Introduction: The past two chapters of Isaiah have mixed the present of the Prophet’s time and the future with references which seem to apply to both the time of Jesus and to His coming again, which is still in the future for us! The timing of this passage is also not fixed in a point of time – it refers in part to the very near future in relationship to the writing which was nearly 3,000 ago from now! In other places it seems to refer to after the coming again of Jesus! There are, however, very clearly statements which are timeless!
1 In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:
“We have a strong city;
he sets up salvation
as walls and bulwarks.
2 Open the gates,
that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in.
3 You keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on you,
because he trusts in you. – Comment: Note that it says the mind. It doesn’t infer the circumstances! As I write this I am thinking of the situations in which many Christians find themselves today. In so many countries, just because they are believers, many are being martyred. Not only as the sword falls but everyday when they have to live with the thought, ‘Is it my turn today?’ – how can they live at peace? And what about the Christian who daily faces the risks of psychological or physical domestic violence, how do they have peace? Hard to understand but possible, maybe mixed with natural fear but they have the right to rest in the knowledge that God is both Sovereign and treats them as ‘the apple of His eye’. An apple may be bitten into, but the core is God’s precious child!
4 Trust in the LORD forever,
for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.
5 For he has humbled
the inhabitants of the height,
the lofty city.
He lays it low, lays it low to the ground,
casts it to the dust. – Comment: – To what does the ‘it’ refer? My thought springs to ‘the pride of the evil conquerors’, which although ‘pride’ is not mentioned as a word it seems to be embodied in the way conquerors feel, and is seen most certainly in their attitude towards the poor and needy and in their persistence to continue in their godless ways.
6 The foot tramples it,
the feet of the poor,
the steps of the needy.”
7 The path of the righteous is level;
you make level the way of the righteous. – A question: In the light of other passages where the way of righteousness is spoken of as narrow and upwards and frequently experiencing persecution what on earth does ‘being level’ mean? A proffered answer: I think that God doesn’t change His rules and thus the ‘playing field’ is level! And God strengthens, disciplines and constantly deals with us in a way that keeps us on ‘the straight and narrow upward’ path to the earthly end and future’s heavenly gate!
8 In the path of your judgments,
O LORD, we wait for you;
your name and remembrance
are the desire of our soul.
9 My soul yearns for you in the night;
my spirit within me earnestly seeks you.
For when your judgments are in the earth,
the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.
10 If favour is shown to the wicked,
he does not learn righteousness; – An opinion: As an example, If you live in Australia, this is seen in what is happening in the state of Victoria and their attitude to handling criminals at the moment!
in the land of uprightness he deals corruptly
and does not see the majesty of the LORD.
11 O LORD, your hand is lifted up,
but they do not see it.
Let them see your zeal for your people, and be ashamed.
Let the fire for your adversaries consume them.
Proverbs 14: 34&35 – Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. A servant who deals wisely has the king’s favour, but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully. – and don’t forget who is the ‘King of (all) kings’!
Prayer: Thank You for graciously offering Your peace in the midst of all the ups and downs of life, Lord Jesus.
As I read it! 