What a gift to have Isaiah visit us.
His input and wisdom, his vision and experience with the God of all heaven and earth is having a significant impact on us. We have seen afresh the heart and mind of God. He loves justice and is appalled when justice is not expressed – particularly by those to whom much has been given. And though his indignation is clear it is also very clear that he continues to set his affection on his people (as Deuteronomy expresses it in Dt 10:15); he continues to tell us he will forgive us.
And that brings us to a great puzzle.
How can God be so livered about injustice and then simply tell us he will forgive us? Is it enough for the victims of injustice to hear God will forgive the guilty ones? Is God not consistent? If he expresses very strong indignation about the lack of justice emanating from his people surely he must express the same against all injustice and all sin! And he does. Isaiah reminds us that God expressed his severe indignation when he subbed the Servant for us. Then he crushed the Servant … to death. God did this SO THAT we might be justified (Is 53:11). When I see what the Servant endured, and why; when I come to him grateful he subbed for me, God considers me just-as-if-I’d-never-sinned. And God considers anyone the same when they come to him.
Even a man like Duch. When he was a young man, Duch was warden of the Khmer Rouge’s notorious Tuol Sleng prison. Duch was one of the bloodiest mass murderers the world h
as ever known. He was responsible for torture and death of 17,000 Cambodians: men, women, children and infants. In 1996 the enormous weight of his past led to a profound depression and Duch approached Pastor LaPel in Cambodia to receive forgiveness of his sins. 
Duch is now in Cambodian prison awaiting the outcome of trial for his crimes. He will have to suffer the consequences of his crimes against his countrymen. He will do so willingly.
He will do so knowing God has forgiven him. He will do so knowing God meted out justice – even for his crimes – on his Son 2000 yrs ago – God subbed Jesus even for Duch.
This is the heart of the Christian message found even in the Old Testament. It is an astounding truth. It is so profound Isaiah told us that the kings and leaders of the earth would stand in silence because of this Servant (Is 52:15).
This is the message we broadcast.
People need to know that there is forgiveness for sins. They need to know there is a gracious God who will forgive because he has already paid an awful price for sin. People need to know that when forgiven they join the Kingdom of God which is marked by justice, peace and joy and one day will see God face to face and enjoy the gracious favour of God – forever.
The poor and oppressed who make up a very significant proportion of the earth will only ever hear about this grace as we act with justice. While we are growing in this area there are two simple things to do: sign the Cocoa petition; ask others to sign.
We need 100,000 signatures to liberate 200,000 child slaves and labourers on the Ivory Coast and in Ghana.
William Clarke College students are calling on fellow students to sign. The Bishop of Canberra Goulburn, Stuart Robinson, is calling on the whole of his Diocese to sign. North Sydney’s Bishop, Glenn Davies, has signed. Visit the Cocoa Petition Website and sign up (your info will NOT be passed onto anyone nor will it be kept once the Federal minister has responded to the petition).
Why do all this? To set slaves free? Yes! But more!
It’s so 200,000 children, and their families, might hear of the Servant who wants to liberate them not just from the oppression of slavery to men. He wants to justify them, too.
Then they will also join the celebratory community around the throne of God forever (Is 25:6 – 8).


