Through the Bible: Isaiahনমুনা

## Hopelessness and The Way Out > Why do you keep on rebelling? Do you want to be punished even more? Israel, your head is already covered with wounds, and your heart and mind are sick. > The Lord says, “Now, let’s settle the matter. You are stained red with sin, but I will wash you as clean as snow. Although your stains are deep red, you will be white as wool.” > Isaiah 1:5, 18 (GNT) God’s people were hopeless in the eighth century BC. Although ‘BC’ (before Christ’) is often used as a timestamp, it also has a spiritual meaning here. They had forsaken Yahweh. Their trust was in wealth, weapons, worldly achievements, and wearing expensive jewellery. They openly did evil in His eyes. In view of their sin, Isaiah called for repentance. Furthermore, God sent just punishment, hoping they would come to their senses and return to Him. They did not. God’s people could not fix themselves and kept rebelling. What was the way out? God himself intervened. The name Isaiah means, ‘Yahweh is salvation.’ At the core of the Christian faith is God loving us first. It is not our doing, but He who puts us right through Jesus Christ. When we trust in Jesus, our sins are forgiven by His blood. Moreover, He gives us the Holy Spirit so that we may dwell in true life and peace. ### Prayer Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Jesus to save us. We are sorry for the times we rely on ourselves or things of the world. We humbly remind ourselves of Your grace, freely given and setting us free. Now we are sent in Jesus’ name! Amen.