Let us reason...

May 27, 2021 (Thursday)

 

Let’s be honest, America as we know it has long been the land of privilege. We talk about “white privilege,” where those with white skin get to do things others do not have readily available. I think it’s ironic while our country vaccinates and greatly diminishes this pandemic, we do not object to “American privilege.”  

 

Isaiah addresses the issue of “injustice.” It is clear that “injustice” is a result of sin. Let’s take a look. Today we begin with a warning, “When you extend your hands, I’ll hide my eyes from you. Even when you pray for a long time, I won’t listen. Your hands are stained with blood.” [Isaiah 1:15 CEB] Be clear about this: throughout scripture, God always takes the side of those with less to no power. In fact, the less power the more God burns for justice.

 

Isaiah continues, “Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil.” [Isaiah 1:16 ESV] We need cleaned up because of our evil. The image is “wash.” That’s a universal image. The idea of putting our evil deeds out of God’s sight is impossible. However, the image here is to stop sinning.

 

When you remove something sick, you must replace it with something healthy. So, Isaiah continues, “learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.” [Isaiah 1:17 ESV] If we are to stop our evil (sin), then we must replace it with healthy corrective behaviors.

 

Seeking justice means we seek to do right. Correcting oppression is difficult because it requires cooperation from everyone involved. It means systemic change in culture. It means looking for answers outside the systems that put us in a bad place.

 

Remember the fatherless and the widow’s? They were the most vulnerable of their society. They were the powerless that were preyed upon. Many of them ended up in slavery or a never ending cycle of poverty and its culture. Go back to verse 15. It doesn’t matter how much we pray or worship, as long as our contribution to injustice survives… God will hide His eyes from us.

 

All that is context to one of the “evangelical” church’s favorite verses, “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.” [Isaiah 1:18 ESV] God invites us into conversation with the intention of settling the matter.

 

I’m encouraged. No matter how far we have fallen, no matter how long the slide, no matter how ugly the reality; there is hope. God’s intention is for redemption and forgiveness. He gives us a choice (see verses 19, 20). Here’s the thing, we tend to individualize these verses. Nothing wrong with that, but recognize these words were written to a nation (a collection of individuals).

 

At this time in history, the southern kingdom of Israel was at the height of his military power, economic strength, and religious energy. Yet something toxic was loose that would soon demoralize them, land them in dark places, and destroy them as a country.

 

How far down the road is your country? What is it going to take to turn it around?