Isaiah was a prophet in Judah during a time when the kings and people were wavering in their obedience to God.
“Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah! Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed… ‘Come now, let us settle the matter,’ 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.’ ” (v10,16-18)
Despite comparing His people to those from Sodom and Gomorrah (two extremely sinful cities that God destroyed in Gen 19:1-29), there is still great hope in this chapter. God promises that if His people, who are sinners, cleanse their themselves, and seek to follow righteous ways, He will forgive and cleanse them of their sin.
I’m not sure about you, but I still sin, despite being a child of God. Of course I immediately confess my sin to God and ask for His forgiveness. The dangerous trap God’s people fell into was not desiring to reconcile with God – they, like those of Sodom and Gomorrah, were content in their sin.
I encourage us to never be content in our sin. If you’re like me and feel that sick-to-your-stomach sensation when you sin, that’s a very good thing – the Holy Spirit is reminding us that sin is not right, we need to repent, and get back on the path of righteousness. If we ever sin and feel good about it, then we have to worry.
Father God, our Loving and Glorious Lord, You are our Merciful and Gracious Creator. Thank you for having such great mercy on us that You sent Jesus to shed his blood and cleanse us of all unrighteousness. May we never allow the sun to set on our unconfessed sin. May we be quick to seek forgiveness and reconciliation, and focus on obeying You above all other pursuits. We praise and glorify Your name, forever and ever, amen.
~ Conqueror in Training