Our Scripture today is Isaiah 10:17-20.
And the light of Israel will become a fire and his Holy One a flame, And it will burn and devour his thorns and his briars in a single day. And He will destroy the glory of his forest and of his fruitful garden, both soul and body, And it will be as when a sick man wastes away. And the rest of the trees of his forest will be so small in number that a child could write them down. Now in that day the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.
The prophet Isaiah shares stunning imagery of God’s cleansing of the world in the last days. He tells us it will be like a fire that consumes the garden and the forest and only the faithful will remain. We hear that God’s Holy One will become a flame to accomplish the purification.
Is God trying to scare us? Honestly, yes – but this is no made up fairy tale to frighten children into obedience. God always tells us the truth and the truth of the Last Days is terrifying.
However, it doesn’t have to be. God tells us this that we might know the truth and choose Him instead of the wickedness that we have followed previously. If we “truly rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel” (v. 20) and not our own strength, we will be saved.
Loving Lord, we know You cannot abide the presence of evil and that our world must be made clean as You created it. Help us to share the joy of the Good News that Your children would shun disobedience and return to You. Amen.