Isaiah 57:16-17 For I will not contend forever, nor will I always be angry; for the spirit would grow faint before me, and the breath of life that I made. 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.
The Days of Awe (Yamin Nora’im) remind us of a sobering truth: judgment is real. God is holy and does not overlook sin. Isaiah’s words cut to the heart — iniquity provokes His anger, and rebellion invites His discipline. Israel knew this firsthand, experiencing exile and the pain of God’s hidden face. And yet, this passage does not leave us in despair. For though His anger burns for a moment, His mercy is eternal. He declares, “I will not contend forever.” His discipline is corrective, not destructive; His goal is not to crush but to restore.
This is the hope of the Yamim Nora’im. These days are a call to repentance, not so we might be destroyed, but so that we might be healed. God’s wrath is never the final word for those who turn back to Him. Like a loving Father, He corrects His children but longs to embrace them again. The psalmist echoes this hope: “For His anger is but for a moment, and His favor is for a lifetime” (Psalm 30:5).
Yeshua (Jesus) brings this promise to its ultimate fulfillment. At the cross, He bore the weight of God’s wrath so that mercy might triumph for all who believe. Paul writes, “Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him!” (Romans 5:9). Judgment is real — but through Yeshua, the door to compassion and restoration stands wide open.
During the Days of Awe, these words strike with prophetic urgency. God’s discipline may be severe, but His mercy is greater still. His anger will not last forever — but our response must not be delayed. Every moment of pride, every step of rebellion, is an invitation to return while the door of mercy is still open. The shofar has sounded, calling us to repentance. The Bridegroom is near. Let us not linger in backsliding hearts, but run to the One who has already borne the wrath in our place. For the King is at the door — and His mercy is reaching out now.