Subject: Come Now, Let’s Settle this: God’s Settlement Offer
Text: Isaiah 1: 1-20 These are the visions that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. He saw these visions during the years when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah. 2 Listen, O heavens! Pay attention, earth! This is what the Lord says: “The children I raised and cared for have rebelled against me. 3 Even an ox knows its owner, and a donkey recognizes its master’s care—but Israel doesn’t know its master. My people don’t recognize my care for them.”4 Oh, what a sinful nation they are—loaded down with a burden of guilt. They are evil people, corrupt children who have rejected the Lord. They have despised the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him. 5 Why do you continue to invite punishment? Must you rebel forever? Your head is injured, and your heart is sick. 6 You are battered from head to foot—covered with bruises, welts, and infected wounds— without any soothing ointments or bandages.7 Your country lies in ruins, and your towns are burned. Foreigners plunder your fields before your eyes and destroy everything they see.
8 Beautiful Jerusalem stands abandoned like a watchman’s shelter in a vineyard, like a lean-to in a cucumber field after the harvest, like a helpless city under siege. 9 If the Lord of Heaven’s Armies had not spared a few of us, we would have been wiped out like Sodom, destroyed like Gomorrah. 10 Listen to the Lord, you leaders of “Sodom.” Listen to the law of our God, people of “Gomorrah.”11 “What makes you think I want all your sacrifices?” says the Lord. “I am sick of your burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fattened cattle. I get no pleasure from the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.12 When you come to worship me, who asked you to parade through my courts with all your ceremony?13 Stop bringing me your meaningless gifts; the incense of your offerings disgusts me! As for your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath and your special days for fasting—they are all sinful and false. I want no more of your pious meetings. 14 I hate your new moon celebrations and your annual festivals. They are a burden to me. I cannot stand them!15 When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look. Though you offer many prayers, I will not listen, for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims. 16 Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways. 17 Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.18 “Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.19 If you will only obey me, you will have plenty to eat. 20 But if you turn away and refuse to listen, you will be devoured by the sword of your enemies. I, the Lord, have spoken!”
Introduction: God’s offer to settle the case between God verses Judah. “Come now, let’s settle this.” "Settling a case" means ending a dispute before the end of a trial. Each side has to take time to investigate the facts of the case and research the law surrounding the case. Initial papers are filed with the court months before trial can begin. All of this time gives the parties room to undertake settlement negotiations. Why settle a case? God filed suit because He has been wronged in many ways, and no other good solution has been found. Settling a case may offer a way to avoid Judah’s destruction while God still gets some compensation for the wrong that was committed. As far as defending parties are concerned, settling a case may also eliminate the costs of a trial and may also be a way to avoid the risk of potentially greater losses via a jury verdict.
The book of Isaiah is one of the most fascinating of all the Old Testament Books of Prophecy. It has 66 chapters, 39 chapters deals with the history and judgment to Judah, Jerusalem, and the surrounding nations. 27 chapters deal with the promised Messiah and His coming kingdom. The Prophet Isaiah was a well-trained and well-to-do statesman. Isaiah means which "Salvation of the Lord." He was a prophet of royal heritage according to Jewish tradition. Not only was Isaiah related to King Uzziah, he had easy access to the kings of Judah and Jerusalem. Isaiah was designated a seer of Judah and Jerusalem. Isaiah’s prophecies are filled with instructions, reproofs, and threatening for God's disobedient people. The last 27 chapters deal with god’s promises of comfort and restoration.
Isaiah prophesied during the reign of four kings of Israel: Uzziah, Jothan, Ahaz and Hezekiah. From the death of Uzziah to the reign of Hezekiah was 47 years. Isaiah's ministry lasted more than 60 years. Though Isaiah was of royal heritage, with a good reputation, few people were willing to hear his message. He was forced to call heaven and earth to witness God's complaint against his covenant people. The nation of Judah is in poor spiritual health with only one hope of recovery.
The literary style used by Isaiah is like the legal proceedings of a courtroom in which Isaiah assumes the role of God's prosecuting attorney. The heavens and the earth are called to hear the case of God verses Judah and Jerusalem. Isaiah begins by stating clearly that God was completely innocent of any provocation. Rebellion is understandable when people have endured great suffering and abuse. Isaiah addresses Israel because she has received the best care and treat, without provocation, she rebelled against God.
God’s indictment against Israel included several accusations (1) Rebellion Isa. 1:2 (2) Ingratitude, Selfishness or Thoughtlessness Isa 1:3 (3) Universal Corruption and Open Wickedness Isa 1:4 (4) National Backsliding, Isa 1:4.
God’s attempts to correct Judah’s actions has been unsuccessful. Chastisement, economic sanctions, and prophetic calls made little difference. Now “The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.” Every effort had failed to produce any positive result. The sad situation came about because of the judgments of God. Israel’s sin and disobedience had almost brought the nation to utter ruin. This is not a picture of a people affected by some devastating disease. It is a portrait of a rebellious people being flogged into bad health. The prophet reminds the nation that things could have been worse, but God chose to preserve a faithful remnant. Isa 1:9 “Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.”
If there is any hope of a better outcome, Judah and Jerusalem must thorough examine their ways and actions. The word of God will examine them. Heb 4:12 “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”
The examination revealed that both the rulers and the people had lost their way. They had forgotten the purpose of worship, ritual, and sacrifices. The Sin offering, The Guilt offering, The burnt offering, The grain offering, The peace offering was all misused and abused. True worship had been replaced by empty religious rituals. They had a form of religion but no power or presence of God. They maintained only a shadow of religion filled with defects because they lacked a heart commitment. God called their oblations vain; their incense an abomination; their Sabbaths and solemn assemblies were filled with iniquity and their prayers were unanswered. The God who said “that men should always pray” and that “Praise is comely” Now says, Isa 1:13 “Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.” What is God’s offer? Full pardon and total forgiveness! God said, “Come now, let’s settle this.” What the conditions of the settlement?
1. Wash you – “Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways.” It is an earnest call to repentance and reformation. Repentance, practical and thorough, is a great gospel duty, and a grain of it is better than a ton of ceremonies. He is setting before them life and death; life, if they agree and comply with the recommendations and death, if they refuse and persist in their ways. Our generation is sometimes guilty of trying to gain the blessing and life without repentance. That’s like putting healing ointment on dirty wounds. Repentance removes sin. What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Take off the sin and put on good deeds!
2. Learn to do well – “17 Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.” Learning to do good by living soberly, righteously, and godly. In other words, demonstrate your religion to God by practicing goodness and justice to men. Help those who cannot help themselves and love your neighbor as you love yourself. If you are really walking in holiness and true religion in word, then walk in charity and love with your brethren. Put on good deeds.
3. Come now and let us reason together - Isa 1:18-20 “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. 19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: 20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.”
To those who sincerely repent of their sins and come to God through Christ, his grace and mercy have no limits. He will pardon the guiltiest and sanctify the most polluted. "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift!" If you are fully resolved to obey all my commands, you shall eat the good of the Land. Besides a full pardon, you shall receive temporal blessings and worldly goods.
These verses seem almost out of place, and the offer seems too good to be true. This text gives us a clear revelation of our heavenly Father’s loving kindness and tender mercy. Israel was guilty on all counts. All the evidence has been against them. The prosecutor has clearly won his case, but now he offers a settlement from the offended party. The offer is more than anyone would have expected. Total pardon and complete restoration.
This message is good news for every sinner and every backslider who finds themselves bound in sin and crippled by habits. The evidence of our lives would convict us too. Yet, this text shows more than pardon for the guilty covenant people. The text shows the undying love of God and his willingness to help us in whatever position we find ourselves. Men may not be willing to reason with you, but God will. If you are willing come now, accept God’s offer to all. 18 “Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.19 If you will only obey me, you will have plenty to eat. 20 But if you turn away and refuse to listen, you will be devoured by the sword of your enemies. I, the Lord, have spoken!” Amen.
