“Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry,

I struck him; I hid my face and was angry,

but he went on backsliding in the way of his own heart.

I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will also lead him, and restore comforts to him and to his mourners.” vs17-18

These are some of the most incredible words in Scripture. God has seen our ungodliness, and He will heal us. We despised correction, but He’ll comfort us with the gospel.

First, it is not true that the sinner must straighten up, before he finds mercy. No, he finds mercy in his sins - red handed and guilty. He obtains mercy when his crimes are exposed, and he has no hiding place. God forgives the filthy transgressor, and He gives grace to the rebel. In no sense did we straighten up, and then He saw us. He saw us depraved, straightened us Himself, and then He saw us straightened.

Secondly, give up on your sins; it is a hard way that will not prosper! Give up on rebellion and come to God broken and needy. Come to Him as a failure who is tired of your rebellion, because He’s going to wear you out. He’ll never give peace without repentance; it will be out with the sin or His affliction continues.

He does not play the weak parent: He knows what’s right, and He will do it. He will break the stubborn will and heal you, but He’ll never comfort us in sin. Isa 57:21, “There is no peace,’ says my God, ‘for the wicked.”

Thirdly, the comfort is worth having! “I will also lead him, and restore comforts to him.” It is the sweetest thing in life to be COMFORTED BY GOD - to have Him look upon you in favor feelingly, to have the inward impulses of the Spirit and know your reconciliation, to know that it’s all forgiven and you have power with God. These sweet things are given in exchange for our sins: We come in confession, and He heals us. We break with sin and receive the Spirit. Isa 61:3, “To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”

Fourthly, the Lord Jesus justifies grace! His blood was shed as an atonement: the wrath of God is pacified, holiness is honored, and justice balances her scales. He looks upon us as already punished through the death of Christ. Our matchless Savior has earned the favor. Now, the covenant is ratified, and God’s goodness is publicly vindicated! Dan 9:24, “Seventy sevens [490 years] are determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy.” Oh, the everlasting righteousness of God; it will never wear out or lose its power.

Fifthly, let us not despair as we see the transgressions of others. It is not on them or up to them, if they would be recovered. We may have looked too far gone ourselves. People may have openly laughed, when they thought of us being Christians. We gave them, perhaps, every reason to doubt. Ok, but He has done it, has he not? He has healed us and forgiven us of sins. Therefore, why look upon the transgressor or the far off saint, as if it is hopeless? Why look at man and be silent or doubtful?

No, salvation is of the Lord! The person that has rejected chastisement is not safe, but God will pull His own out of the slavery of disobedience, and He’ll restore the struggling saint. God’s long are to us ought to make us hope WHENEVER WE GET A CHANCE to preach the gospel! They may be White Supremacists, or they may Black Hebrew Israelites. They may be atheists or signs and wonders preachers: it doesn’t matter! Some who’ve long been bound by sin are miserable on the inside. Others will be immediately convicted. God will get His man, woman, or child: He will heal the disobedient by breaking rebellion and bringing sincere repentance. He’ll give godly sorrow that saves.