They Have Rebelled

The LORD – The Hebrew word here is the word for Jehovah. The small capitals used here and elsewhere throughout the Bible in printing the word Lord, denote that the original word is YAHWEH. It is derived from the verb meaning “to be;” and is used to denote “being,” or the fountain of being, and can be applied only to the true God; Look at Exo. 3:14:

‘And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM, (as well as Exo. 6:3; Num. 11:21; & Isa. 47:8).

It is a name which is never given to idols, or conferred on a creature; and though it occurs often in the Hebrew Scriptures, as is indicated by the small capitals, yet most English Bibles have retained it but four times; (Exo. 6:3; Ps. 83:18; Isa. 12:2; & 26:4).

In combination, however, with other names, it occurs often. Thus, as we have noted, in the name of Isaiah, meaning “the salvation of YAHWEH”; and in the name “Jeremiah,” meaning “the exaltation or grandeur of YAHWEH”.

It is used in conjunction with other names as well: Gen. 22:14: ‘Abraham called the name of the place “Jehovah-jireh,’” (compare Exo. 17:15; Judg. 6:24; & Ezek. 48:35.

The Jews never pronounced this name, not even in reading their own Scriptures. So sacred did they deem it, that when it occurred in their books, instead of the word YAHWEH, they substituted the word Adonai or “Lord.” English translators have shown respect to this feeling of the Jews in regard to the sacredness of the name; and hence, have rendered it by the name of Lord - a word which by no means conveys the sense of the word YAHWEH. It would have been an advantage to our version if the word YAHWEH had been retained wherever it occurs in the original.

God has spoken, Isaiah says. He has waited long enough and has now entered on the course of judgment on the part of His relationship with the people of His land. He will languish and be patient no longer – He has called, and all will spring to answer His summons, even though rebellious nation itself!

Note that the fact that judgment has been withheld for this long is a function of his mercy. It is not because Judah’s sins were not great enough to warrant judgment until this point. Nor was it because of any inability on YAHWEH’s part. It was mercy pure and simple. Grand, glorious, unfathomable, abundant, rich and undeserved mercy! As we will see as we progress this great book mercy is the only basis upon which any of God’s children are able to stand before Him. It is crucial for us, as believers, to get this through our heads. On the surface, it seems an easy enough concept. But because we still possess and exercise the Adamic nature we still have a powerful compulsion to seek some glory for ourselves. As in the case of Judah, this often drives us to great pride and sin, and brings us under the chastening hand of God. It is as tragic in the modern day as it was in Judah’s day.

In other words, it is precisely the contrast between God’s power and authority as YAHWEH and how the two different aspects of His creation have responded to that creative and intrinsic authority that is at the front of the matter her. Man is superior to the rest of the physical creation because man was created in the image of God and the rest of creation was not. Even when we speak of the angelic host, we must note the difference between them and human beings in nature as they were created.

I have nourished – The word order in Hebrew is a bit different than it is in English. The word children is first in Hebrew. It is the generic word for the immediate offspring of a parent. It can refer to a son or to a daughter, or it can refer to offspring without reference to their sex. In some cases it can also refer to grandchildren and even to greater ancestry than that. However, in this context, it seems clear God is speaking in a first generation sense. It is a euphemism, but true nonetheless, that God has no grandchildren.

The Hebrew is “I have made great;” The form of the word means to make great, exalt, honor, glorified, to make much of, namely to cause one day have high status. It is used in Genesis 12:2 in this regard. Speaking to Abraham and what is commonly regarded as the Abrahamic covenant God says:

I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.

This is the primary sense that the word is used in the Old Testament. However, it is also used in the sense of “to make great, to cause to grow;” as e. g., the hair; (Num. 6:5, plants, Isa. 44:14); then to educate or bring up children; (Isa. 49:21; 2 Kings 10:6). When used in this fashion it speaks of the goal of parenting. That goal being not merely produce in the end result an adult child capable of taking care of itself. No parent wishes only that for their child. Children wish for their children the accomplishment of all that is good and great. No parent once their child to be mediocre. That is the sense in which this verb is used by Isaiah.

And brought up – this second word means This word means “to lift up” or “exalt.” These words, though applied at times to the training up of children, are used here also to denote the elevation to which they had been raised. He had not merely trained them up, but he had lifted them up to an elevated station; to special honor and privileges.

“Children.” as we noted, is the generic Hebrew word for “sons.” They were the chosen children of God; and they are represented as being weak, and ignorant, and helpless as children, when He took them under His Fatherly protection and care; (Hos. 11:1):

‘When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt;’ (compare Matt. 2:15; Isa. 63:8-16).

They have rebelled – there is actually a “particle”, a conjunction present here that sets this last phrase up as a logical contrast to what has been said so far. The truth that God had nourished them up from nothing, and had further exalted them to high position, is contrasted against what is sit next about rebellion. The particle could be translated “but” or even “but yet”.

The verb used here refers to rebellion, to revolution, to be in open defiance of an authority or standard of an agreement. We might hearken back to the use of YAHWEH earlier and think about the covenants that have been made between God and his people. Some of those covenants were certainly unconditional, but many of them were not and laid obligation on Israel to submit and to obey. Israel’s failure to live up to the conditions of those covenants is what is referred to here as rebellion. We ought to note that Judah’s rebellion compounds the natural rebellion that is a part of the nature of every one of Adams’ children.

This complaint was often brought against the Jews; (compare Isa. 63:10; Jer. 2:6-8). This is the sum of the charge against them. God had shown them special favors. He recounted his mercy in bringing them out of Egypt; and on the ground of this, he demanded obedience and love; (compare Exo. 20:1-3). And yet they bad forgotten him, and rebelled against him. The Targum of Jonathan, an ancient Chaldee version of the Hebrew Old Testament, has well expressed the idea in its’ translation if this verse.

‘Hear, O heavens, which were moved when I gave my law to my people: give ear, O earth, which didst tremble before my word, for the Lord has spoken. My people, the house of Israel, whom I called sons - I loved them - I honored them, and they rebelled against me.’

The same is true substantially of all sinners; and alas, how often may a similar expostulation be made with the professed people of God! The difference here is not so much one of type, but of degree. Israel rebelled, just as all men rebel. But their rebellion was horribly compounded by the personal care that God had lavished upon them and by the exalted height to which God had raised them.