Behold Your God: Who Turns Scarlet to Snow

Bible Passage: Isaiah 1:10-20

I. Introduction

1. Last week, God diagnosed the problem (vv. 1–9). This week, He exposes the religion used to cover it up, and offers something better.
2. Read the Text: Isaiah 1:10-20 (NIV)

Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah! 11 “The multitude of your sacrifices— what are they to me?” says the LORD. “I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. 12 When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? 13 Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations— I cannot bear your worthless assemblies. 14 Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals I hate with all my being. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. 15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood! 16 Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. 17 Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed.[a] Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. 18 “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land; 20 but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

II. The Summons: God demands our attention: God addresses the rulers and the people as “Sodom” and “Gomorrah.” Not destroyed like Sodom, but corrupt like Sodom—yet still salvageable. v. 10

1. Everyone, leaders and people alike, shares responsibility for the corruption.
2. In a noisy culture, listening to God is hard, and it is urgent.

III. The problem: God’s escalating rejection of empty religion (vv. 11–15) (see also Amos 5:21–24; Mic 6:6–8; Jer 7:21–23)

1. Offerings (v. 11): Ritual without righteousness is insufficient.

a. The shock: God Himself commanded these sacrifices (Deut 10:12–13).
b. Even the best and most expensive offerings are rejected.
c. You cannot bring holy offerings with unholy hands (1 Sam 15:22).

2. Presence (v. 12): God commanded them to come, but never like this. Their presence had become trampling.
3. Calendar (v. 13): Every observance is cancelled. God’s holiness cannot sit next to injustice dressed up as worship.
4. Heart (v. 14): Not just legal rejection, but divine weariness. God bears the weight of their hypocrisy.
5. Prayer (v. 15): The last door closes. The hands spread in prayer are full of blood.

IV. The solution: A complete demand for transformation (vv. 16–17).

1. A complete demand for transformation – some things must stop (v. 16):

a. Wash yourselves—active cleansing from corruption.
b. Make yourselves clean—genuine purity from within.
c. Take your evil deeds out of my sight—stop specific injustices.
d. Stop doing wrong—the foundational principle underlying all.

2. A complete demand for transformation – some things must start (v. 17):

a. Learn to do right—relearn what righteousness looks like.
b. Seek justice—the central principle.
c. Defend the oppressed—confront unjust structures.
d. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.

V. The promise: Astonishing cleansing and a covenant choice (vv. 18–20)

1. The invitation: “Come now, let us settle the matter.” The Judge offers to make the guilty clean.
2. The promise: “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.”

a. The gospel in Isaiah: No matter how guilty, stained, or far from God you are, complete transformation is possible through God’s grace.

3. The choice (vv. 19–20): The if/then of choice

a. The path of blessing: “If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land.” (Deut 28:1–14)
b. The path of judgment: “But if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” (Deut 28:15–68)

VI. Observations: What Isaiah teaches us about God

1. Behold your God as one who demands integrity, not compartmentalization. God will not accept a split soul. Vs 10-15
2. Behold your God as one who bears the weight of our hypocrisy—God is wearied by our pretending (v. 14).
3. Behold your God as one who calls you to justice, not just spirituality (v. 17).
4. Behold your God as one who offers grace that changes you. Grace is not permission to stay the same; it’s an invitation and power to become new (v. 18).

VII. How Isaiah points to Jesus

1. Empty worship – Jesus cleanses the temple (Matt 21:12– → 13).
2. Religious hypocrisy – Jesus exposes the unclean heart (Matt 23:25– → 28).
3. Neglect of the vulnerable – Jesus identifies with “the least of these” (Matt 25:31–46).
4. Scarlet sins – Jesus makes scarlet into snow at the cross (Heb 10:4; 2 Cor 5:21; Rev 7:14).

Takeaway

Come now, and let your worship match your walk.