Year 6, Day 14: Isaiah 30

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Forgiveness

• Forgiveness: Forgiveness is when our sins are absolved by God.  We do not deserve this forgiveness, but God grants it to us anyway.  We cannot earn forgiveness, but God gives it to us anyway.  As we are forgiven by God, He also asks us to forgive others.  In fact, Jesus Himself teaches us to pray for our forgiveness in the Lord’s Prayer when He says, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

Isaiah 30 contains an interesting set of perspectives.  These perspectives aren’t unusual to hear in Isaiah.  In fact, they aren’t unusual to hear in the Bible.  God complains that His people have rebelled.  God complains that His people aren’t listening.  God warns them about impending doom.  But how does this chapter end?  It ends with God looking forward to a time when He is with a remnant of people who have returned to Him.

Isn’t God glorious?  We don’t deserve His grace, yet desires to forgive us anyways.  That’s God.

But I want to take a deeper look at the human condition.  Do you hear what Isaiah says?  Human beings aren’t just rebellious.  We don’t want to hear correction.  We want the people who see us clearly and truly to be quiet.  We don’t want to hear about our depravity.  We don’t want to hear about the call to change.  It’s not just that we are undeserving.  We are actively rebellious and desiring to cover up the truth so that we can have our way.  That’s what Isaiah 30:8-14 are all about.

Yet God forgives.  He seeks ways to bring salvation into our life.  So often even when we intentionally walk a direction opposite from God He hunts us down just to show us His love.  That’s forgiveness.

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