Before sin entered the world, man had communion with God; however, when Adam and Eve transgressed God’s law by eating of the forbidden tree, then sin, shame, and separation from God resulted (Gen. 3). Sin separates man from God (Isa. 59:2). Sadly, all choose to sin against God and fall short of His glory (Rom. 3:23). Sin means we deserve death, but God can give us eternal life in His Son (Rom. 6:23).

God is holy (1 Pet. 1:16). Habakkuk looked at how God used the wicked nation of Babylon to punish His people. The prophet questioned how God could let this continue since God is “of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on wickedness” (Hab. 1:13). God’s holiness means He cannot compromise His nature to sanction sin. There are some things God cannot do because of His perfect nature; for example, God cannot lie (Titus 1:2). Thus, in dealing with man’s sins, God cannot compromise His righteousness.

God is also gracious and merciful (Psa. 103:8). His holiness demands payment for sin, but His gracious mercy means He will go to incalculable lengths to provide a way of salvation for sinners (Jn. 3:16). These lengths are seen in His Son Jesus Christ. Since it would be a violation of the character of God to justify a sinner without penalty for the sin, God sent His Son so He can remain just and be the justifier of those who respond in faith to Jesus (Rom. 3:26). Appeasement had to be made for man’s sin. Remission of sins could not occur without the shedding of blood (Heb. 9:22). The blood of bulls and goats could not take away sin (Heb. 10:4). No sinful human could die as a substitute for man’s sins either—for that death would be deserved (Rom. 1:32; 6:23).

Jesus the Son of God took on flesh and lived the life of a human (Jn. 1:14; Phil. 2:7). He came to be the perfect sacrifice, the lamb of God (Jn. 1:29). He was tempted in all points as we are, yet He is without sin (Heb. 4:15). Because of the payment of Christ’s blood, God extends the offer for us to be “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24).

In today’s religious world, perversions of the grace of God are promulgated. Many teach it is dispensed without obedience to the will of God. However, we should not allow ourselves to be intimidated nor driven away from teaching on the grace of God merely because some have perverted it. Paul called what he received from Jesus and preached to others “the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24). In the great book of Romans, the apostle expounded God’s wonderful grace in the justification that comes through faith in Jesus Christ. At the beginning of that letter, Paul said of Jesus, “Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name” (Rom. 1:5). At the end, he wrote, “Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith (Rom. 16:25-26). God’s grace is dispensed when man obeys the faith—the gospel. Study 1 Corinthians 15:1-3 and Romans 6:1-17 regarding obedience to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

We were dead in trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1), but by God’s grace we have been saved through faith so that we cannot boast of earning salvation (Eph. 2:8-9). God’s grace brings salvation and teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and that we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age (Titus 2:11,12). Will you choose to enter and continue in the grace of God?

In the days of the prophets leading up to the exile, God’s people were steeped in idolatry. God did all that He could to plead with His people to worship Him alone. Figuratively speaking, He rose up early to send prophets to the people, but they would not hear (Jer. 7:13, 25; 11:7; 26:5). As an adulteress leaves her loving husband to pursue her illicit affairs, so Israel and Judah were unfaithful to their God (Ezek. 16:8-63; 23:1-49; Hos. 1:2; 3:1-5). God would have to put them away. They would be exiled for seventy years (Jer. 25:11, 12; 29:10).

Rather than completely destroying His people, God spared some of them (Isa. 48:9); God referred to their time of punishment as a furnace of affliction (Isa. 48:10). Just as a refining pot makes hard metals molten, when people suffer they can be brought to their knees, soften their hearts and pray to God. However, the furnace of affliction can be a kiln to further harden their hearts if they are not receptive. The minority who would not be destroyed by their punishment but rather purified to come back from captivity are often called the remnant (Isa.10:20-23; 11:11-16; 28:5; 37:4, 31, 32; 46:3; cf. 6:13; 7:3*).

In Isaiah 40-66, God instructed His people about His plans for them. He identified two anointed servants—a conquering servant and a suffering servant—who would bring hope back to His people. God’s conquering servant was the Persian king Cyrus, who was used by God to bring an end to Babylonian captivity and allow Judah to return to their homeland (Isa. 41:25; 44:24-28; 45:1-7; cf. Ezra 1:1-4). The suffering servant was Jesus Christ who descended from the remnant of Judah and came into this world to bear the stripes for our sins (Isa. 52:13-53:12). This shoot from the stem of Jesse rules the remnant (Isa. 11:1-16).

Daniel and his friends, who were of the king’s royal seed (Dan. 1:3), had to endure captivity in a foreign land. They continued to make the one true God known. God used them to interpret dreams, reveal the future, and miraculously endure death sentences. Instead of giving up, Daniel faithfully served God (as his first priority) and also ministered to foreign kings until he saw the reign of Cyrus (Dan. 6:28; 10:1). He told Nebuchadnezzar about Christ’s church, the kingdom of God that would never be destroyed (Dan. 2:44-45). As Christians, we are children of God who belong to Christ; thus, we are part of the royal seed (Gal. 3:26-29). We must continue to stand for Christ’s church, the eternal kingdom, even when the world around us makes us feel as if we are in a faraway land. Genuine faith gleams in a dark world, and it might surprise us who takes notice (Mt. 5:16; Phil. 2:14-15; 1 Pet. 1:7). If we allow suffering to refine us and remain faithful to the end, we will see the Lord’s salvation (Mt. 7:13-14; 10:22; Rev. 2:10; 3:10-12).

*The name “Shear-Jashub” in 7:3 means ‘a remnant will return.