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Prepare Your Heart

To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a few minutes to breathe deeply and quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, ask the Lord to speak to you in this time. Let Him know that you will listen and make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.

Read God’s Word

Isaiah 1-2
Ephesians 2

A Verse for Today

Slowly and reflectively read the following verse(s) and listen to what God will say to you through His written Word. Consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.

Isaiah 1:18 (CSB): “‘Come, let’s settle this,’ says the LORD. ‘Though your sins are scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are crimson red, they will be like wool.'”

Reflecting on God’s Word

When Isaiah 1:18 is quoted by Christians, it is almost always applied to the work of salvation. It is said that if someone comes to the Lord in repentance and faith, they are radically saved and completely cleansed. Though their “sins are scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are crimson red, they will be like wool.”

However, while the general principle of Isaiah 1:18 could easily be applied to a person’s salvation, that isn’t the most immediate meaning of the text.

Isaiah was a prophet sent by God to the southern Kingdom of Judah. He began his ministry about two decades before the northern Kingdom of Israel fell to the Assyrians and about 150 years before the southern Kingdom fell to the Babylonians.

A few decades after Isaiah began to prophecy, Jeremiah would recount how the northern Kingdom fell, attributing it to God’s judgment as He divorced Israel (Jeremiah 3:6-11). Isaiah began his ministry earlier and was calling for the people of Judah to repent. He pointed out the areas where they were rebelling against God, and he warned that a righteous God could not stand idly by without sending judgment. While God delights to forgive people who repent, He must discipline and then send judgment on those who refuse.

So, it’s in this context that we read Isaiah 1:18. God was calling upon the people of the southern Kingdom of Judah to get rid of their sins and turn back to Him. If they would do this, He would be more than willing and able to restore the Kingdom of Judah, to cleanse her, and renew a righteous relationship with her.

Isaiah 1:16-18 (CSB): “Wash yourselves. Cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from my sight. Stop doing evil. Learn to do what is good. Pursue justice. Correct the oppressor. Defend the rights of the fatherless. Plead the widow’s cause. ‘Come, let’s settle this,’ says the LORD. ‘Though your sins are scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are crimson red, they will be like wool.'”

While this clearly refers to God’s relationship with the nation of Judah, this principle also applies to us as individuals and as groups of people.

God is righteous and cannot tolerate sin. But He is also patient, gracious, and merciful. When we engage in sin (violating His laws), He typically withholds discipline and judgment for a while.

Yet, there comes a time when His patience will run its course, and He will act to send discipline/judgment against the sinner. Isaiah 1:16-18 provides a straightforward plan to avert God’s judgment. We must stop disobeying God, begin doing what He requires, and receive the cleansing that He offers.

This applies to us as individuals, and it can also apply to communities and nations.

My own country, the United States of America, has strayed so far from the Lord. As a whole, there are so many evil things that are defended by our laws and celebrated by a large segment of our society. It seems as if God periodically sends us into seasons where we are given an opportunity to repent and return to Him as a people. We are currently in one of those seasons, and it is yet to be seen how we will respond as a nation. I pray that there will be a Christian renewal and revival in our land. Otherwise, I’m not sure how long we have before God’s patience runs out.

How might God’s judgment come upon us? An economic collapse (our country currently has over $37 trillion in debt); another 9/11 sort of attack; leaders who are voted into office who take us further away from the Lord and bring harm (moral, financial, etc.) upon Americans; etc.

This is no small matter. God has demonstrated over and over that He is a just God who cannot remain indifferent to sin, particularly toward a nation that has the Gospel and is therefore sinning with knowledge (Luke 12:47-48). Let us pray and work toward a time of Christian spiritual renewal.

Spend Time in Prayer

  • Ask God to help you see into your heart to determine whether or not you need a serious time of repentance and resurrendering to His authority over your life.

Going Deeper

If you want to dig a little deeper into Isaiah 1:18, consider reading the following GotQuestions article:

“What does it mean that our sins are as scarlet (Isaiah 1:18)?”

Sharing

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Matt Ellis is the pastor of White Hall Baptist Church in Richmond, Kentucky (whitehallbaptistchurch.org)