The twelve tribes of Israel had split into two kingdoms, called Israel and Judah. The northern part, Israel, had allied itself with Assyria, which later took Israel over and tried to take Judah as well. Israel was quicker in its rebellion against God than Judah was. Immersed in idolatry, it melted into the paganism of that day.
The Assyrians surrounded the inhabitants of Jerusalem from all directions and caused them a great deal of anxiety and fear. But the kingdom of Judah had kings more faithful to God. Judah was slower to sink as low as Israel in its worship of idols.
The Lord’s hand of blessing and protection had abandoned Israel, but Judah still had an opportunity to repent. The people of Judah were called to learn from the rebellion of Israel. But would they?
History tells us that Judah’s rebellion against God continued and got worse. And yet the Lord did not change. His faithfulness never failed. Though we tend to persist in our self-centeredness and betray our promises, God’s “love endures for ever” (Psalm 107:1).
In our passage for today, Isaiah uses powerful physical imagery to describe moral failure: “beaten,” “injured,” “welts.” But those very words also later describe the suffering servant, the Messiah (Isaiah 53:4-5). By the wounds laid on our Savior, we are healed.
