Isaiah 45:21-22: Our Court Summons:
Declare and present your case;
let them take counsel together!
Who told this long ago?
Who declared it of old?
Was it not I, the Lord?
And there is no other god besides me,
a righteous God and a Savior;
there is none besides me.
22 “Turn to me and be saved,
all the ends of the earth!
For I am God, and there is no other.
Many would enjoy dragging God to court for perceived wrongs, negligence, and/or injustice. Interestingly, in Isaiah, God summons people to court (Isaiah 41:1; 21-23, 43:9; 26, and 45:21). But those the LORD subpoenas find themselves as defendants, not prosecutors (Is. 41:1; 26; 44:7-8, 48:14, see also Deuteronomy 4:35, 2 Chronicles 16:9, Job 38-41:2, Psalm 11:7, 46:10, Zech. 3, Revelation 19:11-15, etc.). Why is the Almighty judging and condemning people? Isaiah explains that everyone’s, including our, best arguments, evidence, and actions for innocence amount to filthy rags (64:6). Accordingly, all people so are guilty before the divine Judge even our goodness demands our punishment. When we add on our crimes against God (sin) we all procure an eternal death sentence in Hell (Matthew 25:31-46, Rev. 21:8, etc.).
Praise be to God, there is one lawyer Who can take our case and win: Jesus Christ (1 John 2:1-2). Jesus represents us, and takes our guilt so the divine Judges sees His righteousness on us which grants His elect full pardon (Matthew 19:25-26, John 14:6, Romans 5; 10:9-10, 1 Corinthians 15:20-28, Colossians 1:15-20, Titus 3:1-8, Revelation 5, 7:14, 19:8, and so forth). Further, those cleared by Christ are promised: “Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us” (Romans 8:33-34). Your court date is coming, have you lawyered up?
This blog was written by Seth Dunn