how the faithful city has become a whore, she who was full of justice! righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers.
your silver has become dross, your best wine mixed with water. your princes are rebels and companions of thieves. everyone loves a bribe and runs after gifts. they do not bring justice to the fatherless, and the widow’s cause does not come to them.
therefore the Lord declares, the Lord of Hosts, the Mighty One of israel: “ah, i will get relief from my enemies and avenge myself on my foes. i will turn my hand against you and will smelt away your dross as with lye and remove all your alloy. and i will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.”
[isaiah 1:21-26]
righteousness
biblically, righteousness means to be completely and wholly right before holy God.
righteousness is a not a trait of man or something man can attain on his own effort. God’s word makes this clear:
“none is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.” [romans 3:10-11]
righteousness is a trait of God. and only through God can you and i be righteous – completely and wholly right before holy God.
the Lord is righteous in all his ways [psalm 145:17]
for our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. [2 corinthians 5:21]
man’s standard of righteousness is measured against man. God’s standard of righteousness is measured against God. this makes every one of us fall short of God’s righteousness. not just the people of judah mentioned in this passage.
they had been a “faithful city – full of justice! righteousness lodged in her…”
but in time, every part of them – actions, attitudes, thoughts, and character – had begun to display unrighteousness. they didn’t just act contrary to God’s holy ways, their every thoughts, attitudes, and character where against God.
and holy God cannot let unrighteousness go unpunished. it is an affront to his holy character that is utterly different, other – above ours in every way. so he would judge judah – “i will turn my hand against you…”
and holy God is full of mercy and lovingkindness. this is the defining part of his holy character. this holy mercy and love does not allow him to deny his holy justice. but, it does – it did cause him to do what only God can do: satisfy both.
God satisfied his justice and his mercy – and in this passage we see a foreshadow of that in Jesus.
i will turn my hand against you [justice] and will smelt away your dross as with lye and remove all your alloy. and i will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.” [mercy, love]
notice – God provides justice and mercy.
there is not one thing the people did to become righteous. it was God’s action.
and so it is for us.
we all are unrighteous before holy God. [romans 3:10]
please, Lord – help me remember this today deep in my soul. without Jesus and i would never be right before you. never.
and all my own efforts to make myself right – well, later in chapter 64, verse 6, isaiah says, all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. this is self-righteousness and Jesus hated this with a vengeance because ultimately self-righteousness says, “i don’t want or need a savior.”
please, Lord – remove this self righteousness from me today.
spend a minute in confession – where have you sought to lean into your own self made righteousness? asked another way – where have you believed your actions have made you less sinful or more lovely to God?
and now, spend more minutes in worship! praise him, thank him. worship him! in Jesus – you and i have been given the righteousness of God through Christ!
for our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. [2 corinthians 5:21]
~ john ryan