PODCAST
Accept God’s Cleansing Way
November 29th, 2017
Isaiah 12:21-31
My mother is a great believer in bleach. Bleach kills bacteria, mold, all that yucky stuff you don’t want part of your life. A clean house requires thorough cleaning, and for her that requires bleach. However, bleach is powerful, so it must be used carefully. Bleach can spot and destroy fabrics; get enough in or on your body and it can be harmful, even deadly. Such power requires respect and careful use, a place on the highest shelf away from little hands.
God’s list of Jerusalem’s crimes in Isaiah 1:21-24 is disgusting and dispiriting. The once bright city where righteousness dwelled had become a place where corruption, murder, greed, and exploitation was common. Such foul behavior required the strongest cleansing, a purging by the fiery wrath of God against His enemies. This “strong medicine” is not pleasant, but it is necessary.
Only submission to God’s cleansing fire will restore the relationship corrupted by sin. Yet, there is hope, “Afterward you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City” (Isaiah 1:26b).
Author: Duane Brush
November 29th, 2017 at 5:18 am
The scripture reference is incorrect. It should be Isaiah 1:21-31.