Isaiah’s message is laced with Good News. Like, how the Messiah would take all our sins upon Himself, and we can be saved. That’s Good News.

But first, there’s Bad News. Because God is ‘holy, holy, holy,’ He will not tolerate the sins of the world. He will not let the guilty go free. He will cleanse the earth of sinners.

How does this relate to you? You are in one of three categories:
1) Sure you’re not saved
2) Not sure if you’re saved
3) Sure you’re saved.

Here at CBC, we want you to be sure you’re saved from the Bad News.

I. Hear God (vv. 1-3).

One author said God is here pictured as someone doing the dishes. The earth is like a dirty pot that God will empty out and scrub clean.

The earth shall be utterly empty and utterly plundered [literally: empty-empty; plundered-plundered]
for the LORD has spoken this word -- if God speaks it, it will absolutely come to pass.

Judging the guilty is what every good judge does. Or every good referee.

II. Fear God (vv. 4-6). ‘Woe is me, for I am undone!’ (Isaiah 6:5)

The earth lies defiled [strong word, polluted] under its inhabitants;

1) they have transgressed the laws - crossed over the lines God drew in His Word

2) violated the statutes - changed God’s rules to be what they wanted

3) broken the everlasting [or, ancient] covenant

III. Draw near to God. ‘Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you’ (James 4:8).

When you hear God and fear God, you find the Good News: God saves those who draw near to Him in Christ.

God told Noah, build a boat. Noah acted in faith.

What must we do to be saved? We don’t build a boat; we believe in Jesus.

Admit you’re a sinner.

Believe that Jesus died and rose again to take away your sins.

This is the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:3-4): “that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,”

Call on Jesus to save you. (whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved)

* What will you be clinging to when God’s judgment comes? Let go of anything else and draw near to God by faith in Jesus! Then you can be sure you’re saved from the Bad News.