Who's Fault is it?

Judah has pointed a finger at God and implied that they were doing everything right, and yet He was not blessing them. Something was not right, and instead of holding up a mirror to themselves, they blamed God for not doing right.

When Author Philip Yancey was interviewed after the tragic death of Princess Diana, the reporter asked him how God could possibly allow such a tragic accident.

“Could it have had something to do with a drunk driver going 90 mph in a narrow tunnel?.. How exactly was God involved?

Boxer Ray Mancini killed a Korean Boxer in a match then said “Sometimes I wonder why God does the things He does.”

A young woman told a Christian therapist of dating a man and becoming pregnant. “Why would God allow this to happen to me?”

Susan Smith pushed her children into a lake to drown them. She said that as the car was headed off the ramp into the water she chased after it screaming “Oh God, Oh God! NO! Why did you let this happen?”

God lets us choose and we do and our choices have brought continual pain and heartache and destruction.

The Lord’s Willingness to Save

Isaiah 59:1 HCSB

Indeed, the Lord’s hand is not too short to save, and His ear is not too deaf to hear.

The People’s Need To Repent

Isaiah 59:2 HCSB

But your iniquities have built barriers between you and your God, and your sins have made Him hide His face from you so that He does not listen.

“You” and “Your” in verse 2-3

“They” and “them” in verses 4-8

“We” and “us” in verses 9-15

It is interesting that Isaiah could have said “I don’t need to repent” I’m doing all right, but he identified with the ones to whom God had called him to preach.

In much the same way that Nehemiah confessed the sins of Israel and included himself.

SBC founded on strong slave-owner advocacy. Eventually we repented and people asked, “why repent” this generation doesn’t own slaves… same principles.

Repentance is good!

The Lord’s Plan to Save

His plan involves doing for us what we cannot do for ourselves.

Isaiah 59:16–17 HCSB

He saw that there was no man— He was amazed that there was no one interceding; so His own arm brought salvation, and His own righteousness supported Him. He put on righteousness like a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head; He put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and He wrapped Himself in zeal as in a cloak.

His plan involves judgment on the unrepentant

Isaiah 59:18–19 HCSB

So He will repay according to their deeds: fury to His enemies, retribution to His foes, and He will repay the coastlands. They will fear the name of Yahweh in the west and His glory in the east; for He will come like a rushing stream driven by the wind of the Lord.

In order for God to completely save us, He has to remove certain elements. His judgment is righteous toward the ones being judged, but also beneficial to those who receive the benefits of His salvation.

His plan involves redemption for the repentant

Isaiah 59:20–21 HCSB

“The Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those in Jacob who turn from transgression.” This is the Lord’s declaration. “As for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says the Lord: “My Spirit who is on you, and My words that I have put in your mouth, will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouth of your children, or from the mouth of your children’s children, from now on and forever,” says the Lord.

Please note that God plans a covenant where for all generations who trust the Lord, He will live forever in them.