Consent and Obey

Steven’s Scribbles
“Consent and Obey” 
Isaiah 1:18-20


    ‘“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. If you consent and obey, you will eat the best of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” Truly, the mouth of the Lord has spoken’ (Isaiah 1:18-20). Often we tend to focus on verse 18, and leave out the warning in 19-20. Isaiah, prophesying to Israel, says that there are conditions to their sins being wiped away. They had to consent and obey the Lord, otherwise, they would experience death. There are parallels to be drawn for us (Rom. 15:4). God expects us to obey Jesus in order to receive salvation (Heb. 5:9). If we choose to stay in our sin, like Israel, we too will die. The difference is we will experience spiritual death (Rom. 6:23). Often we focus on the bigger words in the Bible. Words like: propitiation (1 John 2:1), Leviathan (Job 41), atonement (Lev. 17:11), etc.. I would encourage you to pay attention to the “small words,” like: if, and, but, thus, etc. Often these words can be even more informative. For example, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). That conditional statement informs me that my actions must follow my words concerning my love for Jesus. What was true for physical Israel of the Old Testament, is true for spiritual Israel of the New Testament (Gal. 3:26-29; 6:14). If we want to have our sins washed as white as wool, we must consent to the Lord’s word, and obey it. I love you all! 


In His service,
Steven Hugley