Isaiah 1:9

"Unless the LORD of Armies had left to us a very small remnant, we would have been as Sodom. We would have been like Gomorrah."

Key Reflection

This verse underscores the severity of Israel's sin and the utter destruction that awaited them if not for God's mercy in preserving a remnant. It highlights how without divine intervention, even a wicked nation faces catastrophic judgment, drawing a stark comparison to the complete destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Except ... -It is owing entirely to the mercy of God, that we are not like Sodom. The prophet traces this not to the goodness of the nation, not to any power or merit of theirs, but solely to the mercy of God. This passage the apostle Paul has used in an argument to establish the doctrine of divine sovereignty in the salvation of people; see the note atRomans 9:29. The Lord -Hebrew Yahweh. NoteIsaiah 1:2. Of hosts -צבאותtsebâ'ôth- the word sometimes translated “Sabaoth”;Romans 9:29;James 5:4. The word means literally armies or military hosts.

Related Verses

More from Isaiah 1

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