Reassurance of God’s Forgiveness

A pastor arranged for a gathering of the women’s auxiliary. It was to be a garden party on the church lawn, under the old oak. At the last moment, the morning of the party, the preacher discovered he left Sister Hissyfit off the invitation list. The pastor called the dear s … More

Forgiveness

The implication of this passage is that when a person does not remember who God really is and what He has done, he will always fear men, rather than God (vv. 12-16). God’s people feared Babylon and not God. He asked them why they are afraid of mere human beings (vv. 12-13). They had reason to fear Babylon because of the harm it wanted to do to them, but they should have realized that God’s power is much greater than Babylon’s. The imprisoned remnant would soon be freed to return to the Promised Land in another “Exodus” (v. 14) because the Lord (vv. 15-16) is their God. He does not leave us comfortless but His goal if to teach us to draw close to Him in times of heartache.

In this passage God asked Jerusalem to be awake because He is doing something (vv. 17-23). The remnant in Babylon had prayed as though God was asleep and needed to be awakened (vv. 17-18). “Desolation, destruction, famine and the sword” spoke of the awful plight of the city (v. 19). In the terrible destruction of Jerusalem many young men had died (v. 20).

The Lord said you are drunk but not from wine (v. 21). He pronounced that the time of judgment was over (v. 22) for them and the cup of judgment would be given to her tormentors who had walked on the dead bodies in Jerusalem (v. 23). The people of Judah experienced ruin instead of prosperity, destruction instead of liberty. Because of their sins the people suffered, but God promised to restore Jerusalem as a holy city where sinners cannot enter.

Application

God considered the captivity sufficient penalty for Israel and that a new era of forgiveness and blessing is about to come down upon them. I may be going through trials and tribulations in my life, but God loves me so much that He wants to bless me in spite of my forsaking Him.

Isaiah 51:12-23 (English Standard Version)


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