The sinful rebellious nation (Isa 58:1-58:2)

“Shout out!

Do not hold back!

Lift up your voice

Like a trumpet!

Announce to my people

Their rebellion!

Announce to the house of Jacob

Their sins!

Yet they seek me daily.

They delight to know my ways,

As if they were a nation

That practiced righteousness,

As if they did not forsake

The ordinance of their God.

They ask of me

Righteous judgments.

They delight to draw near to God.”

Third Isaiah wants the house of Jacob to shout out and not hold back. They should lift up their voices, as if it was like a trumpet. However, the announcement was that they were a sinful rebellious people. They have pretended to act righteously. They profess daily that they delight in God’s ways. Meanwhile, they are a nation that has forsaken the ordinances of God. They want righteous judgments. They say that they want to draw near to God, but they do not follow his laws.

The desire for wisdom (Wis 6:17-6:20)

“The beginning of wisdom is

The most sincere desire for instruction.

Concern for instruction is love of her.

Love of her

Is the keeping of her laws.

Giving heed to her laws

Is assurance of immortality.

Immortality brings one near to God.

Thus the desire for wisdom

Leads to a kingdom.”

You begin to get wisdom with the desire for instruction about her. You must love her and her instructions. If you keep and heed her laws (νόμων αὐτῆς), you will be assured of immortality as you come near to God (ἀφθαρσία δὲ ἐγγὺς εἶναι ποιεῖ Θεοῦ). This desire for wisdom (ἐπιθυμία ἄρα σοφίας) will lead to a kingdom (βασιλείαν). Is this an eternal kingdom with God? This also was part of the Greek Stoic journey of the various steps or desires to get to wisdom.