“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,” (1:18).

As we begin the book of Isaiah, a bit of background will be helpful. But first, as way of reminder: I am not a Bible scholar, but merely a student and lover of His Word. We will not even begin to attempt to uncover or interpret every bit of prophecy in this book.

The goal of The Planting Place is to encourage commitment to, and love for, the God of the Bible through a three-year journey in the Scriptures, with an intentionality to consider one marvelous facet of Him in each day’s reading. But I do have a strong hunch that there will be a lot of digging required in the next sixty-six days… so, let’s dig into this book that prophesies of “God’s imminent judgment­—but eventual restoration—for the people of Judah and Jerusalem… during the reigns of four kings of Judah,” NIV Study Bible.

The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz concerning Judah and Jerusalem, which he saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, (1:1).

After reading this first chapter in Isaiah, I couldn’t help but be reminded of my times babysitting my four-year-old twins, Eleanora and Asher. At some point, my authority is typically called into question and the boundaries tested as their busy minds wonder if their SoSo (my designated grandmother name) really means what she says. In those times, I carefully lay out the predicted consequences if they insist on crossing the line. It’s not at all that I want to punish them, but at that point it’s totally up to them as to whether or not they wind up on the receiving end of the wrath of SoSo.

It is a love and care for them that so desires they learn to live a disciplined and well-managed life, as well as concern for their safety, that prompt both the warning and the allocated discipline when needed. But at the very core of every warning and every consequence is always a desire for their best. Yea, this chapter was kind of like that.

The Lord calls all of heaven and earth to listen as He lays out the strong case for His coming wrath in His straightforward analysis of His children’s rejection, rebellion and refusal to return to Him. And the description is detailed and lengthy and shocking. And perhaps the most shocking of all is that He Bids them to come to Him, to reason together with Him, the Almighty God of the universe, that they might hear His Word and be cleansed.

Isaiah 1:18 is a very familiar passage to many of us. It is this amazing invitation extended to a sinful people to come and be convinced by Holy God to turn from their wicked ways, “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord…”

Again, I can’t help but wonder, why; why He even bothers; but I am oh so thankful that He does. And His invitation is to exchange their sins for His cleansing.

“…Though your sins are as scarlet,
They will be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,”
They will be like wool,” (1:18).

I had often wondered about the association of our sins to the color red, the color of blood. And I questioned if this was a prophetic mention of the blood that His Son would shed on the cross. While this may surely bring to mind our Savior’s sacrifice, when this Hebrew word is used, it has a very specific intent.

From Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance:
Scarlet: “8144. שָׁנִי šāniy: A masculine noun meaning scarlet. It describes a bright red color with a tinge of orange in it. It was used to color ribbons, threads, etc., in the ancient world and was easily seen (Gen. 38:28, 30; Lev. 14:4)…”
Crimson: “8438. תּוֹלָע tôlāʿ,  תּוֹלֵעָה tôlēʿāh,  תּוֹלַעַת tôlaʿaṯ: I. A masculine noun meaning crimson, purple, scarlet. It refers to the color of one’s sins that stands out in a shocking way, drawing attention to its intensity…”

Both these words used convey images of something that is easily seen, a kind of identifying mark that draws attention to the shocking intensity displayed.

And God graphically describes this shocking intensity displayed in the sins of His people.

How the faithful city has become a harlot,
She who was full of justice!
Righteousness once lodged in her,
But now murderers.
²² Your silver has become dross,
Your drink diluted with water.
²³ Your rulers are rebels
And companions of thieves;
Everyone loves a bribe
And chases after rewards.
They do not defend the orphan,
Nor does the widow’s plea come before them,” (1:21-23).

But even so, even to a most rebellious people, and even to us, so Marked by our sin, He Bids us to come and Be Marked by His Mercy.

Consider Him Who Bids Us to Be Marked by His Mercy

“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,” (1:18).

• He Bids Us to Be Marked by His Mercy rather than our Mutiny.
  • “Listen, O heavens, and hear, O earth;
    For the Lord speaks,
    “Sons I have reared and brought up,
    But they have revolted against Me,” (1:2).

• He Bids Us to Be Marked by His Mercy rather than our Misunderstanding.
  • “An ox knows its owner,
    And a donkey its master’s manger,
    But Israel does not know,
    My people do not understand,” (1:3).

• He Bids Us to Be Marked by His Mercy rather than our Maladies.
  • “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.
    ⁵ …The whole head is sick
    And the whole heart is faint,” (1:4-5).

• He Bids Us to Be Marked by His Mercy rather than our Misery.
  • “Your land is desolate,
    Your cities are burned with fire,
    Your fields—strangers are devouring them in your presence;
    It is desolation, as overthrown by strangers,” (1:7).

• He Bids Us to Be Marked by His Mercy rather than our Masquerade.
  • “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,” (1:11-14).

• He Bids Us to Be Marked by His Mercy as His Miraculous Masterpiece
  • “Zion will be redeemed with justice
    And her repentant ones with righteousness,” (1:27).

How do we respond to Him Who Bids Us to Be Marked by His Mercy?

How could we possibly reject such an offer? But the sad truth is, we so often do. Have you ever wondered what is it about repentance that we find so challenging? When we think of what He offers and what awaits us when we turn to Him, why do we even stop to debate? Why do we desire to massage our mess rather than Be Marked by His Mercy as His Miraculous Masterpiece? But the flesh dies hard.

God called His people through His prophet, Isaiah, to wash themselves and make themselves clean, and to adjust their behavior accordingly.

“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, (1:16-17).

Was God asking His people to wash and clean themselves in their own strength? Of course, not; for that is a human impossibility.

What God had called them to was a sorrow according to His will, a sorrow that would lead them to repentance, a sorrow that understands the depth of need for His forgiveness, a sorrow that comes in total dependence on what only He can do, a sorrow that then bears fruit in keeping with repentance.

For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death, (2 Corinthians 7:10).

“Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance,” (Matthew 3:8).

And when that happens, we are made fit for reason.

“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,” (1:18).

Oh, let us ask Him to soften our hearts every day with a godly sorrow that leads to repentance; that rather than being identified in the shocking intensity of our Mutiny, Misunderstanding, Maladies, Misery, and Masquerade, we would be made fit to come to Him Who Bids Us to Be Marked by His Mercy that we would live daily as those who have Been Made Alive in Christ as His Miraculous Masterpiece.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)…  ¹⁰ For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them, (Ephesians 2:4-5, 10).

Let’s Grow Together!