Isaiah 59 describes mankind – all of us – ruined by sin. This is us without salvation. We should consider this description rather than passing over it quickly thinking it doesn’t apply to us, and appreciate what our Savior has saved us from. Or maybe a thoughtful consideration will reveal that we might not truly be saved from all of these sins, in which case we must confess and ask for His healing work to be done in our lives.
Understand how huge and hopeless our sin problem is. The sinful state of man has separated us from God, and we are helpless to do anything to restore that relationship. That is a dangerous dilemma for us, because if you recall, eternal life is knowing the one true God. In verse 60:2 Isaiah sums up the problem as, “See darkness covers the earth, and thick darkness is over the peoples” – darkness ruled by Satan. We might not see it as darkness because we are living in the midst of it, but if we could perceive it, we would understand how frighteningly awful that darkness is. We can get a glimpse of it when we hear of humans victimizing weaker humans or helpless animals, or in the hopelessness of drug addiction and the awful things it leads to…. You may experience that darkness in something horrifying that you have suffered or still live with.
Our only remedy for our sin problem is God’s appalled recognition of the problem, and His providing the solution for it. If we perceive how truly desperate our situation is, we rejoice over Messiah’s coming. His light overcomes the darkness, not just brightening the darkness, but obliterating it. How wonderful that light is! Isaiah 61:1-4 gives a stirring picture of some of the facets of the salvation Messiah brings. Luke 4:16-21 records Jesus introducing Himself as the promised Messiah by reading from this passage in His local synagogue on a Sabbath.
Does the darkness under which we all suffer break your heart? He binds it up. Does sin hold you captive? He offers you freedom. Do you suffer despair? He wants to transform that to praise. Have you suffered ruin and devastation? He restores. If your experience of salvation doesn’t live up to the descriptions given here, then you haven’t experienced the salvation God intends you to have, the salvation Jesus came, sacrificed, and suffered to give you. Please seek His full salvation today! Thank God and praise Him for the wonderful Savior and abundant salvation He has given us!