Repent And Be Forgiven

Isaiah was a prophet to the Israelites, meaning he spoke God’s Word to the people.  Although God had done wonderful things for the children of Israel, their hearts were full of rebellion and disobedience towards Him. God had freed them from the captivity of the Egyptians, He fed them with manna from Heaven, He brought them to a land flowing with milk and honey, a land Joshua 24:13 tells us that they didn’t toil or plant in with cities they did not build. In return, they were disobedient towards God and rejected His Words with contempt. God said learn to do right and seek justice and they took bribes to acquit the guilty and deny justice for the innocent. God said to defend the oppressed and they didn’t protect vulnerable people like widows and the fatherless. They called evil good and good evil, they were murderers, drunkards, idolators and proud of it. And because of their willful journey down this path of destruction, they would face disastrous consequences. Their cities would be ruined and left without people to occupy them, their fields would be ravished, high ranking individuals would die of hunger, the commoners would be parched with thirst and death would swallow them both. But the wrath of God, which purifies the land of all unrighteousness, wasn’t all that Isaiah had to say. He also spoke of a coming Savior, who would bring restoration, who would establish and uphold the kingdom of God from the time of His coming to forever. Isaiah 9:6 told us he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Even though we weren’t the original audience for this message, it still holds true for us. We have been given God’s Word in the Bible and although God has done wonderful things for us our hearts can be full of rebellion and disobedience towards Him. He has created us in His image, given us this world to live in, and given us access to salvation and eternal life. In return, we have rejected God’s Word, we have called evil good and good evil, we worship other people and things, we covet what others have, we treat people with hate and our proud of it. And because of our willful journey down this path of destruction, this entire world will be destroyed. Colossians 3:5-6 says 5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. ⁶ Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.

And just in case you believe you aren’t included, that you have lived “a good life” Romans 3:23 says 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. But God’s judgment on this world, a judgment that will destroy all the unrighteousness, isn’t all that God’s Word has to say. God’s Word also speaks of the Savior, Jesus Christ, who came to earth and died for our sins and rose again so that we could be forgiven and be reunited with our Heavenly Father forever.

Since God is holy He won’t abide with our sin and unholiness, since God is just He will punish that which is wrong, but since God is loving He has made a way for us to be clean and forgiven. Romans 6:23 says “The wages of sin is death” and that same verse says “but the gift of God is eternal life.” God’s desire isn’t that you will experience His wrath, but that you will experience His love. Let’s experience that truth in our verse today.

“All of us have become like one who is unclean”

But 1 John 1:9 says “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

“And all our righteous acts are like filthy rags”

But 2 Corinthians 5:21 says “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

“We all shrivel up like a leaf and like the wind our sins sweep us away”

But Isaiah 40:29 says “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.”

We have become like one who is unclean, but God will purify us. Our righteous acts are like filthy rags, but through Christ giving up His life on the cross we can become the righteousness of God through Him. We all shrivel up like a leaf and like the wind our sins sweep us away, but God will give us strength and power when we are weary and weak.

God knows all about your rebellion, your disobedience, you sin, your failures, your hidden shame, your bad habits, your crimes, the things that you do in the dark that you pray never come to the light, and He loves you anyway. Romans 5:8 says  8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Christ didn’t wait until you got clean to die for you, Christ didn’t wait until you had your life together to die for you, Christ didn’t wait until you had finish serving your sentence to die for you, Christ didn’t wait until you were ready to acknowledge Him as Lord to die for you, He paid the ultimate cost before. John 15:13 says 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 

God’s wrath and God’s judgment has to come, our actions deserve and require it, but we don’t have to be afraid. Because even though God’s judgment and wrath is coming, His love is here right now, and it will make us clean, it will purify us, it will make us righteous, it will give us strength, and it will save us. And God’s forgiveness and His salvation is available to all who want it, and that is the Good News of His Word.