An incredible offer (Isaiah 1-3; Psalm 9; Matthew 22

Just as we saw in Hosea, Isaiah shows us the dilemma God faces. How can He keep His promises to disobedient people. The LORD tells His people that the animals are better than them! “The Ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s crib, but Israel does not know.” God’s own people who He has created and called will not listen to Him. They have rebelled against Him. They are sick from top to bottom (1:5-6).

They are still religious, they still have their Sabbath worship, but God says it is offensive to Him. Far from being pleasing to God, their worship is ‘an abomination’ to Him. Sometimes we think we can pull the wool over God’s eyes, perhaps we think God doesn’t see how we are living and that we can just turn up to church and go through the motions and we’ll be all right with God. God will not be mocked. He says He will not listen to the prayers of people who are living double lives (1:15).

And yet, to such people, He makes an incredible offer. He commands them to repent, and offers to take away their sins:

“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow.” (1:18)

What an offer! The past can be wiped clean. The gospel offers a fresh start, total restoration and a glorious future. Yet it must be accepted. The LORD warned them that if they refused to repent, they would be “eaten by the sword” which is exactly what happened when the Babylonians came. And yet the Lord kept a remnant, enough for the line of the Messiah, the suffering servant to be preserved so that the offer can still stand, and anyone who comes to Jesus can be washed clean.

In our reading from Matthew 22, Jesus urges us to take Him up on that offer. He shows how foolish it is to reject His invitation, and that it is not enough to be just numbered among God’s people outwardly, we need to accept His invitation and be washed by Him. Jesus has done everything for us so that we can be forgiven. Even as He spoke these words of warning, He was on His way to the cross, to die for us, to take the punishment we deserve. But we must come to Him and let him take away our uncleanness and clothe us in His righteousness. Otherwise on the last day we will face a horrible surprise, it will be no use trying to pull the wool over God’s eyes by telling Him you are a good person. Why did Christ have to die if you could get to heaven by being good?

But Christ has died, so that your sins which are like scarlet can be made white as snow. Have you taken Him up on this most incredible offer? Who else can you encourage to come take up God’s gracious invitation?