ISAIAH
Chapter 1:18-20


Isaiah 1:18-20

quote:

"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; 20 but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword." For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

With the words "come now", God tenderly and graciously invites Judah to discuss their wrongs. At the same time He wishes to show them He would be willing to forgive if, but only if they repent. It was not God's intention to compromise or negotiate. If they had willingly turned from their sins, they would have enjoyed the peace and prosperity the land had once provided. If they refused to repent, they would continue to suffer from foreign invaders and God's wrath.

"Scarlet" refers to a deep shade of red, meaning their sins had become an integral part of their hearts. When forgiven their sins would become white as snow and the stain of their sin would be completely wiped clean. The color red is significant in that God would require a blood sacrifice for forgiveness. The priesthood taught that access to a holy God was only through a mediator. Though perhaps not completely understood, spiritually-minded Jews must have looked ahead to a greater "Kohen Gadol" (High Priest) and mediator who would offer an even greater sacrifice for what was lacking in their sacrificial system. The true efficacy for removing sins is found in God's amazing grace and the supreme sacrifice of Jesus.

In Jewish literature, it is said a scarlet cord was tied to the Temple door on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. When the scapegoat bearing the sins of the people was sent far away into the wilderness to never return, the cord on the Temple door turned white, signaling the offering had been accepted and God had removed their sin. The miracle of the color of the cord changing ceased according to the rabbis about forty years before the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 AD. It seems this was a sign from heaven that about the time of Jesus' crucifixion, the sin sacrifice offered in the Temple was no longer necessary. God was again desperately trying to reveal Himself to His People.

He is just as desperate to reveal Himself to each one of us. Are our hearts receptive to spiritually see with our eyes and hear with our ears the things He wants to reveal to us today? Our tears or depending upon our own effort will never be enough to wash away our sins. Only a trust and whole-hearted faith which is expressed in repentance and obedience to a God and Savior willing to give Himself is sufficient!