They are admonishments to prepare ourselves spiritually for the tumult ahead. We are in this time.

Isaiah 58:2:
2 For day after day they seek me out;
       they seem eager to know my ways,
       as if they were a nation that does what is right
       and has not forsaken the commands of its God.
       They ask me for just decisions
       and seem eager for God to come near them.

​Isaiah 58:3:
Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.

​"I pray and read my Bible every day.  I want to know God's will for my life.  I have tried to live a righteous life and do what God has told me to do.  I have prayed long and hard about this situation.  I have even fasted for some time about it.  I have been to various churches and had people to lay hands upon me and pray for me, but it hasn't done any good.  I have tried various types of self discipline, but God hasn't paid any attention to my prayers.  I question if God will ever hear my prayers."

The person becomes angry because he has outwardly performed, but God has not responded.  Is the person sincere?  Yes, to some degree, but sincerely wrong.  Dead works don't produce life! One may say, "But I did it FOR God.!"  This is where God's reality check enters, "Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours" (Isaiah 58:3).  God says that  you choose your own day to fast, and you do it for your own pleasure, AND you demand that others do the work for you while you are observing the day.  In other words: You chose your own day to observe the Sabbath and do it the way you thought it should be.

Isaiah 58:4:
Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.

​Behold - Your fasting days, wherein you ought in a special manner to implore the mercy of God, and to shew compassion to men, you employ in injuring or quarrelling with your brethren, your servants or debtors, or in contriving mischief against them. Heard - In strife and debate. By way of excessive display. In the context of a “fast” under the guise of taking “delight in approaching God,” He exposes their true motives, which are both self-serving and designed to inflict harm on others. He also points out the dishonesty represented by their display of outward trappings of supposed humility before Him. Contrary to what vain religiosity imposes, it is not God’s purpose to make His people miserable. He is rhetorically asking them in this passage, “Is this what you think I want from you?”

Isaiah 58:5:
Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?

​ Is such the fast that I have chosen? the day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head as a rush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to Yahweh?

Isaiah 58:6:
Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

​Remove the chains of prisoners who are chained unjustly. Free those who are abused! Become a modern day abolitionist.
Child slavery and human trafficking is a reality in our world today that can't be ignored. Some recent statistics I have seen say that...

- 27 million people are enslaved around the world today as opposed to 11 million who lived during the 400 years of the trans-atlantic slave trade.
- Human trafficking is a 13-19 billion dollar industry.
- The selling of people is the second largest (and fastest growing) criminal industry in the world.
- There are an estimated 17,500 people trafficked into the U.S. each year.
-70% of modern day slaves are female and 50% are children.
- Ever 30 seconds a girl is sold into sex trafficking.
(I pulled these facts from http://www.csp2justiceseekers.com)

Isaiah 58:7:
Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

Let's look at the progression of the verse:

1) to give bread
2) to give shelter
3) to give clothing

Giving bread is the easiest of the three. Giving shelter is more dangerous, and most definitely not convenient. Giving clothing  is a permanent, significant material sacrifice.

This is an example of "climactic parallelism," a device of Hebrew poetry which builds intensity. Though not a very common poetic device, climactic parallelism is nonetheless apparent in several places in Scripture and is recognized by scholars as one of the standard devices used by Hebrew poets.

The text builds here, from the easiest charity, to a more dangerous and inconvenient charity, to a significant personal sacrifice.

The text is using "flesh" (basar) in the normal, literal sense, not in the figurative sense. The figurative sense "relatives" IS used in Scripture, but not nearly as much as the literal sense. So, "not hiding yourself from your own flesh" when you clothe the naked...meaning, to paraphrase, "Clothe the naked, even if it means you're giving him the very clothes of off your own back!" For then, missing the cloak you gave away to clothe a needy brother, you would not be "hiding yourself" from the sight of your own flesh. Charity is not only to be engaged in when we are enjoying prosperity; we are to give even if it seems like such giving will place us in need.

The reaction this would cause in the reader...surprise that he should provide for the needs of others even if it means putting himself in need!...is soothed by the multiple promises of God's provision and protection in the following verses.

Isaiah 58:8:
Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy reward.

The Hebrew word here for "melted" is temec, and this is the only place where it appears in the Bible. The main meaning here is liquefaction, with a root in a word referring to dissolution. All agree that slugs and snails leave a trail behind as they move — this is not something that is hard to observe or unknown. And of course, it is obvious that this liquid comes from their own bodies — and presumably, especially in a hot, desert climate like Palestine’s, a snail that doesn’t find a source of moisture to replenish itself is going to eventually shrivel away: hence the comparison to the “untimely birth of a woman.”

It would have to be assumed that temec means “dissolve” in the sense that snow, for example, melts — but there is no point of comparison, and no reason why this word cannot refer to the dehydration process we describe.

Through thick clouds, or the darkness of the night, suddenly, swiftly, irresistibly, and increase more and more, till it is perfect day. This is to be understood best of temporal and spiritual prosperity, especially the latter, which will attend the churches of the Reformation, when a spirit of persecution is laid aside, and a spirit of love commences, which will be in the Philadelphian church state; and it particularly respects the glorious light of the Gospel, which will break forth very clearly, and shine out in all the world; and the light of joy, peace, and comfort, which will attend it, in the hearts of the Lord's people; see ( Isaiah 60:1 ) : and thine health shall spring forth speedily; as the herbs and grass out of the earth, by clear shining after rain; by which is meant the healthful and sound state of the church in the latter day, when all divisions shall be healed; contentions and animosities cease; sound doctrine preached; the ordinances administered according to their original institution; true discipline restored; and all the parts of worship performed, according to the rule of the divine word; and so the souls of men, under all these means, be in thriving and flourishing circumstances: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; not the external righteousness of the saints, or works of righteousness done by them; these do not go before them, at least to prepare the way for them into a future state of happiness, but follow after, ( Revelation 14:13 ) , rather the righteousness of Christ imputed to them, and so theirs; or Christ their righteousness, the sun of righteousness, that arises upon them with healing in his wings, and from whom they have the health before mentioned; he goes before his people by way of example, as a guide to direct them, and as the forerunner of them, and whose righteousness will introduce them into the heavenly glory. Though perhaps the meaning here is, that their righteousness, in the latter day glory, shall be very manifest, both their righteousness before God, and before men; which will, as it were, visibly walk before them, make way for them, and protect them; see ( Isaiah 60:21 ) , and the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward,
the glorious power and providence of God, preserving his people; or the glorious Lord himself, our Lord Jesus Christ, the brightness of his Father's glory, he, as the word may be rendered, "shall gather thee"
; he gathers his people to himself; he protects and defends them; he takes care of the weak and feeble, and that are straggling behind; and he brings them up, being the reward, and saves them. The phrase denotes a glorious state of the church in the latter day, when the glory of the Lord will be risen on his church, and abide upon it, and upon all that glory there shall be a defence;

Isaiah 58:9:
Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;

​“The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity; so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell” (James 3:6).

​Isaiah writes poetically, which means that he uses a lot of repetition. Verses 9-10 are emphasizing the truth of verses 6-8. He is saying that true repentance and obedience will make the Lord attuned to your cry and ready to answer those prayers. Isaiah is addressing the nation as a whole, but the truth is applicable to the individual.
“These are sins of commission. They are sins that we go out and do against the LORD and against others. If we will walk right with God, we must stop and guard against sins of commission.”

EM Bounds

Nothing is more important to God than prayer in dealing with mankind. But it is likewise all-important to man to pray. Failure to pray is failure along the whole line of life. It is failure of duty, service, and spiritual progress. God must help man by prayer. He who does not pray, therefore, robs himself of God’s help and places God where He cannot help man. Man must pray to God if love for God is to exist. Faith and hope, and patience and all the strong, beautiful, vital forces of piety are withered and dead in a prayerless life. The life of the individual believer, his personal salvation, and personal Christian graces have their being, bloom and fruitage in prayer.                    --EM Bounds; The Weapon of Prayer; 1931

---

​A “yoke” is a way of talking about things that are heavy or oppressive, things that burden us. This Scripture says, “If you remove the yoke from among you… then your light will shine…” -

​Isaiah is making an astounding statement. The very reason we pray, fast and study God’s Word is to be heard in heaven. But the Lord attaches a big “if” to this. He declares, “If you want Me to hear you on high, then you must look at your issues of the heart. Yes, I will hear you—if you quit pointing a finger at others, if you stop speaking about them disrespectfully.” It’s a great sin in God’s eyes for us to speak in ways that tarnish someone else’s reputation. As we read in Proverbs, “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold” (Proverbs 22:1). A good reputation is a treasure that is carefully built up over time. Yet I can quickly destroy anyone’s treasure with a single defaming word from my mouth. -World Challenge

​Isaiah 58:10:
 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.

​Hungry can be several different things from actual food hunger to just those who have an appetite for the truth. We need to be prepared to satisfy the hungry.

Satisfy is a far cry from being condescending or patronizing or throwing out random Bible verses that do not meet the need of the afflicted. The key is "satisfy." It will require a lot of observation up and beyond ourselves. 

Obscurity is probably a place not really expected. Maybe from the last place we would think, or the person who we would least expect . He who is first is last and he who is last is first.

And the person rises out of darkness.......could be someone who has spent a bit of time in the darkness of the valley of death...

Isaiah 58:11:
And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

​He shall guide thee like a shepherd. And he adds continually to shew that his conduct and blessing shall not be momentary, or of a short continuance, but all along as it was to Israel in the wilderness. Satisfy – Thou shalt have plenty, when others are in scarcity. Make fat – This may be spoken in opposition to the sad effects of famine, whereby the flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen, and the bones that were not seen, stick out. Also, making fat they bones implies hope. Dry bones implies no hope. A garden – If thou relieve the poor, thou shalt never be poor, but as a well – watered garden, always flourishing. Fail not – Heb. deceive not, a metaphor which farther notes also the continuance of this flourishing state, which will not be like a land – flood, or brooks, that will soon be dried up with drought. Thou shalt be fed with a spring of blessing, that will never fail.

Isaiah 58:12:
​And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.

​Synonyms for "breach" include: "break, gap, opening, rupture, split, alienation, schism."

The first definition for breach is seems appropriate as far as the situation in the church is concerned: "the breaking of, or failure to observe a law or contract or standard." We have a covenant, a contract, with God, and He has given us a standard, the Ten Commandments. I John 3:4 says: "Sin [which separates, creates a breach] is the transgression of the law."

Another definition of breach is : "A breaking of relations; an estrangement; a quarrel, a broken state."

Together, these describe what has happened to the church as a result of breaking the covenant (breaking the laws). There has been a breaking of relations with God because of the church's failure, as a body, to live up to the contract that we made with Him.

Spiritually "a repairer of breaches" is one who restores the right way, beginning with himself. He may have no influence or control over what others do, but he does have control over what he does, and when he repairs his own personal breach with God, the breach in the wall closes a bit. It is as if a stone or a brick were added to the wall—another person is again in a good relationship with God.

Isaiah 58:13:
If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:

​God does not intend that the Sabbath be a day of rigorous abstinence. In verse 14, He says that, if we keep it rightly, the day is going to be a delight. Rigorous abstinence is never a delight, but the Sabbath can be a delight. The word “pleasure” can be somewhat misleading. Within the context, its intent is better translated “business,” “desire,” “purpose,” or “matter.” It describes what one finds pleasure in occupying himself in doing.
A man’s business can be his pleasure. Some people just love to work! A person’s pleasure might be riding a bicycle, yet the Sabbath is not a day to be out riding a bicycle the way he would like to ride a bicycle. What He’s generally talking about are the things that normally keep us busy during the other six days.
The emphasis here is on the word “thy,” as in “thy pleasure.” It could refer to hobbies, sports, and entertainments. The Sabbath is not designed for swimming, jogging, hunting, fishing, TV, boating, woodworking, ham radios, raking leaves, stamp collecting—or whatever it is that we do to preserve our physical life.
Some people love to work on cars. They enjoy it. It makes them feel so good to get out there and do something mechanical with an engine. But the Sabbath was not designed for working on engines. This would fall under the category of “your pleasure.”
Now, is there anything wrong with engine work on the other six days of the week? No! Neither is there anything wrong with sports, entertainments, and those sorts of things as well—as long as they are not being done sinfully. But all of those things that we would tend to do on the other six days of the week, things that are “your pleasure,” are not good uses of Sabbath time.
Matthew 12:34 says that “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” The key is out of the abundance of the heart, that is, “what is in the heart,” what we want to talk about. Of the four broad areas in Isaiah 58:13-14, this is probably the most difficult one for us. We wrestle with it, wondering whether “what we are saying” should be said or not.
The emphasis is on “thine own.” Our conversations on the Sabbath should not be the same as they are on the other six days of the week, when our conversations would tend to be on those things that are pleasurable to us. What God wants us to do and say on the Sabbath are things that are His pleasure, not ours. But if we are growing spiritually, then what is “His pleasure” is also going to be in our heart.
Sabbath conversations. It is our fellowship, first of all with God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ, as well as all of us who are within this fellowship. The things that we experience with the Father and Son, the things that we experience with each other—our discouragements, our hopes, our dreams, our failures, our successes, our courage, our fears, our worries, our crying, our happy times. All of these things become a part of the way. The fellowship that we have along the way to the Kingdom of God is “fair game” to talk about on the Sabbath. Many things we might consider to be mundane contain vital lessons for us and others. We should share our happy times and sad times with our brothers and sisters in the faith.
But when we start throwing in things that we are planning to do about entertainments, sports, etc.—we are beginning to drift away. Are these part of the way? Is it part of the fellowship? Probably not, but it could be. This should begin to give us a framework within which we can see what is right to speak about.
God does not intend that we spend our whole time on the Sabbath turning to Scriptures. Certainly, to do so is right and good. But there is nothing wrong with talking about our fellowship and all it entails. There is a great deal that can be explored in these areas and that we can feel comfortable—with good conscience—talking about and sharing with one another.
A great deal of what we say is just so much vanity, but a lot of good lies in the experiences we have had, the lessons that we can pass on, the encouragement that we can share. There are multitudes of experiences and subjects that fit within positive purposes for which the Sabbath was created.

Isaiah 58:14:
Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

Apparently a quotation from Deu 32:13. The meaning is “I will carry thee triumphantly over all obstacles” (cf. Deu 32:11).

Thomas Coke

​And I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth – A phrase like this occurs in Deu 32:13 : He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of fields. In Hab 3:19, the phrase also occurs: He will make my feet like hinds feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. So also Psa 18:33 : He maketh my feet like hinds feet, and setteth me upon my high places. In Amo 4:13, it is applied to God: He maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth. Kimchi, Calvin, and Grotius suppose that the idea here is, that God would restore the exiled Jews to their own land – a land of mountains and elevated places, more lofty than the surrounding regions. Vitringa says that the phrase is taken from a conqueror, who on his horse or in his chariot, occupies mountains, hills, towers, and monuments, and subjects them to himself. Rosenmuller supposes it means, I will place you in lofty and inaccessible places, where you will be safe from all your enemies. Gesenius also supposes that the word high places here means fastnesses or strongholds, and that to walk over those strongholds, or to ride over them, is equivalent to possessing them, and that he who has possession of the fastnesses has possession of the whole country (see his Lexicon on the word bamah, No. 2). I give these views of the most distinguished commentators on the passage, not being able to determine satisfactorily to myself what is the true signification. Neither of the above expositions seems to me to be entirely free from difficulty. The general idea of prosperity and security is undoubtedly the main thing intended; but what is the specific sense couched under the phrase to ride on the high places of the earth, does not seem to me to be sufficiently explained. ​And feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father – That is, thou shalt possess the land promised to Jacob as an inheritance. For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it – This formula often occurs when an important promise is made, and it is regarded as ample security for the fulfillment that Yahweh has promised it. What more ample security can be required, or conceived, than the promise of the eternal God? -Thomas Coke

---