Rebellion, Remnant, Reconciled, Redeemed Isaiah 1

Rebellion, Remnant, Redemption, Reconciled Isaiah 1
Rebellion, Remnant, Redeemed, Reconcile: Isn’t that just like God    
Isaiah 1
Chapter one provides a theme for the book of Isaiah, all 66 chapters. Throughout the book we find that God is seeking to have his children reconciled to him.

Isaiah 1.2 states the overarching problem. Israel has rebelled against God.
“Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the LORD hath spoken. I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.”

God is calling on the celestial and terrestrial to listen to Him.

The depth of the ingratitude and rebellion against God is astounding.  God nourished and brought up his children and yet they rebelled against him. This is rebellion can be applied on so many levels. We can look at the world, the United States, and in families to see this rebellion today. The rebellion against God is in epic proportions.

My first thought upon reading this verse was: “I have to say, Lord, that not much has changed since 760 A.D. The world is in such a sinful mess. We truly live in a post-Christian world.”

It is hard to articulate how sinful and evil the United States has become. AND if any Biblical value is brought out, the liberal left is vengeful in attacking the Biblical world view.
Families are seeing the same chaos and rebellion. The decay of the Christian home is the origin of the decline of the Christian United States.  It is hard for me to imagine that there are children and adults who have never heard the gospel of Jesus Christ right here in the United States. Years ago, I taught music in an elementary school. Every year at Christmas I would ask my students, “What is the real meaning of Christmas”. Maybe 50 out of 500 hundred students knew the Christmas was the celebration of the birth of Jesus.  Absolutely astounding.

Churches in the United States have failed. They have failed to evangelize their communities. They have failed to stand for the Jesus against the onslaught of evil. This isn’t rebellion on the part of churches it is apathy.

“Note, All the instances of God's favour to us, as the God both of our nature and of our nurture, aggravate our treacherous departures from him and all our presumptuous oppositions to him--children, and yet rebels!” Matthew Henry

Isaiah 1.9 Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.

God has always had a remnant of believers throughout the beginning of time. The faithful few who stand for HIM. We are seeing this play out right in front of our eyes today. Who will be in the remnant? Believers in the United States has been blessed with the freedom to worship God. We see those freedoms slowly being eroded today. It will take strong believers in the days to come who have the courage to stand for God. Count me in.

Isaiah 1.27 Zion shall be redeemed with judgment and her converts with righteousness
I think of the old hymn written by Fanny Crosby: Redeemed how I love to proclaim it. Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Redeemed through His infinite mercy. His child and forever I am.

“(1.) In the worst of times there is a remnant preserved from iniquity and reserved for mercy, as Noah and his family in the deluge, Lot and his in the destruction of Sodom. Divine grace triumphs in distinguishing by an act of sovereignty.” Matthew Henry

Reconciled: Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

“Come now” an invitation to for reconciliation. “Reason together” let’s settle this matter, an invitation for discourse.

What a beautiful verse! God always, throughout the annuls of time has wanted His children reconciled to Him. Since the fall of man God has sought to bring His children back to him. God wants us to be thoroughly cleansed from our sins and to be in perfect communion with Him.

 Ps 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

The contrast scarlet to white, red like crimson to wool. Striking contrast. These contrasts are a picture of salvation. The blood of Jesus cleanses the believer so that our souls are white as snow.

Despite our rebellion God has always had a remnant so that we can be redeemed and reconciled to Him.

Rebellion, remnant, redeemed and reconciled. Isn’t that just like God!

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