Isaiah 1:18-20

Rachel Workman: “Come now, let’s settle this,”
    says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
    I will make them as white as snow.
Though they are red like crimson,
    I will make them as white as wool.
¹⁹ If you will only obey me,
    you will have plenty to eat.
²⁰ But if you turn away and refuse to listen,
    you will be devoured by the sword of your enemies.

    I, the Lord, have spoken!”

If you will only obey me, you will have plenty to eat. Simple right? The world says differently. I love how God says Come now, let's settle this. An undeserved offering of mercy and grace. Much like myself.

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Pat Bell: My sins are like scarlet/I will make them white as snow

This promise is made to us over and over in the Bible. Thank God for his mercy.

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John Burnett:  ¹⁸ “Come now, let us reason^[a] together, says the Lord:
though your sins are like scarlet,
    they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
    they shall become like wool.
¹⁹ If you are willing and obedient,
    you shall eat the good of the land;
²⁰ but if you refuse and rebel,
    you shall be eaten by the sword;
    for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”  The Lord is trying to reason with Israel and make it very clear, if you repent and obey, He will provide the good of the land for them to eat.  If they refuse and rebel, the sword will destroy them.  Our sins are like scarlet, crimson red, and bloody.  He provides, through His Son Jesus Christ, the way for us to be cleansed of our sins and become white as snow and fine wool.  Jesus’s blood washes us clean.

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Monday’s reading for Isaiah 1:21-25

See how Jerusalem, once so faithful,
    has become a prostitute.
Once the home of justice and righteousness,
    she is now filled with murderers.
²² Once like pure silver,
    you have become like worthless slag.
Once so pure,
    you are now like watered-down wine.
²³ Your leaders are rebels,
    the companions of thieves.
All of them love bribes
    and demand payoffs,
but they refuse to defend the cause of orphans
    or fight for the rights of widows.

²⁴ Therefore, the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies,
    the Mighty One of Israel, says,
“I will take revenge on my enemies
    and pay back my foes!
²⁵ I will raise my fist against you.
    I will melt you down and skim off your slag.
    I will remove all your impurities.

Isaiah 1:14-17

Rachel Workman: I hate your new moon celebrations and your annual festivals.
    They are a burden to me. I cannot stand them!
¹⁵ When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look.
    Though you offer many prayers, I will not listen,
    for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims.
¹⁶ Wash yourselves and be clean!
    Get your sins out of my sight.
    Give up your evil ways.
¹⁷ Learn to do good.
    Seek justice.
Help the oppressed.
    Defend the cause of orphans.

    Fight for the rights of widows.

I would hate for God to tell me he hated my sacrifice which is basically what he is saying. It's a little insight for us. We can walk the walk and talk the talk but if we don't accept and repent with the right heart God could very well be speaking to us.

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John Burnett:  ¹⁴ Your new moons and your appointed feasts
    my soul hates;
they have become a burden to me;
    I am weary of bearing them.
¹⁵ When you spread out your hands,
    I will hide my eyes from you;
even though you make many prayers,
    I will not listen;
    your hands are full of blood.
¹⁶ Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
    remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes;
cease to do evil,
¹⁷     learn to do good;
seek justice,
    correct oppression;
bring justice to the fatherless,
    plead the widow's cause.  God is telling Israel to repent of their evil deeds.  This important part of the gospel was not preached back then or in churches today and you can tell that by the language in verse 15. Repentance is so important and without it, our deeds are a burden to God and He will hide His eyes from us and not listen to our prayers.  When we repent of our sins, it is because God has opened our eyes and shown us how really sinful we are.  Without regeneration, without being born again, you are not able to see your sin as God sees it and thus you will not confess your sin.  You will not confess what you do not know or see.

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Tomorrow’s reading for Isaiah 1:18-20

“Come now, let’s settle this,”
    says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
    I will make them as white as snow.
Though they are red like crimson,
    I will make them as white as wool.
¹⁹ If you will only obey me,
    you will have plenty to eat.
²⁰ But if you turn away and refuse to listen,
    you will be devoured by the sword of your enemies.
    I, the Lord, have spoken!”

Isaiah 1:10-13

Rachel Workman: Listen to the Lord, you leaders of “Sodom.”
    Listen to the law of our God, people of “Gomorrah.”
¹¹ “What makes you think I want all your sacrifices?”
    says the Lord.
“I am sick of your burnt offerings of rams
    and the fat of fattened cattle.
I get no pleasure from the blood
    of bulls and lambs and goats.
¹² When you come to worship me,
    who asked you to parade through my courts with all your ceremony?
¹³ Stop bringing me your meaningless gifts;
    the incense of your offerings disgusts me!
As for your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath
    and your special days for fasting—
they are all sinful and false.

    I want no more of your pious meetings.

I think that's great advise. Stop adding to the word of God. We think that if do that something that looks righteous and feels righteous then it must be good right? The question is what did God already tell you to do? Within God's words lies the foundation for 100% success in everything we do. Stop doing things our way and we win. Keep doing things our way and we lose.

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Pat Bell: Listen to the Lord, you leaders of “Sodom.”
    Listen to the law of our God, people of “Gomorrah.”
¹¹ “What makes you think I want all your sacrifices?”
    says the Lord.
“I am sick of your burnt offerings of rams
    and the fat of fattened cattle.
I get no pleasure from the blood
    of bulls and lambs and goats.
¹² When you come to worship me,
    who asked you to parade through my courts with all your ceremony?
¹³ Stop bringing me your meaningless gifts;
    the incense of your offerings disgusts me!
As for your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath
    and your special days for fasting—
they are all sinful and false.
    I want no more of your pious meetings.

This reinstates to me the knowledge that he knows your heart and doesn’t make deals.

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John Burnett:  ¹⁰ Hear the word of the Lord,
    you rulers of Sodom!
Give ear to the teaching^[a] of our God,
    you people of Gomorrah!
¹¹ “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?
    says the Lord;
I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
    and the fat of well-fed beasts;
I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
    or of lambs, or of goats.  He is preparing His people for the final sacrifice needed by all, Jesus Christ.

¹² “When you come to appear before me,
    who has required of you
    this trampling of my courts?
¹³ Bring no more vain offerings;
    incense is an abomination to me.
New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations—
    I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.  The last line of verse 13 describes much of the church today.  Sin like the world during the week and a solemn assembly on Sunday.  Unfortunately, the solemn assembly is to make the people feel better about themselves by sacrificing an hour of their time each week.  It is these types of miniscule, self-righteous sacrifices that God has had enough of and does not delight in.

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Tomorrow’s reading for Isaiah 1:14-17

I hate your new moon celebrations and your annual festivals.
    They are a burden to me. I cannot stand them!
¹⁵ When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look.
    Though you offer many prayers, I will not listen,
    for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims.
¹⁶ Wash yourselves and be clean!
    Get your sins out of my sight.
    Give up your evil ways.
¹⁷ Learn to do good.
    Seek justice.
Help the oppressed.
    Defend the cause of orphans.
    Fight for the rights of widows.