The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head [there is] no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city. 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. (Isaiah 1:1-9)
The prophet Isaiah wrote during the decline of the northern kingdom of Israel and the expansion of the Assyrian Empire. He warned the southern kingdom of Judah that their sin would bring them also into captivity at the hands of the Babylonians. Refusing to know and understand God soon resulted in Judah's rebellion, and their ultimate exile from their land. Yet, under the rebuke of the Lord from Isaiah's prophecy was the promise of redemption for anyone who chose to repent and receive salvation.
Our nation has fallen into the same conundrum as the nation of Judah. When people no longer live for God, they live for themselves. Power and money become the priority. We have predominantly chosen riches over righteousness, selfishness over sanctification, and compromise over consecration. Our leaders and the people have fallen far from the faithfulness that the Lord requires of a godly nation.
What happens when a nation turns against God? Injustice prevails, the economy reverses, and natural disasters spread. The nation becomes overrun with strange values and immorality - then judgment sets in. A decision must be made to halt the progression of evil so that restoration can be possible. With a small remnant, a holy God can rebuild and redeem the land and the people to fulfill His purpose.
God will redeem His people in a way to show His righteousness, holiness, and justice. He will purge the land of rebels and sinners, and He will replace them with what He prefers. Those who stand with the Lord will be able to endure the trials of the nation. They will be strengthened and preserved to help start a new thing. Will you be among the righteous whom God will save to make all things new?
Look now over your life and measure yourself against the word and the will of God. Are you a part of the national problem? Is your personal life and your home connected to the nation's demise. Will this land be judged because of your behavior?
Now is the time to chose life over death. You can change your mind and become a part of the remedy. Allow God to purge and cleanse your heart to help you hear His voice in the midst of the clamor and chaos. Isaiah 1:27 declares that "Zion shall be redeemed!" It will be with judgment, but the end will be glorious!