Rebellion and Redemption

This is the chapter theme for chapter one of Isaiah. Reviewing the background of Isaiah would help before proceeding.
In chapter one, God is upset with Israel because they do not understand God. They are revolting against him and he's not too happy with it. The Israelites are offering sacrifices to God like he commanded them to do, but they are not doing it because they want to. For them it's just another ritual. God says that he is weary of bearing the festivals and feasts. The offerings are worthless and the incense that they are burning is an abomination to him. He is thoroughly frustrated with his people. He even says to them in v 15 "So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hid My eyes from you; Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. You hands are covered with blood."
We can be much like the Israelites. We go to church because we're "supposed to", we may do our quiet time because "everyone else is doing it" and we do many other things that we may just do them because that is what a "good" Christian does. God doesn't want your puppet responses, he wants to you want to worship Him. He wants you to want to read about Him. Does God listen to the prayers of the insincere? We talked about this in Bible study. Some people thought that God hears the prayers of everyone, but perhaps ignores the insincere ones. I don't know the answer. We can read that here God ignores the prayers of the Israelites, but we live in a time after the coming of the Messiah which makes a difference in how some things now work. The bottom line is that God wants sincere hearts when living our faith and our lives.
Even though he is completely upset with his people he still offers forgiveness to them. V 18 "Come now, and let us reason together,' says the Lord, 'Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as son; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool."
No matter how badly we mess up, God always is there to forgive us and cleanse us. No sin is too great for him to forgive us from. The New Testament tells us many times over that if we believe that we have everlasting life from our belief in Jesus, then we do. Our outcome is determined by ones faith. If we look at what influences us, what/who we turn to in trouble, what/who we turn to in joy, it can show us where our faith lies. God doesn't want you on the fence. He wants you all for him. Jesus came and is kind of like the great divide - either you believe in Him or you don't. There isn't a grey area like we love to have on issues. It is pretty clear cut with God. Either you believe and have everlasting life, or you don't. We all get a chance to believe. More on that in a few more chapters.
Hold on to your hats though, things get worse before they get better. The Israelites are not always the smartest people (hmm.. like us!) and we're going to see how God deals with them and their rebellion and their breaking of the everlasting covenant.