What happened to Jerusalem that made Isaiah rebuke the nation?
Jerusalem, once a faithful and righteous city where judgment and righteousness lodged and the Jewish people obeyed the Mosaic Law, had become a harlot and was now full of murderers. That wickedness and sin caused Isaiah to rebuke the nation of Israel in Isaiah chapter 1.
Les explains that Isaiah is coming down on the nation of Israel because of all their sin and wickedness, and the city he addresses is Jerusalem. At one time Jerusalem had been a righteous city, and the Jewish people were obedient to the Mosaic Law and its system. But they had become so wicked that the faithful city is described as a harlot: it was once full of judgment and righteousness, but now it was full of murderers. Isaiah chapter 1 verse 22 also supplies the sense of “corrupt” used in 2 Corinthians 2:17, where it meant selling or hawking an adulterated product, like a huckster hawking his wares. The English word “corrupt” does not really show this, since we usually think of corruption as something that has begun to spoil.
How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.