Remember and Return
Isaiah 44:21-23. “Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art My servant: I have formed thee; thou art My servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of Me.
I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
Sing, O ye heavens; for the Lord hath done it: Shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified Himself in Israel.”
Transgressions are our moral revolt against God’s government….we will not be in subjection to His laws.
Sin is the decision to rule ourselves….to put ourselves over God,….however the thought, attitude or action….we are going to be in charge.
(Romans 14:23 “……for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”)
Our transgressions and sins, block the Light of God from us, as clouds…..thick clouds block the sun, and sky.
Isaiah 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.”
Both are “blotted out” by the Lord….they are erased from the books of our works.
How? Why?
“…for I have redeemed thee.”
The whole creation has cause to praise and sing in joy….for the Lord has redeemed His people….from the bondage of sin…to liberty.
The greatest work in the world….is the establishing of the kingdom of God….
The definition for redeemed in scripture, here is:
To buy back: when a rich relative, as kinsman…….would buy the poor relatives property, life and the life of his family, when he is in debt…..and give them back to him.
The Lord is saying that He sees them in the debt of their sins,…and has paid their debt….to free them….as their kinsman.
It does not say….past sins….or just the future sins….but “thy transgressions”…”thy sins”.
This is beautiful…..after all Jacob and Israel had done…..turning from Him, to idols…..yet….He still considers His covenant, and treats them as a near kinsman…..paying their debt….and redeeming them from their transgressions and sin.
(All of our sins have been put away by Christ Jesus….through HIs precious blood.
1 Peter 1:18-19 “For as much as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition by your fathers;
But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot:”)
But here, He calls, “remember these…..and return unto Me”.
Remember the clouds upon your heart and life…..remember what the sins brought you……
….and then remember that you are My servant…
…and return.
To return from your transgressions and sins…..to return to Me.
For when we turn to God, we turn away from everything that displeases Him.
This is a call to return to Him….to fellowship with their Redeemer…..
….and the call is the same to us….
Isaiah 48:17-18 “For thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the Way that thou shouldest go.
O that thou hadst hearkened to My commandments! Then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:”
Imagine it!….
Peace like a river flowing through us in all our situations!
And our righteousness (right living before Him) as the waves of the sea…some higher, some smaller, yet all moving at His Will!
Is the Lord calling us to remember and return?
Have we let the world taint our thoughts of true freedom?
We need to get our heads out of the sand of this shifting world….and remember our Redeemer….and return.
For the closer we are to Him….and away from sin….the more freedom we have.
Freedom to be all, He meant us to be….freedom to enjoy the true life….bubbling up and flowing over….into joy and peace…..bearing the fruits of righteousness, and courage.
Isaiah 45:22-24 “Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is no one else.
I have sworn by Myself, the Word is gone out of My mouth in righteousness and shall not return, that unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
Surely they shall say, In the Lord there is righteousness and strength: even to Him shall men come,
and all that are incensed against Him shall be ashamed.”
God is God…..He has not changed….He has redeemed all Who will come to Him and receive Him as Lord and Savior.
Remember and Return.
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 