ESOCS Devotional 1 December 2024 – The Path of Salvation
MEMORY VERSE: “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”(Isaiah 1:18 KJV
TEXT: ISAIAH 1:1-20
The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth!
For the Lord has spoken:
“I have nourished and brought up children,
And they have rebelled against Me;
3 The ox knows its owner
And the donkey its master’s crib;
But Israel does not know,
My people do not consider.”
4 Alas, sinful nation,
A people laden with iniquity,
A brood of evildoers,
Children who are corrupters!
They have forsaken the Lord,
They have provoked to anger
The Holy One of Israel,
They have turned away backward.
5 Why should you be stricken again?
You will revolt more and more.
The whole head is sick,
And the whole heart faints.
6 From the sole of the foot even to the head,
There is no soundness in it,
But wounds and bruises and putrefying sores;
They have not been closed or bound up,
Or soothed with ointment.
7 Your country is desolate,
Your cities are burned with fire;
Strangers devour your land in your presence;
And it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.
8 So the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard,
As a hut in a garden of cucumbers,
As a besieged city.
9 Unless the Lord of hosts
Had left to us a very small remnant,
We would have become like Sodom,
We would have been made like Gomorrah.
10 Hear the word of the Lord,
You rulers of Sodom;
Give ear to the law of our God,
You people of Gomorrah:
11 “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?”
Says the Lord.
“I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
And the fat of fed cattle.
I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
Or of lambs or goats.
12 “When you come to appear before Me,
Who has required this from your hand,
To trample My courts?
13 Bring no more futile sacrifices;
Incense is an abomination to Me.
The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies—
I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting.
14 Your New Moons and your appointed feasts
My soul hates;
They are a trouble 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 hear.
Your hands are full of blood.
16 “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;
Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes.
Cease to do evil,
17 Learn to do good;
Seek justice,
Rebuke the oppressor;
Defend the fatherless,
Plead for the widow.
18 “Come now, and let us reason 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 be as 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 devoured by the sword”;
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
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Since the transgression of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, man has been separated from God through his rebellious, sinful nature into which he is born (Psalm 51:5). God, in His ultimate righteousness, cannot abide to be in the presence of anything unholy, rebellious and disobedient.
In our text, God talks about the people of Israel whom He brought up and nourished; yet, they rebelled against Him (Isaiah 1:2). They refused to acknowledge Him as their Master (v 3). They chose the path of sin and corruption, filled with all kinds of wickedness. This is what we also see in our present world today.
As a result of man’s evil ways, the society/nation is suffering, even though there are so many churches in the world. The state of wickedness has continued to be on the increase (Isaiah 1:7). As long as man refuses to acknowledge God as His Lord and Saviour, no sacrifices offered to Him will make any difference; and when we spread forth our hands, He will hide His eyes from us; when we make prayers, He will not hear because our hands are full of blood (v 15).
But there is good news!!! Jesus is calling us to return to the Father. He says, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18). What a loving Father! He pleads with us despite all our filthiness. He is still ready to accept us and cleanse us from all our filthiness. That is why He went to the cross to die on our behalf so that we will no longer have to be condemned. He is ready to wash us and make us clean; change our nature from sin to righteousness.
When we make the choice of accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior, and begin to walk in the path of righteousness through the help of the Holy Spirit, which will be living in us when we receive Jesus into our lives, and become willing and obedient to His instructions. We will be able to enjoy the blessings of God (v 19).
- Have you made the decision to follow the path of salvation? Are you really doing His will?
- Lord Jesus, I choose You as my Lord and Savior. Help me to continually walk in Your path of righteousness.
Further Reading: Isaiah 2:10–end; John 3:1–21; Revelation 14:1–15:4
ESOCS Devotional 1 December 2024
