JESUS and Cleansing (Is.1)

Isaiah had a vision and began with describing the sinfulness of the Israelites.

(Isaiah 4:4)  Alas, sinful nation, people weighed down with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, sons who act corruptly!  They have abandoned the Lord, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they have turned away from Him.

Isaiah even compared the Israelites to farm animals.  (Interesting side note:  because people used donkeys to travel, it was PROBABLY a donkey who eventually brought the soon-to-be-born Messiah to Bethlehem's manger.  Curious!!!)

(Isaiah 1:1-2)  Listen, O heavens, and hear, O earth; for the Lord speaks, “Sons I have reared and brought up, but they have revolted against Me.  3 An ox knows its owner, and a donkey its master’s manger, but Israel does not know, My people do not understand.”

The Israelites had strayed so far away from God that God had left a few survivors!  Although, this shows how patient God is.  As well, how faithful God is, because God made a promise to Abraham and his descendants, and therefore does not get rid of them completely.

(Isaiah 1:9)  Unless the Lord of hosts had left us a few survivors, we would be like Sodom, we would be like Gomorrah.

This quote is used in the New Testament to refer to the Christian Jews (in the Church Age)...

(Romans 9:27-29)  Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “Though the number of the sons of Israel be like the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that will be saved; 28 for the Lord will execute His word on the earth, thoroughly and quickly.” 29 And just as Isaiah foretold,

“Unless the Lord of Sabaoth had left to us a posterity, we would have become like Sodom, and would have resembled Gomorrah.”

And in the Tribulation, God will seal the 144,000 Israelites in order to preserve the people through the days of wrath in order to fulfill the covenant to them in the Millennium...

(Matthew 24:21-22)  For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. 22 Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.

So back to the book of Isaiah.  The Israelites had strayed so far away from God that God hated their sacrifices to Him because they were not believers and they were not sincere in their practices...

(Isaiah 1:11-15)   “What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?” says the Lord.  “I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed cattle;  and I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs or goats.
12 “When you come to appear before Me,  who requires of you this trampling of My courts?
13 “Bring your worthless offerings no longer, incense is an abomination to Me.  New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies—I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly.
14 “I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts, they have become a burden to Me;  I am weary of bearing them.
15 “So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen.  Your hands are covered with blood..."

Now the prophecy turns to what we should be doing, even now...

(Isaiah 1:16-20) “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;  remove the evil of your deeds from My sight.  Cease to do evil,
17 Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, defend the orphan, Plead for the widow.

18 “Come now, and let us reason together,” says the Lord, “Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow;  though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.
19 “If you consent and obey, you will eat the best of the land;
20 “But if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.”  Truly, the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

Among the verses above is a definition of salvation through Jesus.  Jesus will wash our sins away when we ask for forgiveness.  When we become Christians - we are (right then) completely "clean", meaning, we are children of God and nothing can undo that.  Although, we will still sin, so we must continually ask Jesus to "clean up" those sins for a better relationship (in a relationship that we already have)...

(John 13:3-10)  Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, 4 got up from supper, and *laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself,  5 Then He *poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 6 So He came to Simon Peter. He *said to Him, “Lord, do You wash my feet?”7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.” 8 Peter said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” 9 Simon Peter *said to Him, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.” 10 Jesus said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean..."

For us as Christians, let us continually clean up our act...

(1 John 1:9)  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

After the rapture and during the Tribulation, when the Israelites see their "signs" that their Messiah (Jesus) is coming (for the second time), and they then believe and turn obediently to Him...

(Isaiah 1:27-28)  Zion will be redeemed with justice and her repentant ones with righteousness.  28 But transgressors and sinners will be crushed together,
And those who forsake the Lord will come to an end.  

But do not think one can just wait... Why not be clean now.  Believe in Jesus now.