Daily Devotions
Isaiah
"When the Lord has washed away the filth"
Text: Isaiah 4:4
A NECESSARY WORK OF CLEANSING
Isaiah went on to explain an important and necessary work of the LORD in His divine plan. Forgiveness of sins is only an initial piece of work of God. There is another part that is just as vital!
“And it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion
and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy—
everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem.
When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion,
and purged the blood of Jerusalem from her midst,
by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning.”
Isaiah 4:3-4
1. God’s Goal.
a) God wants His people to be holy, as He is holy (Leviticus 19:2).
b) Those who will live in Zion (Jerusalem) will be called “holy”.
c) Their names would be recorded among the living.
i) These would survive the war.
ii) They would be brought back to Zion.
iii) They would seek to live holy lives as a response to God’s redemption.
2. God’s work of cleansing.
a) The filth of the daughters was mentioned (Cf. Isaiah 3).
i) The worldliness of the womenfolk.
ii) Their sinful behaviour was regarded as “filth”.
b) The cleansing work described:
i) Washing
ii) Purging
iii) These two words describe the thorough work that God must do
for the dwellers in Zion.
iv) This work would take years!
c) The blood of Jerusalem.
i) This is a reference to the mayhem that existed prior to the Babylonian captivity.
ii) There was much injustice, oppression etc.
iii) Many innocent people were slain by the wicked people in power.
iv) This cleansing must be done thoroughly.
d) The first means of cleansing described: “By the spirit of judgment”.
i) God would have to inform the people of how He would judge.
ii) They would have to admit and to confess that they were guilty of sins.
e) The second means described: “By the spirit of burning”.
i) Burning is one way of cleansing.
ii) It may be a painful experience but it must be endured.