There is an old song called “Let It Snow.” As a child, I remember hearing the song around Christmas time and hoping it would snow. We lived in Alabama, and in the south, there were not many chances for snow. If we saw a few flakes, we were excited. Only once in my childhood do I remember a snowfall so deep everything shut down. We were out of school for a week, and it was so much fun to play in the snow. We would sing this song over and over. As an adult, it doesn’t excite me nearly as much. For several years, we lived in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and it snowed from November until the middle of April. At first, it was so different to have snow every day that I loved it. Soon, as with most things we humans are blessed with, it got old. Now, we live in the South again, and it is somewhat welcome because, after a day, it is usually gone. Yesterday, when I woke up, we had a blanket of fresh snow.
This covering of snow made everything look beautiful and pure. I thought about how Jesus’s blood covers our sins and makes us white as snow. This is the description of this process in Isaiah 1:18. It begins with an invitation from God to come to Him. This was written to Israel, but it applies to us now. They were a stubborn and rebellious people. They were supposed to be God’s people, His chosen ones, but they had gone their own way. In loving kindness, God extends to them and us an opportunity to be right with Him.
The invitation says to let them reason together. This was not reasoning as we would think today. If someone were to say let’s reason this out, we would assume both sides would be heard, and compromises would be made. That is not what God is saying. This reasoning here is for the sinner to recognize their sin and repent. The Israelites had been going through the motions of worship and keeping the law, but it was actions with no heart behind it. God wanted them to repent, and He would forgive them and restore their relationship. He had seen their sins as bright as cloth dyed the color of blood. This color was and is one that cannot be changed by being washed or scrubbed. It is a dye that is permanent. Yet, God tells them He will forgive them and see their sins as white as snow. White is the emblem of innocence and purity, and it is the description of forgiveness. God is the only one who can remove the stain that comes from sin.
Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”
In my life, I have chosen to let it snow. I am thankful for the covering of Christ’s blood and the sacrifice He made for my sins. The deep red stains are still there from my sins. The consequences of our sins do not go away with forgiveness, but when God looks at me, those stains are covered. He sees the righteousness of His Son Jesus.
One day, all those who have given their hearts to Jesus and served Him as Lord of all will stand in His presence. In Revelations 7:9-10, it will be a great multitude that no one but God can number. There will be people from all nations, all races, and all languages standing before the throne, and we will be standing there in robes that are as white as the new-fallen snow I see today. We will be saying to the Lamb, as loud as we can, “Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne.”
Revelation 7:9-10 “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.”
How long has it been since you thought about the day that the purity of snow was applied to your life? What did it feel like to know you were clean before the Lord and that God has purged your sins and now sees you as white as snow? With this thought in mind, let it snow!
