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Read Isaiah Ch.1 Again.
We deserve God’s Holy Judgement and He does correct us; He judges us, He refines us, burns away what is hindering us through a process of discomfort but He wants to redeem us. He wants to save us and us offered us a way for us to be clean, not by our own doing but by the doing of His Holy Grace found In Jesus Christ.
Last week we focused on God’s Holy Judgement according to Isaiah 1. We learned about why Isaiah was sent by God to give this prophecy to the Israelites. Their people and leadership were full of corruption and needed to be brought back into proper order under God’s holy covenant.
We say Covenant often but what is the definition of this word? The English definition is a binding or legal contract/ agreement. In the Hebrew the word used throughout the Old Testament is: Berit which literally means a binding or bonding of two parties.
Here is what biblestudytools.com says about God’s covenant with His creation:
“Misunderstanding must be avoided. God has established an all-embracing binding relationship (covenant) with his creation, of which humanity is the central establishment of a second covenant within the context and framework of the creation covenant. As Yahweh God continued revealing himself, and how the redemptive/restorative "second covenant" was to be administered, it was always done with the context and framework of the creation covenant. Because the covenant of grace received direct and fuller "divine attention" as Yahweh God revealed his kingdom plan, goal, and certain consummation, many biblical students and scholars have concentrated their attention on it, failing to see, understand, or believe its position and role within the context and framework of the creation covenant that Yahweh certainly maintained and continues to maintain as he carries out and fulfills his plan and goal for his ever enduring kingdom.”
Humanity is bound to its creator in Genesis 1 and 2 yet humanity decided to abandon God’s covenant through the eating of the forbidden fruit leading towards a Holy Judgment/ a Holy Correction that God must make in order for humanity to walk with its creator in eternity. The penalty of this disobedience/sin is death. So it makes logical sense that only death could save humanity from its eternal punishment.
This is where Isaiah comes in. Isaiah brings a prophecy of judgement and disappointment from God, “How the faithful city has become a harlot, she who was full of justice! Righteousness once lodged in her, but now murderers.” --Isaiah 1:21. Israel is being compared to a harlot, a women who is unfaithful to her husband and taking pleasure in sexual sin.
So what is God’s solution for this sin problem in which humanity has caused? Let’s focus on Isaiah 1:16-20 & 24-28
“wash yourselves, make yourselves clean: Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil, learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless…”
The word justice that is used in the Hebrew here is “Mishpat” which means judgement or “making right, rectitude.” Rectitude means (in English) morally correct behaviour; Righteousness. When God says to “Seek Justice” He is saying that His must seek correction; judgement and they must seek morally correct behaviour—how is this accomplished? You can start by “doing what is good, reprove the ruthless, defend the orphan, plead for the widow…”
Lastly, God already makes known to His people that a coming hope is around the corner, yes He wants His people to fix their actions and reorient their hearts/lives but the next answer to this rebellious problem is the ultimate action of Grace.
Jesus Christ is directly foreshadowed in Isaiah 1:18-20 as Matthew 28:3 indicates “His appearance was like lightning and His clothes were white as snow” (after His resurrection) this directly foreshadows what Jesus will accomplish by dying on the cross. Remember from our earlier covenant study—there needs to be something that pays that penalty of sin for humanity to be truly saved from their sin. That “something” is God himself, coming down as a man, to die in humanity’s place to “make them as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.”
Definition of Grace: (Charis in the Greek) Means an underserving divine gift or favour.
This saving grace of salvation from hell is offered to those who “consent and obey; those who forsake the Lord will come to an end.” Isaiah 1:18-19 and 28.
It is clear the only reason why God has judged His people Here is to offer them a way out—He wants to truly help them and bring them back into His Holy Covenant, His Holy bond. He has done this by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to offer the greatest gift known to mankind—Hope of Future Glory and the forgiveness of humanity’s sins.
God has done this simply because He truly loves His Creation. He loves Humanity as a good Father. He loves us so much that He died so that we do not have to die and perish for eternity rather we get to live with Him forever.