God’s compassion always provides hope for His people, reminding them that no matter how dire the circumstances or how grievous the sin, He will preserve a faithful few who will return to Him.
Isaiah declares, “Unless the LORD of hosts Had left us a few survivors, We would be like Sodom, We would be like Gomorrah.” (v.9) This verse highlights the depth of God’s mercy toward His people, even in the midst of their sin. The prophet Isaiah, who served as God’s messenger in the southern kingdom of Judah during the latter half of the 8th century BC, used Sodom and Gomorrah as stark examples of total judgment for persistent wickedness (Genesis 19). Here, Isaiah warns that if it were not for the LORD’s gracious intervention, Judah would share the same fate and be utterly destroyed.
The phrase “left us a few survivors” points to the concept of a faithful remnant—an idea woven throughout the Book of Isaiah. Although God’s people had repeatedly strayed from His commands, the LORD’s lovingkindness continued to preserve some who remained faithful (Isaiah 10:20-22). In this way, the remnant would bear testimony to God’s power to restore and redeem despite Israel’s rebellion. By invoking Sodom and Gomorrah, cities annihilated for their rampant evil, Isaiah vividly emphasizes just how complete Judah’s destruction could have been without the LORD’s sparing hand.
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Isaiah 1:9 meaning
Isaiah declares, “Unless the LORD of hosts Had left us a few survivors, We would be like Sodom, We would be like Gomorrah.” (v.9) This verse highlights the depth of God’s mercy toward His people, even in the midst of their sin. The prophet Isaiah, who served as God’s messenger in the southern kingdom of Judah during the latter half of the 8th century BC, used Sodom and Gomorrah as stark examples of total judgment for persistent wickedness (Genesis 19). Here, Isaiah warns that if it were not for the LORD’s gracious intervention, Judah would share the same fate and be utterly destroyed.
The phrase “left us a few survivors” points to the concept of a faithful remnant—an idea woven throughout the Book of Isaiah. Although God’s people had repeatedly strayed from His commands, the LORD’s lovingkindness continued to preserve some who remained faithful (Isaiah 10:20-22). In this way, the remnant would bear testimony to God’s power to restore and redeem despite Israel’s rebellion. By invoking Sodom and Gomorrah, cities annihilated for their rampant evil, Isaiah vividly emphasizes just how complete Judah’s destruction could have been without the LORD’s sparing hand.