Isaiah 1:24-31 – Be responsive to God’s dealings

God would rather that we respond to His instruction and walk obediently. In His grace, He would deploy different means to get our response. If we respond obediently, we will find His grace undergirding our journey to ensure change. But if we persist in wilful disobedience despite His gentle coaxing, the tough dealings of the Lord will become inevitable. So here in the concluding of Isaiah 1, God warned the people of Judah and outlined what He would do to purge them of their sins.

Judgment would be God’s final resort to align His people to Himself. He would pour out His wrath against the rebellious rulers with the purpose of removing the useless and impurities. Corrupt leaders would be replaced by dedicated judges and counselors. They would be like those leaders who had served Israel with integrity in the early days. Under their godly leadership, the reputation of Judah and Jerusalem as a righteous and faithful city would be restored.

The outcome of what God would do would be different for two groups of people, those who would repent and those who would resist His dealings. The contrite Zion will be restored with justice and her repentant people would be redeemed with righteousness. Those who would resist would be overwhelmed by the wrath of God and be brought to a fateful end. Verses 29-31 describe the outcomes of those who would resist and meet with the wrath of God. They would be like an oak tree with fading leaves. They would have no source, like a garden with no water supply. The strong man would become a weakling, like a breakable twig. And the work would be burnt. God was pressing home the point by showing the repercussion of unrepentance.

God has a good plan for all of us. He requires our collaboration with Him. As we trust Him and obediently and faithfully follow Him, we will reach the goal He has for us. When we stumble, repentance is required so that we can realign. But when we refuse to repent, God will have to take painful measures to bring us into alignment. If we respond to Him, the correction will take place. But if one persists in resisting and not respond, a sad outcome awaits.

These verses underscore for us the importance of walking obediently and faithfully with God. To always maintain a heart that is pliable before God so that we can respond to Him aptly with His dealings, to avoid a disastrous outcome to life. The choice is clear!