A SINFUL NATION IN A TIME OF CRISIS

PROCLAMATION

“Wash and make yourselves clean.  Take your evil deeds out of My sight; stop doing wrong.  Learn to do right; seek justice.  Defend the oppressed.  Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow … Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow … If you are willing to be obedient …”  Isaiah 1:16-19 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz lived in a time of tension and crisis during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. (Isaiah 1:1)  The brutal nation of Assyria to the north had already taken the northern kingdom of Israel into captivity.  The great nation of Babylon to the west would eventually take Judah into captivity.  The people of Judah had rebelled against The Lord God and He spoke to them, through the prophet Isaiah, offering them another chance if they would be obedient. (Isaiah 1:2-20)  The Lord God told Judah exactly how bad they had become and what would happen to them if they continued in their current sinful ways. (Isaiah 1:21-31)

APPLICATION

Today, we frequently talk about how bad the children of Israel were, but if the truth be told our country is not much better.  We are also dealing with catastrophic times and social upheaval.  Our leaders do not seem to care about the poor people.  We have rebelled against God and taken prayer and The Bible out of the schools.  There is corruption in all levels of government.  Most of the people are hardheaded or hard-hearted.  The torn down, riot burned areas of our inner cities are still in ruins decades later.  We have no morals, Sodom and Gomorrah had nothing on us by comparison.  Some of the things that go on in our churches in the name of religion has nothing to do with worshiping The Lord God.  Some of the sermons preached from the pulpits are not based on The Bible, and the people have developed itching ears. (2 Timothy 4:3)  We need to repent, to clean up our act, turn from our wicked ways, and seek The Lord God before He will hear our prayers and heal our land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)  As sinful as we are, He is offering us another chance, if we are willing to be obedient. (Isaiah 1:18-19)