Isaiah 59:1-21

There is good news and bad news.  In this case and in the case of all of humanity the bad news comes first.  Isaiah describes the current state of the nation of Israel and in so doing describes the true state of all mankind without Christ.  If we were to stop there, we would be the most miserable of all creatures, but God in His grace and mercy steps onto the stage of history and provides salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ.  God’s promises are the only source of hope mankind has.  In our own sin we have no ability or even desire to do right but God offers to transform our hearts and lives through the promise of the Gospel.

THE BAD NEWS IS DEPRAVITY: Isaiah describes the sinful nature of the nation of Israel.  Paul uses this same language to describe the sinful nature of all of mankind.  As we read this description, it is obviously very accurate.  Men prefer to walk in the darkness of their own sin instead of in the light of God’s salvation.  Our hearts are corrupt, our words are poison, our hands are violent, our feet take us to do evil and our desires are for destruction.  It is not a pretty picture of mankind, but it is a very accurate one.  The problem with this is not simply our inherit depravity but the consequences of that reality leave us condemned before God and doomed to an eternity separated from Him.


THE GOOD NEWS IS PURITY: The good news is God’s desire to make us pure and His love for us to make this happen.  He took the initiative to reconcile with us.  As He surveyed the reality of the plight of men He could find no one able to bring about this reconciliation so He took it upon Himself.  Israel’s disobedience had brought about judgment from the surrounding nations.  These nations were wicked and evil and their victory over God’s chosen people made them evil more bold in their wickedness.  God takes on the robes of justice and comes to the earth in order to set things right.  He judges the nations and He delivers His children and then promises to redeem them from their sin and make them pure from generation to generation.  It may seem as if God is not involved in the affairs of this world, but He is and one day He is coming to judge those who have rejected His means of salvation through Jesus and eternally purify all who have trusted the Lord Jesus.

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