Isaiah 1:16-20 – “Wash!  Cleanse yourselves!   Remove your sinful deeds from my sight.  Stop sinning.  ¹⁷ Learn to do what is right.  Promote justice.  Give the oppressed reason to celebrate.  Take up the cause of the orphan.  Defend the rights of the widow.  ¹⁸ Come, let’s consider your options,” says the Lord.  “Though your sins have stained you like the color red, you can become white like snow; though they are as easy to see as the color scarlet, you can become white like wool.  ¹⁹ If you have a willing attitude and obey, then you will again eat the good crops of the land.  ²⁰ But if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” Know for certain that the Lord has spoken.”

Last night and for several nights, my sleep has been troubled as I mused on life, freedom, love, the harvest, and forgiveness.  That’s a broad scope of consideration, but all of them are deeply connected.

As I read in Isaiah today, Isaiah 1:16-20 resonated deeply with my heart.   In verse 16, he says, “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean…”   That is physically possible but spiritually impossible.   

The following directive is possible, yet only with divine help.  “Put away the evil doings from before your eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do good: seek justice, do good to the oppressed, plead for the fatherless, plead for the widows.”   There are righteous actions we can and should do.  That suggests that the first part is connected to the second part, and by moving toward God, He moves toward us.

Verse 18 gripped my heart with the traditional understanding, and something else exploded in my heart and mind.  “Come now, let us reason (examine the facts) together, says the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be like wool.”   This is the fruit of forgiveness!

Then, something smacked me like a crushing hammer.  Forgiveness is given.   Forgiveness is a two-way street, given and received.  Forgiveness is never earned or deserved, nor can it be demanded by man.  We can’t make God or others forgive us.  We can only confess and repent, asking for it.   At that point, it is out of our hands.  We move from there to demonstrating righteousness, being forgiven by God, even if not by man.

In Isaiah 1:19-20, we see the fruit and reward of repentance, as well as the grace of forgiveness.  “If you are willing (living vv. 16-27, embracing v.18) and obedient, you SHALL (not maybe) eat the good of the land.  (Enjoy the grace of God in life).  BUT if you refuse and rebel (both fail to repent and obey and fail to forgive others), you SHALL be devoured with the sword (external judgment and internally impoverished spiritually); for the mouth of the LORD has spoken it.”

Our objective must be purity of heart.  We must search our hearts and lay everything before God, allowing Him to purge from us known and secret sins.  We determine to live righteously and always forgive others, JUST AS we are forgiven by God.

Nothing is more important than a clean heart!   Nothing can justify the reason for sin!  Nothing can excuse sin!   ONLY God’s grace can wipe the slate of life clean and give us a new start.   Men may not forgive us.  That would prove to be painful and could have devastating consequences for us, but if we have God’s forgiveness, we have true freedom.   

Peace with God is more essential than favor with people and hiding from the shame caused by our sins.  Confess and forsake sin and then live in His righteousness!  If the Son sets us free, we are truly free!

Lord, wash us and make us white as snow!