Isaiah 1 - Forgiveness of Sins

I think it's interesting, because God, the King of Kings, the LORD of LORDS, stepped out and says "Come now, and let us reason together." To a people that is wicked, to a people that has ignored the goodness of God. They have been bringing futile sacrifices to the altar, pretending they care, pretending they actually want to give unto the LORD, but the truth is their heart is showing, their heart is coming out and showing God that they don't care, that they are just giving out of the motives of things that have to be done to be a Jew.

And God says, forget it, I hate those feasts that you pretend to honor and love me, I hate the iniquity that you bring with your sacrifice to the altar. He says "when you spread your hands, I will hide My eyes from you." Because their hands were full of blood.

And this passage terrifies me as I read it because if God says this to Judah, what would He say to me? What would He say to me, who has made a mess of this life, who sins and sins and sins, and sins...and sins? So what would He say, what would He see when He looks at my life? When He sees my sacrifices? When He hears my prayers?? It terrifies me because I don't want God to stop hearing my prayers, I don't want God to hide His hears from me.

But when you read further, God isn't done, He isn't done with Judah, even though they've brought Him sorrow, even though they've brought futile sacrifices, and hearts full of blood faking their way through sacrifices. He says "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean: put away that evil of your doings from My eyes. Cease to do evil." But God, we can't just cease to do evil, we are humans, we mess up, we fail, how can we cease to do evil, how can we put away that evil from Your eyes?

Keep reading "Learn to do good." ha ha ha. He knows...He knows we are imperfect, so He tells us to LEARN to do good. He doesn't expect perfection. LEARN to do good by seeking justice, by rebuking the oppressor, by defending the fatherless, by pleading for the widow.

And you know what gets me the most about this passage, is God has just told Judah how much He is just done with the nation, He's sick and tired of the futile sacrifices, the heartless sacrifices...but He says "Come, now, let us reason together."

AHA!! He's not through with them, He's not through with us...He's not DONE!!! Praise Jesus!!! Your sins might be as scarlet but oh let Me wash them and make them white as snow, they might be crimson, but oh let Me make them like wool. And if you are willing and you are obedient...oh you shall eat of the good of this land!!

We have a choice! We have a choice to honor God and He will change our sins and make them white as snow!!! And you know God tells Judah if they are obedient they'll eat the good of the land, but they have a choice...and the choice is if they are rebellious...well they'll just die by the sword! But God has given a choice!! He offers us forgiveness! He offers us redemption! He offers us new life!