“I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.” (Isaiah 44:22)
Isaiah prophesies the redemption of Israel. Remembering that the Lord sees the end from the beginning, He says, “I have blotted...” He sees it already done in the heavenlies. In the previous chapter Isaiah writes that He will take away their sin for His own sake, because it serves His purpose and will. “I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for Mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.” (Isaiah 43:25) This is a promise given to Israel that will be fulfilled in the Thousand Year Reign of Christ. Thousands of years before it happens and has yet to happen. Isaiah prophesies “Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43:18-19)
This prophesy’s purpose was to comfort the people. King Hezekiah had entertained and shown all the precious and costly treasures of the Lord to the envoys from Babylon. Isaiah prophesies to the king t he Babylonian invasion, but comforts the people with the prophesy of the Thousand Year Reign of Christ in which all of God’s promises to them will be fulfilled. “Comfort ye, comfort ye My people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins.” (Isaiah 40:1-2) Again Isaiah prophesying speaks as God sees it, already a done thing.
Here we see an example of God’s love and mercy toward the sinner. Israel was idolatrous and rebellious, and at that time, Isaiah prophesies that they will suffer the consequences of their sin. Yet the Lord tells Isaiah to comfort them and to give them a hope of a future.
God doesn’t change. (Malachi 3:6) He is the same today as He was then. He is still merciful and full of love. But God is just. There are many who believe that because God is love, they will not suffer the consequences of their sin, but fail to realize that it’s their sin that condemns them and not God. In the prophesy of Isaiah, he prophesies of Jesus, beginning at Isaiah 40:3 and continues to 42:9. In these verses there are glimpses of Jesus, the Messiah to come. “Behold My servant, whom I uphold; Mine elect, in whom My soul delighteth; I have put My spirit upon Him: He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.” (Isaiah 42:1)
And what is that judgement? That we were already condemned. This truth is that we were without God, in the kingdom of darkness and enemies of God. “He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:18-19)
But again, the comfort of the Lord extends His mercy and love. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) I don’t think there is anyone who’s ever been to church who hasn’t heard this verse. The word “whosoever” is as important to us as the words “only begotten Son” and “believeth in Him should not perish.” Whosoever, means me, a sinner, a rebel and enemy of God, who can have everlasting life and escape the fires of hell for even though I am, a sinner and enemy of God. And even more wonderful is that it’s a work of God.
God opens our eyes so we can see the condition we’re in and our need for a Savior. This is a crucial time. We can choose to surrender to the Savior or to continue in our sin. To continue in our sin our hearts become reprobate. “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” (Romans 1:28-32)
But to surrender our lives to Jesus, we are gifted with all the goodness of God, beginning with forgiveness, peace and life everlasting. “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it.” (Matthew 16:25) We feel nothing but gratefulness. We can do nothing but live our lives for Him.
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