White As Snow

September 8

Isaiah 1-2

Psalm 103:1-5

Proverbs 22:7-8

Ephesians 5:21-33

White As Snow

“’Come now, and let us reason together,’ says Yahweh, ‘Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.” 

Isaiah 1:18 LSB

The book of Isaiah is filled with prophecies about the coming Messiah.  Isaiah 7:14 foretells the virgin who will bear a Son and name Him Immanuel or “God with us.”  9:6-7 describes a child born who will bear the government on His shoulders who will be called “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”  11:1-10 describes a righteous ruler who will rule with justice resulting in peace.  Chapters 52-53 speak of a servant who is despised and rejected bearing the sins of others.  While Isaiah 1:18 is not a direct messianic prophecy, it is a foreshadowing of the forgiveness and cleansing offered to those who repent and believe, which is only possible because of the coming of the Messiah and His death, burial and resurrection.  The sacrificial system spoken about in verses 11-14 was not successful in producing righteousness.  Instead of changing their hearts and making them truly repentant, the sacrifices had become meaningless rituals and had not brought about holiness.  Hebrews 10:1-18 explains that the Old Testament sacrifices were a continual reminder of the problem of sin but they did nothing to resolve their ultimate need for atonement.  “And every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices which can never take away sins, but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until His enemies are put as a footstool for His feet.  For by one offering He has perfected to all time those who are beng sanctified.  And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying, ‘This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord:  I will put My laws upon their heart, and on their mind I will write them,’  He then says, ‘And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.’  Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.”  Hebrews 10:11-18 LSB 

Righteousness is only possible because of the blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross to take away the sins of the world providing atonement once for all so that we can be made right with God.  This is not by anything we have done or any merit on our part.  “And be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own which is from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God upon faith.”  Philippians 3:9 LSB  “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”  2 Corinthians 5:21 LSB   When I accept Jesus’ sacrifice and believe, I am made righteous to stand before God clothed with His righteousness.  (Romans 5)  “My sins were as scarlet, red like crimson, but are made as white as snow, like pure wool.”  Thank you Jesus!