Our study is set in the context of God's plan of redemption and his work of redemption.  As such the entire book of Isaiah focuses on the Messiah, the Saviour of mankind, Immanuel, the Branch, the Servant, and the all conquering King of Kings. 

We must first consider to whom the prophet Isaiah spoke and why he spoke.  For about twenty years he spoke to both parts of the divided Kingdom of God, the northern kingdom called Israel and the southern kingdom called Judah.  After the ‘disobedient and blind’ northern kingdom was taken into exile by the Assyrians in 722 B.C., Isaiah continued speaking for the next thirty years mainly to the chosen people of God who were now living in Judah.   

He lived in Jerusalem and was well acquainted with his audience who were citizens of the Southern kingdom with its capital city of Jerusalem, the home of the Temple of Solomon. 

Isaiah's ministry followed that of Elijah, Elisha, Obadiah, Joel, Jonah, and Amos and during the time of his prophetic ministry Hosea and Micah also prophesied. 

We have learned from previous lessons that things were not always very good for Israel and Judah.  Isaiah's ministry began at a time when there was a crisis in the area, with the ‘superpowers’ Egypt, Assyria and Babylon fighting for supremacy.

Israel had been invaded several times and Judah itself had also been invaded with the land devastated by other nations. Sennacherib, during the reign of the good King Hezekiah wreaked destruction.  Also during the reign of Hezekiah, Sennacherib destroyed forty six cities in Judah and carried off two hundred thousand people as captives, imposing heavy tribute on the land and confining Hezekiah to Jerusalem.  We can read of this history in 2 Kings chapters fifteen through twenty-one, and 2 Chronicles twenty-six through thirty-three.  It was only the intervention of God that saved him. 

The fortunes of both the northern and southern kingdom fluctuated, with times of prosperity and times of distress.  Some of the kings of Judah were good, and some were bad but in the case of Israel all the approximately eighteen kings were bad. 

The kind of unacceptable behaviour practiced by the rulers even in Judah was illustrated by the behaviour of King Uzziah, who was regarded as a reasonably good King.  God had blessed him and helped him and he did great deeds early in his reign, but after a while pride overcame him and he thought that he was not bound by the regulations for worship that God had established.  He thought he could do whatever he wished and so he entered the Temple and in defiance of the law which stated clearly that only the Levite priests would perform certain activities, he burned incense on the altar. When the priests tried to stop him he lost his temper and continued the proscribed activity.  God immediately struck him with leprosy right in the Temple and he never recovered. He had to live in separate living quarters, kept alive by God, so that the people could see how the wrath of God could fall even on a King. 

The prophet will analyse the problem with the chosen people of God, a problem we have us well, a problem called sin. He uses several different terms to describe sin and it will be very instructive for us to shortly look at those. 

As we look at the lesson we should keep in mind the spiritual situation.  Israel and Judah was a theocracy. Remember that for the people of the true God there is no theocracy today.

The entire nation, whether they believed or did not believe, were still under the law of Moses, and every one had to give account for anything they did.  If a person claimed to belong to the “chosen people of God” they immediately came under the ‘blessings and the cursings’ which applied to the nation.  Under their covenant with God, when the people persisted in collective sin and only a very few were obedient to God, the nation would as a matter of course be decimated and sent into exile.  When they became obedient collectively, or in sufficient numbers, blessings would come.  The faithful remnant would then be rewarded and see the blessing of God.

The same four types exist in most congregations today.  So depending on the group reading this lesson today, the book of Isaiah reminds them:

-either that catastrophe is coming for them, and divine judgment will purge them and establish their eternal destiny,

-or there is such a thing as divine discipline to bring them to their knees,

-or to some, even if they have done nothing to warrant suffering, they might have to suffer because of the sins of others. 

Rank hypocrisy and empty meaningless ritualistic worship was the sordid reality of the children of Israel at this time; they were supposed to be a witness to the world of the true and living God; but the nation totally missed the mark. 

Their spiritual and moral decline happened most at the height of material prosperity, for then their behaviour plummeted and their wicked and unjust treatment of the poor was rampant. 

The office of prophet, whose function it was to testify against the people and bring to them the expressed word of God, had been established to guide them in all their affairs. Accordingly, when Isaiah entered the scene, in chapter 1, his mission was to call the people back to obedience to the word of God and its related requirement for true worship. 

Isaiah’s focus in this chapter is on the sinful believer who can expect divine judgment and discipline, as well as on the reprobate and the hypocrite. 

We should examine ourselves and see if we need repentance and obedience, so that we will have the blessing of God.  We should be warned that if our sins persist and if any group or nation holds onto sin, they are involved in worthless, hypocritical worship.  

Isaiah indicates that most who appeared to be in the covenant were not true believers and were not truly members observing the covenant and  he describes them in most unflattering terms. 

As we read this, note that the things which happened to Israel were written for our edification. We are actually seeing ourselves portrayed, for the problems they faced are almost exactly as we face today.

THE TEXT

Verses 1-8.   In his analysis of sin, God states his case and calls heaven and earth to witness against Judah. They are the jury and He is the Judge. In presenting his case, He declared that He had lovingly taken care of His children, given them every conceivable opportunity, but they had rebelled, turned their backs on Him and did whatever they wanted to do. iiiiiiiiiiiiiii 

This is the very common problem of ingratitude, as well as blindness, the very sins we see today.  This was a high crime, a treacherous, aggravated and presumptuous rebellion. 

Because of their ignorance they were vicious and wicked.  Even the dumb animals knew better and instinctively turn to their master for sustenance.  Animals were grateful for the loving care of their own master, but that was not the attitude held by Israel.  They were blind to the goodness and mercy of their own God.

Not even the dumb animals offended their owner in such a way, for they were more faithful servants to their owner than Israel was faithful to its God. 

Israel and Judah had forgotten that every breath they took was breathed because of the mercy of God.  The food that they ate, the sunshine that they enjoyed, all the provisions of life came from God.  The people of Israel and Judah resisted their instincts and reason. 

Something was terribly wrong with them.  They were completely sinful.  They shared the same taint and fatal virus that infects us today. 

They were carrying heavy burdens because of their sins and the sins were a heavy load and weighted them down. They were the sons of evildoers, inheriting this problem of corruption, evil tendencies and iniquity passed from generation to generation.  They were universally corrupt. 

So they had to be described simply as those who had forsaken the Lord, turning their backs on the living God, not wanting him to be central in their lives or controlling their affairs.i 

They so despised the Holy One of Israel, that they insulted him, were completely alienated from him, deserters, gone backwards.  When they were urged to go forward, they went backwards.  They were so daring and defiant in their attitude that they intended to wilfully do the things that would anger God. 

So Isaiah describes them as a body that is so sick and diseased that it has no natural defence mechanisms.  They were completely enveloped with diseases in the head and heart.  It had spread from the top to the bottom. 

There had been no attempt at cleaning the ‘wounds and healing the sickness’ and so there was no soundness and no health, no repentance.  As a result nothing could stop the fatal consequences. 

So the prophet lamented the consequences, vividly describing the result of their persistent refusal to follow God.  There would be devastation, complete ruin.  Foreigners would invade and as a result the villages would look like:

-a booth, nothing of consequence

-a lodge, a temporary, impermanent way station, and

-a besieged city. 

Judah’s situation would become so bad that it would be evident that it was only because of the mercy of God that they had even survived.  It was only God's mercy that stood between them and the total destruction like that of Sodom and Gomorrah, cities in which God did not even leave a small remnant.  Even in this terrible situation God was prepared to show mercy to Jerusalem.  

The people of Israel and Judah were close to complete annihilation like the people of Sodom and Gomorrah.  They deserved that, but here divine grace and mercy operated. 

Let us look briefly at the different words for “sin” used to describe Judah’s actions.  This is almost a complete and frightening catalogue of what God does not like.  In all these cases different words in Hebrew are used.

First Isaiah said they “rebelled”.  One writer says:

“It describes sin that was open aggression, wilful rebellion.  It is, by the way, the same word David uses in his great confession of sin in Psalm 51”.

This word heightens the contrast between their behaviour and God's beneficence in rearing and nourishing them when they were dependent and were children. 

Then in verse three their sin is described as “ignorance”. 

In verse four their description as “sinful nation” uses the word for sin which means “missing the mark”. 

“People laden with iniquity” uses the term for “departing from the standard or turning aside”. 

“Seed of evildoers” uses the word which portrays the pain that sin causes. 

“Children who are corrupters” uses the word which means “corrupting, ruining, destroying-the term used for God's destruction of Sodom.” 

Then they “forsook” God.

They “provoked” the Holy One.

They have “gone back”. 

So after using all those terms, Isaiah now makes a further proclamation to the Children of Israel.  It is often only in desperation and an afflicted state that a sinner’s heart will either become harder or begin to soften. 

Verse 10.  Isaiah now calls the people to hear the word of the Lord. Note that he first addresses the leaders. The leaders carry a great responsibility when it comes to the moral integrity of their community. The pattern throughout Scripture for the people of God is that a strong godly leader has a people who remember and keep the covenant, while an ungodly and immoral leader draws the people away from God and abandons the covenant. 

Isaiah’s address was a damning one, as he equates the corrupt leadership to those who ruled the immensely wicked people of Sodom.  The people of Sodom were destroyed because of their evil deeds; so to be compared to them was a statement that should grab one’s attention.  Indeed, not only the leadership but the people were as guilty and as deserving of destruction as the people of Sodom.  There was no regard for the law of God and they continually spurned God’s grace.  This was certainly a low point in the history of Israel. 

It should be carefully noted that this strange title “rulers of Sodom and people of Gomorrah” states clearly that if God had ruined them like those ancient cities, it would have been a righteous thing for God to do.  The men of those cities were wicked and sinners before God (Genesis 13: 13) and so similarly the rulers of Judah and the people of Judah were exceedingly wicked before God. 

Isaiah was being very realistic and painting sin in its right light.  He was bringing the people face-to-face with the cause of their sins before he could point them to the correct and indeed only remedy. 

Israel had to be brought to the position where they could realize that something was wrong, instead of listening to the false prophets that were preaching peace. Isaiah had to reveal the depths of sin, the nature of sin and the consequences of sin.

Verse 11.   Continual sin totally distorts the grace and law of God, its result is manifest in a ritualistic observance of the law.  It is clear from the text that despite the sins and gross misconduct of the people, they maintained a facade of religiosity.

Throughout the Scripture God makes it very clear that he abhors the sacrifice of those whose heart is unrepentant.  In fact these sacrifices show the gross nature of their sin; for the sacrifices were an acknowledgement of their guilt before God; yet in the multitude of the sacrifices they never turn from their wicked ways. 

God says now that He had had enough of their hypocrisy. 

Such sacrifices had no efficacy and they would serve no purpose or have any benefit for the people.  These sacrifices were loathsome in the eyes of God, offered by wicked hands and unclean hearts.  Their actions showed that they thought they could continue sinning and simply appease God with their offerings. 

Remember that the pagans thought that the so-called anger of the pagan gods could be assuaged by blood sacrifices. So when the people of Judah were corrupted by idolatry, and mixed the worship of Baal with that of the Lord, they began to treat the Lord as an idol. 

They thought that the rituals, even when performed by hypocrites, had some worth to the Lord God. 

God described and rejected this hypocritical worship by three ideas.  In verse 11-15 first he said that they were “useless”.  Then he said they had “no purpose”, the term used here was “vain”.  Then God said that they gave Him “no pleasure”.   

Note that the people were offering a multitude of sacrifices, diligently fulfilling what the law required with respect to offering the blood of bulls and goats required for the remission of sins and for peace with God.  God certainly was not criticizing them for their diligence, but for their diligence while they were rebelling against him. They were bad but they continued to work hard. 

As in that day, and the time of Christ, and to this very day, people continue to spurn the grace of God and trample underfoot the blood of Jesus Christ.

Verses 12-13.  It is to be noted that these people were not strangers to God and the power of God but were very zealous.  They came to appear before God personally at the right place and at the right times.  They were devoted.  They were so zealous that they literally trampled on each other, rushing to appear before God.

But God was sick of everything that they had to offer.  He actually hated it.  He used a very strong word, abomination to describe their actions.

Verse 14.   The Sabbath, Passover, Pentecost, Day of Atonement, and Feast of Tabernacles; all these feast held within them great significance to the deliverance and salvation of the people.  They are all intended in some form to be a perpetual reminder of the grace and mercy of God. 

These were the appointed times when God's people were to congregate together to worship him; however, these times became an occasion on which the rank hypocrisy of the people was shoved in the face of God. They certainly did appear at all these festivals and performed in precise detail all the required rituals. 

God expresses in the strongest human terms his hatred for their hypocrisy.  “My soul hates; they are a trouble to Me; I am weary to bear them...”   

They are a trouble. In Deuteronomy 1:12, this word denotes a burden, an oppressive load that produces weariness. It is a strong expression, denoting that their acts of hypocrisy and sin had become so numerous, that they became a heavy, oppressive burden. 

I am weary to bear them - This is language taken from the act of carrying a burden until a man becomes weary and faint. So, in accordance with human conceptions, God represents himself as burdened with their vain oblations and evil conduct. There could be no more impressive statement of the evil effects of sin, than that even Omnipotence was exhausted as with a heavy, oppressive burden. 

So let us be careful.  Whenever our religious activities do not involve our heart, when we are not obedient to God and making Him the center of our life, we are merely play acting.  It is all a charade, a performance, beautiful, well planned, but not satisfying to God.

Verse 15.   The spreading of hands is a sign of supplication and the posture that one naturally assumes when we anticipate receiving something of another.   

The raising of hands is associated with prayer, as we lift the hands towards God in expectation of his mercy and blessing.  However when we petition God one's hands must be clean and conscience pure. Hear the voice of my prayers, when I cry to You, when I lift up my hands toward Your Holy Place. Psa 28:2 

Therefore, I desire that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. 1Ti 2:8   

The manner in which one approaches God for worship is of the utmost importance.  The hands of the people were filthy before God and so he covered his eyes; thus God did not ‘see’ nor regarded their actions, their ritual hypocrisy was in vain.  As with their sacrifices which God despised, so too were their prayers, a grating sound in the ears of God. 

The volume of prayers one may make to God is inconsequential. He will not hear the prayers of those whose hands are unclean.  This is the reason for unanswered prayers; the people's hands were full of blood. 

This expression denotes the severe nature of the crime and their guilt.  Not only were their hands stained with the blood of their victims, but they have the audacity to come before God and lift their hands toward him, as they continue to drip blood from the most recent acts. 

The expression of course is figurative. It is not that they literally committed murder, although this could also be the case, but rather it is descriptive of the rampant injustice and oppression of the poor, the widow and the fatherless.  For this reason their prayers go unheard. The same sentiment is seen throughout Scripture.

Psa_66:18 : ‘If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me;’ Pro_28:9 : ‘He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination;’ Jer_16:10-12; Zec_7:11-12; Pro_1:28-29. 

Yet despite their gross sin, the grace of God is still extended towards those who repent. If sinners will forsake their sins, the greatness of their iniquity is no obstacle to forgiveness; Isa_1:18; Mat_11:28; Luk_16:11-24.

Verse 16.  Note now the two steps required by God.  One is positive and one is negative expressed this way: stop doing wrong, start doing right.  There must be obedience and service, for if these are absent, expressions of faith are useless in the sight of God.      

Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean…  this phrase is closely tied to the preceding verse. The command to ‘wash yourselves’ declares man's responsibility to God for his sin; it also reinforces the fact that all their sacrifices and prayers have gone unanswered.  Their hands were still stained and covered with blood that represented the guilt of unforgiven sin. 

The sacrifices and the volume of prayers were their attempt to deal with the guilt of their sin.  Plus, any genuine effort to wash one's self and to make oneself clean, should lead them to the realisation, that they cannot of themselves accomplish what God requires. 

Genuine repentance will generate a cry to God for him to cleanse. David in Psalm 51 gives us the understanding that real repentance and forgiveness comes through the confession of one’s sin and from turning from one’s iniquity and turning towards God, in order that God may cleanse. David recognized that his ‘hands were full of blood’ and he understood that his sin remained before God. So he acknowledged that his sacrifices were of none effect and not desired by God, unless he brought them with a pure heart and a clean conscience. Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your loving-kindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.   Wash me completely from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I confess my transgressions; and my sin is ever before me.   Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done evil in Your sight; that You might be justified when You speak, and be clear when You judge.   Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.  Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts; and in the hidden part You shall make me to know wisdom.   Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Psalm 51:1-7

To pardon or forgive sin, is often expressed by hiding it:

Hide thy face from my sins. Psa_51:9

“seek judgment, reprove the oppressor. Judge the orphan, plead for the widow…”  These requirements were enshrined in the law, however, the people of Judah were in violation of every single one.   

This section of the discourse was chiefly aimed at those to whom judgment was entrusted.  They were to administer justice, protect the poor and vulnerable and also pronounce the required sentence on those who oppressed the poor. 

The fruit of repentance then would be to forsake their sinful ways and to pursue justice for all, as defined in the law.  Everyone but a very small remnant was corrupt; the spiritual and social leaders of the community were corrupt, the judges were corrupt and also all who were required to do justice were corrupt. Even the people who came for justice were themselves corrupt. They would simply do to those that were less fortunate than themselves, the injustice that had been done to them. 

Such rampant corruption particularly manifests itself in the unjust treatment of the poor, the widows and the fatherless, for these were the most vulnerable people of society, those who had no resources of their own and were unable to defend themselves. The people were therefore called to rectify the social causes of injustice by seeking and pursuing true justice for the poor, the widow and the fatherless. 

Contend for her rights. Aid her by vindicating her cause. She is unable to defend herself; she is liable to oppression; and her rights may be taken away by the crafty and designing. It is remarkable that God so often insists on this in the Scriptures, and makes it no small part of religion; Deu_14:29; Deu_24:17; Exo_22:22 : ‘Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.’ The ancient views of piety on this subject are expressed in the language, and in the conduct of Job. Thus, impiety was said to consist in oppressing the fatherless and widow.

They drive away the donkey of the fatherless, They take the widow’s ox for a pledge. Job_24:3

He evil-entreateth the barren that beareth not, And doeth not good to the widow. Job_24:21

When the people fail to act justly, God takes particular interest in the poor and defenseless, woe to those who are on the receiving end of God’s judgment.  Jer_7:6; Mal_3:5; Jam_1:27. Hence, God is himself represented as the vindicator of the rights of the widow and orphan:

A father of the fatherless, And a judge of the widows, Is God in his holy habitation. Psa_68:5.

Verse 18.  So God places demands on his people and he tells them how they can stop sinning, wash themselves and do good to others.  He states how this can be done, the very simple steps they must take: 

“Come now…” this is an immediate invitation addressed to the Children of Israel and serves as an exhortation to all sinners in all ages.  It has in more recent times, frequently been used out of context to convey the idea that one may have some form of discussion with God; either to justify one’s action, having departed from the law or to scrutinize God’s form of government. To propose either is simply ludicrous.  

God emphatically abhors their sacrifices and will not even acknowledge their prayers; therefore one cannot reasonably construe that this is any type of invitation to an open discussion.

If we consider this passage as directed to the corrupt judges, it is that they have been found guilty and judgement has been passed on them but an offer of clemency is given if they willingly obey the law and turn from their evil ways. 

Today we often use the word reason to describe the thought process which may include inquiry and discussion with another.  This however is a limited and narrow usage of the word, in the scripture it is also used to mean ‘to show, to prove’, ‘Surely I will prove my ways (righteous) before him, Job_13:15; that is, I will justify my ways before him. Also to correct, reprove, convince, Job_32:12; to rebuke, reproach, censure, Job_6:25; to punish, Job_5:17; Pro_3:12; to judge, decide, Isa_11:3; to do justice, Isa_11:4; or to contend, Job_13:3; Job_16:21; Job_22:4. 

One commentator states that the phrase reason together:

… denotes the kind of contention, or argumentation, which occurs in a court of justice, where the parties reciprocally state the grounds of their cause. God had been addressing magistrates particularly, and commanding them to seek judgment, to relieve the oppressed, to do justice to the orphan and widow; all of which terms are taken from courts of law. He here continues the language, and addresses them as accustomed to the proceedings of courts, and proposes to submit the case as if on trial. He then proceeds Isa_1:18-20, to adduce the principles on which he is willing to bestow pardon on them; and submits the case to them, assured that those principles will commend themselves to their reason and sober judgment. 

Note we are not saved by works of righteousness or keeping of the commandments, they are the evidence of one’s salvation.

“…though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool.”  

Isaiah uses symbolism that vividly describes the state of their sin as seen by God.  Mere ritualistic actions cannot remove their sin. 

The phrase here denotes the dying of a garment two times, in crimson and scarlet. The deep red colour may be symbolic of blood which had stained their garments.  The properties of this dye were such that numerous washing could not remove it nor would long usage wear it out.  In other words it was impossible for them to clean themselves from sin. 

God however was willing and able to do what they could not. He would take their blood stained garments and make them white as snow.  White represented a clean and pure heart, a clear conscience, a love and obedience to the law of God and the removal of sin.

Verse 19.   The condition on which the offer was made was not new or foreign to them, it was simply that they submit their wills and become voluntary in their obedience to God’s law.  This of course is what they had promised to do when God made his covenant with them. If they were to return to the proper observance of the covenant God would once again restore to them their land and prosper them. 

They had previously enjoyed great prosperity, the nation’s borders had expanded and great material wealth was a common place.  However, with their increased prosperity they began to allow foreign influences and practices into their worship.  Idols and false gods replaced Jehovah or were being mixed in with the worship of Jehovah and the covenant thus was discarded.  The deterioration of the people was rapid, deluded by their success and wealth.  They thought they would survive independent of God. 

Violation of the law is sin and without it immorality flourished, injustice blossomed, corruption became rampant which resulted in the oppression of the poor and helpless.  For their wickedness God allowed strangers to take their land and oppress them terribly, so that they may see the error of their ways. The promise was to remove this calamity if they would be obedient.  God will never totally cast off his people; there will always be a remnant, and the promise remains that God will one day restore Israel to unprecedented blessing.

“And they will build houses and live in them; and they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.   They will not build, and another live in them; they will not plant, and another eat. For like the days of a tree are the days of My people, and My elect will long enjoy the work of their hands. They will not labor in vain, nor bring forth for terror. For they are the seed of the beloved of Jehovah, and their offspring with them.” Is 65:21-23

Verse 20.   “But if you refuse…” having promised the blessing of obedience; Isaiah states the terrible consequence of disobedience and it is now left to the people to reason or consider the path they would take.  They were already distraught because of their calamity, yet their continued disobedience would only make matters worse.  God would see to it that they were devoured by the sword. 

Your enemies shall come in, and lay waste the land. This prediction was fulfilled, in consequence of their continuing to rebel, when the land was desolated by Nebuchadnezzar and the nation was carried captive to Babylon. It illustrates a general principle of the divine government, that if people persevere in rebelling against God, they shall be destroyed. 

The mouth of the Lord - Yahweh Himself. This had been spoken by the mouth of the Lord, and recorded. And I will scatter you among the heathen, And will draw out a sword after you; And your land shall be desolate And your cities waste (Lev 26:33). 

These are the great principles of the divine administration, that if people obey God they shall prosper; if not, they shall be punished. One can not escape divine judgment.

When one looks at Israel it seems clear that one cannot always trust in leaders righteousness.  The people themselves have been warned and so they know that they must come to God for themselves, no matter what the situation, so that God will cleanse them. This is the way of God and it is not our way. 

It is very reasonable to follow God, for He offers complete cleansing from sin.  There is tremendous forgiveness available. 

Do not for one moment think that God is diminishing the extent of our iniquity, nor does he make it appear that our sin is less than it really is. He is always telling us that our sinfulness is worse than we think, but despite that he is willing to cleanse and pardon. 

We should remember several things:

-God alone saves

-God alone is in control

-Hypocritical religion makes God extremely mad.  If the heart is not pure and involved in worship there is no credit with God.

-Wrong things as well as right things done in the wrong way with the wrong attitudes are all bad.

-Sin is much more evil and destructive to us than we think

-Those who listen and repent and obey will be preserved by God

-Degeneration in national and church life would happen quite easily but God is available to warn and to save.

-God offers salvation but only on his terms.  Let’s not rely on ourselves.  He is a great, omnipotent, mighty, eternal God and He is calling on us to hear the words of His law and obey Him.