Isaiah 1:24-26

"Therefore the Lord, the LORD Almighty,
   the Mighty One of Israel, declares:
“Ah! I will vent my wrath on my foes
   and avenge myself on my enemies.
I will turn my hand against you;
   I will thoroughly purge away your dross
   and remove all your impurities.
I will restore your leaders as in days of old,
   your rulers as at the beginning.
Afterward you will be called
   the City of Righteousness,
   the Faithful City."

God never ceases to amaze.  God vents his wrath not for the sake of destroying sinners, but to restore his holy people.  His turning of his hand against us is the same as his removing all unrighteousness.  He wants to restore us back to what were were at the beginning so that afterward we would be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful city.


However, the restoration and purification of God's elect involves the removal of those who are not God's elect.  All who have sinned and gone astray will be purged as dross so that only the faithful remain.  But not one of us is elect.  All have sinned and are unrighteous, only to be purged, had not God sent His Righteous One to intercede for us.  Only one has been faithful and obedient, Jesus Christ, and it is only as we find ourselves in him that we take part in the life of the elect for only Christ is elect.  For the sake of one righteous man, God spared the world.