As we go through life, there are some things that are important, and some that are not quite as important. Taking care of our health is one important thing. Also making sure that the bills are paid and our family is taken care of. Then there are plenty of things that are of lesser importance. However, there is one thing that is most important to have decided and taken care of before the end of our life. We read about that in our Scripture today from the Prophet Isaiah.
As we open our Scripture passage, the Lord God is speaking to mankind. Here Yahweh calls for all those who think they have a case against Him, all those who wish to worship other gods, or choose not to believe in Him, who don’t want His Word or ways in their lives, to bring their case forward (vs. 21). There were people like that in Isaiah’s day, and there sure are plenty around today, folks who want to cast God and the Bible aside. Their life is only a few short years, yet they think they can stand before the Lord and His Word, which has been since ancient times, or in other words, for all eternity.
Yahweh declares an eternal truth here - that there is no other god besides Him. He, alone, is the one true God. Unlike the myriad of false, pagan gods, Yahweh is a just God. He is morally right and fair (vs. 21). We can count on Him to do what is right. The pagan gods were often depicted as being morally corrupt, and even downright wicked. Though we have failed God in so many ways, He is our Savior if we turn to Him. There is no one else we can turn to.
The key verse in our Scripture passage is verse 22. “Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.” We are all lost. Our sins have separated us from God, and left in that condition, we are headed for an eternity in hell. What can save us from that fate? Can all the good deeds we have ever done? Can our wealth? Our education and intellect? Can our family and upbringing? The answer is no to every one of them. Nor can any of the false religions that we find practiced all around the world. We are urged to look to Jesus, and through Him, alone, we can be saved.
This verse states both the simplicity and the necessity of salvation. All we must do is look, or turn to Jesus. We need to shift our attention to Him. It does not take years of deliberate effort in a series of works, but only a moment of looking to be saved. All other religions outside of Biblical Christianity require works in order to obtain their version of salvation. They require you to do this, do that, recite this or that so often, perform all sorts of rituals, and then maybe you might achieve salvation. That is not what the Bible says. Jesus says to just look to Him, call upon Him, and you can be saved.
Salvation is not based on our own efforts, but on the Lord’s (vs. 24). It is in the Lord that we find righteousness and strength. Before any of us came to Jesus for salvation, we were all sinners, without any hope. However, Jesus, the sinless Son of God, took our sins and guilt upon Himself on the Cross, paying the price for us. When we look to Him for salvation, we receive His righteousness. Our works, our religious rituals don’t achieve that for us. It is only by coming to Him.
Can we trust that this is true, that if we turn to Jesus, He will save us? Verse 23 says that God has sworn by Himself that the Words He has said will not return, it will not be withdrawn or retracted. He swears by Himself because there is no one greater than He is that He could swear by (Hebrews 6:13). Every promise that the Lord God has ever given has always been true. Not a one has ever failed. Every gift or promise of the Lord is irrevocable (Romans 11:29).
Have you looked to Jesus for salvation? That is the most important decision one has to make in all of life. Nothing else comes close. God’s offer is for anyone and everyone. God does not qualify it only for people of this race or that color. It isn’t only for the smart intellectuals, or those in a certain income level. It doesn’t matter where you live or what language you speak. The Bible only says for us to look to Him and be saved. Just turn to Jesus, call upon Him, and be saved. It’s that simple. No works, no elaborate rituals, or paying a lot of money. However, one must do that before you pass into eternity. We never know when our last day will be. We all know how sudden that could be, with natural disasters happening all over, accidents, killings. We never know, so today, without fail, look to Jesus and be saved!
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