Charles Spurgeon Commentary Isaiah 1:4

"Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil-doers, children that deal corruptly! they have forsaken Jehovah, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are estranged [and gone] backward." — Isaiah 1:4 (ASV)

Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.

Thus the prophet spoke to the people of his day, and we may say much the same to the people of our own time. The professing church of God has gone away backward, forsaken the doctrines of truth, and turned aside from the purity of its life. God have mercy upon the world when the church itself becomes thus defiled!

Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.

If I am now addressing any who have backslidden from God, let them take these words of his to heart; he observes how you have forsaken him, he feels grieved at your provoking him, and he mourns over your going backward from him. May you be moved by the Holy Spirit to mourn, too!

Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: What a terrible picture!

A nation burdened with iniquity, as full of sin as their fathers were, and their offspring growing up like themselves. By hereditary transmission they have received a predisposition to evil that cannot be taken out of the blood except by divine power.

They have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.

What a description this is of the state of the unregenerate—even of God's elect among them who are still crushed under the ruins of the fall! Perhaps, as I am reading this chapter, some poor soul here is saying, "That just describes me." Well, let it describe you; and lament, and mourn, and humiliate yourself before the Most High as you realize what your sad condition is. You have acted worse toward God than an ass does toward its master; you have behaved shamefully toward him, and thus you have provoked him to anger.

Do not think lightly of your sin, but let it weigh heavily upon your spirit; as you are laden with iniquity, God grant that it may be a heavy burden to you! The Lord next goes on to exhibit the sin of the people in the light of his chastisement. When a child sins, and does wrong, a wise parent uses correction to see whether he cannot overcome the evil tendencies; but, alas! there is no correction that will ever get sin out of the sinner. See what God did with these people, and what came of it.

Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.

What a terrible indictment, and every word of it was true!