Isaiah 1:18

Isaiah 1:18 (ESV):  “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.”

The love of God is astonishing. It’s so powerful that God invites us to “reason” with Him—not on the basis of our goodness, but through the blood of His Son. You can’t out-sin this kind of love.

Isaiah was God’s prophet nearly 700 years before Jesus came. He was the last major prophet to speak to both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms of Israel. About 20 years into Isaiah’s ministry, the Assyrians conquered the Northern Kingdom, and roughly 100 years later, the Southern Kingdom (Judah) fell to Babylon—all because they refused to repent and follow God.

Isaiah served as a forerunner in a sense—preparing the way for God’s message of redemption—much like John the Baptist would do before the arrival of Christ. Through Isaiah, God pleads with His people: “Come now, let us reason together… though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18). Even then, God was pointing them forward to the cleansing power of the Messiah’s blood.

How unreasonable is it that God would offer His own Son for our sins? And yet, this is the very means by which He has chosen to reconcile us to Himself. It’s the ultimate demonstration of His love (Romans 5:8). There is nothing God won’t do to be in relationship with you—except force you to believe. Because true love always involves a choice.  He has provided a full pardon and cleansing for your sin. Come and reason with Him—through Jesus Christ—and let your sins be washed away.

Father, what can we say but thank You? You have done the unthinkable. May we live in such a way that our lives say, “We love You back.” And when we fall short, draw us again to the table to reason with You through the blood of Christ. In Jesus’ name, amen.