We are living in a chaotic and dark world, and if we view it simply through a natural lens, the world can seem overwhelming, and the problems of the world can seem unresolvable. However, we can rest in the hope of God’s promises for the future. A future that requires us to view it through the lens of Christ, as it is centered around His Second Coming. This should fill us with confident hope, that our Redeemer, Jesus, is coming to clear up the chaos and take out the darkness of the world once and for all.
Today, we are looking at a few verses from Isaiah 59. In the beginning of chapter 59 we see a devastating picture of a depraved society. In the Holy City there is no justice or light because of sin, and the rebellion against the Lord has caused the people to deny Him. At this time, evil is running ramped, and it cannot be stopped by mere humans in the natural realm, only the Lord, Himself, can bring an end to this evil.
Friends, this Truth, in the Old Testament, seems all too familiar to what we are seeing in our world today. These verses point to what has and will come within the New Testament. After reading through these verses, there are some connections to the New Testament that you can dig a little deeper to see just a hand full of how amazing God is to reveal that all things point directly back to Jesus and His Return for His Church. I don’t know about you, but I am EXCITED!
Isaiah 59:15-19 (NLT)
15 Yes, truth is gone,
and anyone who renounces evil is attacked.
The Lord looked and was displeased
to find there was no justice.
16 He was amazed to see that no one intervened
to help the oppressed.
So he himself stepped in to save them with his strong arm,
and his justice sustained him.
17 He put on righteousness as his body armor
and placed the helmet of salvation on his head.
He clothed himself with a robe of vengeance
and wrapped himself in a cloak of divine passion.
18 He will repay his enemies for their evil deeds.
His fury will fall on his foes.
He will pay them back even to the ends of the earth.
19 In the west, people will respect the name of the Lord;
in the east, they will glorify him.
For he will come like a raging flood tide
driven by the breath of the Lord.
Verse 15 – In Acts 26 we see that the Apostle Paul is attacked for speaking the Truth of Christ, he is called “insane” as he is imprisoned (Truth is gone in the world, and there is no justice).
Verse 16 – In Revelation 19:1-10, the Apostle John sees that all of Heaven is Praising Jesus, as He will step in to intervene, once again to help the oppressed and to bring “final” justice to His Creation.
Verse 17 – In Ephesians 6:10-20, the Apostle Paul teaches us the critical lesson about “The Whole Armor of God” that we need to put on now; and in Revelation 19:11-13 the Apostle John describes sees Jesus coming, again, as a Warrior and gives details about His Righteousness and Armor.
Verse 18 – In Revelation 16 the Apostle John describes Christ’s wrath on evil in the Second Coming.
Verse 19 – In Luke 17:26-37 Jesus, Himself, describes His Return as like in the day of Noah (symbolic of a raging flood in a time of removing evil); and in Revelation 14:6-13 the Apostle John describes how the Good News is proclaimed to the people (just as people in the west to east will respect the name of the Lord).
Prayer: Jesus, thank You for Your Truth. Please continue to hold my hand, every day, as I walk with You. Help me to cling to Your Word as times get harder and harder and keep allowing Your wisdom to be my guide. Steer me away from sin and allow me to be quick to repent. I pray that many hearts will grow to know You, and that Your Holy Spirit burns brighter and more true within Your kids. I ask all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.
Written by: Jennifer Auer, Pastor Mary Haley’s Assistant