Isa 59:2

Isa 59:2  But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.  In Isaiah 58:3, the Jews were complaining that God did not see their fasting and grant them their requests. God explained to them why their prayers were not answered: “Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist” (Isaiah 58:3b, 4a, ESV). Their hearts were evil. In Isaiah 59, the prophet Isaiah continued his rebuke on the nation’s sin of wickedness and explained the reason God was not answering their requests: “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear” (v.2). Your iniquities have separated between you and your God – Few understand the seriousness of unrepented sins in their lives. God hates sin. Sin has damnable consequence. And, it is because of that damnation that Christ had to come down to this earth to die a cruel death on the cross so that the damnable consequence of sin can be reversed. Christ’s death brings eternal life (John 3:16). Now that we are Christians, our past sins have been washed away by the blood of Christ (Ephesians 1:7). Yet, it does not mean heaven is guaranteed for us. Christ wants us to sin no more (John 8:11). It does not mean we must be sinless. God knows sometimes we will give in to our carnal desires and passions: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). Therefore, He calls us to repent whenever we fall into sin: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Sin will remain our greatest challenge. God did not hear the prayers of the Jews because of their sins. God will not hear the prayers of the Christian who continues in sin (John 9:31). The Psalmist says: “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Psalm 66:18). Sin still separates between us and God. Brethren, sins exist in every Lord’s church and the only way God will forgive and hear the prayers of those who are guilty of unrepented sin is they must repent and seek forgiveness. Some examples of the sins we see around us are: 1. Unloving spirit – Brethren cannot get along with each other (Philippians 4:2). 2. Unresolved marital issues – Christian couples stop loving each other (Ephesians 5:22-25). 3. Unresolved family feuds – Members of the same family cannot get along with each other (Genesis 4:8). 4. Selfishness, Pride, Strife, Division – They are just some of the sins in our lives and God is not pleased that we keep them (Ephesians 4:31, 32). Can we love God and hate someone? Let’s hear what John has to say: “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?” (1 John 4:20). One cannot say he loves God but not his wife, or father, or mother, or someone in the Lord’s church. God has made it crystal clear that if we expect to receive forgiveness from Him, we must forgive our brethren: “But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:15).                                                                                                                                             Sin will separate us from God and John says the only way to receive forgiveness is to confess (implies repentance) and ask for forgiveness (1 John 1:9). Husbands and wives: be reconciled; children: honour your parents; members of the church: love one another. Those actions are commanded by God; they are not optional. May we have tender hearts to love and forgive.