God Will Accept All Backsliders Who Truly Return to Him in Repentance. He Will Deliver Them from Fear, Shame, And Humiliation.

The Returning Backsliders Would Be Delivered from Fear, Shame, & Disgrace

⁴Fear not; you will no longer live in shame. The shame of your youth and the sorrows of widowhood will be remembered no more, ^[1] (Isaiah 54:4)

 

The Repentant Backsliders Would Be Delivered from Fear, Shame, And Humiliation. This promise and the great promises given above seem far-fetched and hard to believe. At the time of this prophecy, the Israelites were in bondage, held captive by Babylon. From all appearances, they would continue to live in the fear of daily oppression, hardship, and deprivation. And as slaves to Babylon, they would continue to bear the shame and disgrace of their bondage. Remember that their enslavement was due to their continual rejection of God and their wicked behavior down through the centuries from the time they were a young nation. Nevertheless, the wonderful promise of God to backsliding Israel was deliverance. Some day in the future they would repent and return to the Lord. 

A. The Fear of Oppression: On that day, they would no longer fear the oppression of enemies or of any other trial or seductive temptation. Fear would be erased from their hearts and replaced with a spirit of peace and complete confidence in the Lord’s care.

B. The Shame of Youthful Sins: In that day, the shame of sin would no longer be remembered, neither the transgressions of youth nor the sins committed as an adult. Israel’s youth probably refers to the entire history of the nation from its birth at Mount Sinai until the time of the Babylonian captivity, the time of this present Scripture.

Ø  The nation’s childhood would have been its birth beginning with Abraham up until the time the people were formed into a nation under Moses.

Ø  The adult life of the nation would most likely stand for the time between Christ’s coming and the end of human history.

Whatever the case, the shame of Israel’s sins as a young nation plagued the people up through the Babylonian captivity. But a wonderful promise was being given to them in this Scripture: the day was coming when the shame of their youthful sins would no longer be remembered. Their transgressions and all the disgrace and oppression that occurred because of them would be erased from their minds. Of course, this will take place when the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, returns to earth to establish the kingdom of God.

C. The Humiliation of Captivity or Any Other Bondage: In that day, the humiliation of enslavement, of being held in bondage, would also be erased. The word widowhood refers to the time Israel abandoned the Lord (her husband) and committed spiritual adultery against Him by turning to other gods and to the wickedness of this world. Forsaking God is just as disgraceful as a woman forsaking her husband to commit adultery with another man. But when Christ returns, the disgrace of forsaking the Lord will be removed and remembered no more. 

Thought 1. These same three promises apply to us. God will accept all backsliders who truly return to Him in repentance. He will deliver them from fear, shame, and humiliation. 

I.  Backsliders who truly repent will be delivered from fear—the fear of oppression from enemies, trials, and seductive temptations. God’s presence and power will fill believers, strengthening them to conquer their fear. However, believers must trust the Lord, truly follow Him, and draw close to Him in times of trial and temptation. Listen to what God’s Holy Word says about fear: 

V  “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows” (Mt. 10:30–31).

V  “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Ti. 1:7).

V  “And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death [the keys to eternal life]” (Re. 1:17–18).

V  “I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about” (Ps. 3:5–6).

V  “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident” (Ps. 27:1–3).

V  “I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely, he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday” (Ps. 91:2–6).

V  “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?” (Ps. 118:6).

V  “When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet” (Pr. 3:24).

V  “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation” (Is. 12:2).

V  “Fear thou not; for I am with thee be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Is. 41:10).

V  “Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee” (Is. 43:1–3). 

II.  Backsliders who truly repent will be delivered from the shame of sin. When professing believers live worldly lives of sinful pleasure, immorality, greed, and covetousness and engage in lying, stealing, and cheating, they are hypocrites. Professing one thing, they do something else. By their false profession, they are attempting to deceive others, but they are only deceiving themselves and smearing God’s Name and holy character. Sadly, sin does not always cause a person to sense shame, and many people do not even consider sin shameful. Nonetheless, all sins are degrading acts of treachery to God. In His eyes, every wrongdoing committed is a shameful, humiliating, contemptible act and each act places a stigma of shame upon the world, magnifying the spirit of wickedness, lawlessness, violence, and immorality that is sweeping across the earth. 

In spite of everything, though, God will forgive our sins. This verse gives us His wonderful promise. God will erase the shame of sin from our lives. Our task is to repent of our backsliding. Listen to the Lord’s wonderful promise concerning the forgiveness of sins: 

V  “And said unto them, thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Lu. 24:46–47).

V  “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Ac. 2:38).

V  “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him” (Ac. 5:30–32).

V  “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Ep. 1:7).

V  “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn. 1:9).

V  “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sins” (Is. 43:25).

V  “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon” (Is. 55:7).

V  “Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the Lord our God” (Je. 3:22). 

III.   Backsliders who truly repent will be delivered from the humiliation of bondage. The entire world is held in bondage to sin. No person can keep from sinning, nor can any person live a sinless life. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Ro. 3:23). Tragically, many of us are held in bondage to sinful habits: alcohol, drugs, smoking, sexual immorality, stealing, lying, gluttony, cursing, and a host of other enslaving sins. 

To be enslaved to any wicked behavior is an utter disgrace, for it shows a lack of discipline and self-control. To be controlled or manipulated by any sinful or harmful behavior exposes a weak mind or a heart hardened toward God. But again, God makes a wonderful promise to us: He will deliver us from the humiliation of bondage. However, His promise is conditional. As long as we live out in the world and continue to forsake the Lord, He cannot help us. But if we return to Him, He will help us. Through Christ, He will remove the dishonor and humiliation of our bondage to sin. Listen to the promises of God’s Holy Word: 

V  “Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father” (Ga. 1:4).

V  “And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (2 Ti. 4:18).

V  “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls” (1 Pe. 2:24–25).

V  “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished” (2 Pe. 2:9).

V  “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 Jn. 2:1–2).^[2]

Remember, these same three promises apply to us. God will accept all backsliders who truly return to Him in repentance, and He will deliver us from fear, shame, and humiliation.

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^[1] Taylor, Kenneth Nathaniel. 1997. The Living Bible, Paraphrased. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House.

^[2] Leadership Ministries Worldwide. 2005. Isaiah: Chapters 36–66. Vol. II. The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible. Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide.