Tuesday, July 15,
2014, 6:13 a.m. – the Lord Jesus put the song “WAIT!” in mind. Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read
Isaiah 62 (NIV).
Her Vindication
For
Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain
quiet,
till
her vindication shines out like the dawn,
her salvation like a blazing torch.
…As
a young man marries a young woman,
so will your Builder marry you;
as
a bridegroom rejoices over his bride,
so will your God rejoice over you. ~
Is. 62:1, 5
All throughout the book of Isaiah we have prophecies of the
Messianic era, of Jesus Christ, his life and ministry, his death and
resurrection, and of his judgments upon his people and upon their enemies; of
the spiritual revival of his people, of people flocking to Jesus Christ, of
Christ’s return for his bride, and of his millennial kingdom reign upon the
earth.
The people of God in the Messianic era are not the Jews,
unless they believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Messiah. People outside
of faith in Christ are not his adulterous people, so they are not the ones who
are turning away from him and who he must revive, but they can be saved. Only
those who believe in Jesus, but who have forsaken him in some manner, can
experience his revival in their lives in him bringing them back into fellowship
with him.
The Israel of today, which is true Israel, is not the
physical nation, but it is the children of promise, the people of God, the Holy
City, Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, the church. Physical Israel today is
numbered among the Gentile nations, for she is of Hagar, the slave woman. Just
because they are physical descendants of Abraham does not mean they are Israel,
the children of promise. When Jesus Christ died for our sins, he made the Jews
and Gentiles one in Christ, so we are no longer Jew and Gentile, but we are
saved or unsaved. [See Ro. 9:6b-8; Ro. 11; Gal. 3:26-29; Gal. 4:22-31; Eph.
2:14-18; Matt. 12:30]
So, Zion today is the church. All throughout the book of
Isaiah is prophesied judgment against God’s people, the church, at the end of
time, because of her idolatry and her spiritual adultery, her stubbornness and
her rebellion, and her refusal to hear and to see what God is saying to the
churches. Because the majority of the church of today, in particular the
institutional church of the West, has strayed from her pure devotion to God and
has gone the way of the world, she has profaned the name of Jesus. So, for the
sake of God/Jesus and his name, God must visit her in divine judgment, not to
destroy her, but to deliver her out of the grip of those who have deceived her
so that her eyes will now be open, and her ears unstopped, and so she will see
the error of her ways, will humble herself before God in repentance, and so he
may revive, renew and restore her.
When the church of today is revived, renewed and restored,
the people of the world will notice, the true gospel of salvation will go out
from the church, and many will flock to faith in Jesus Christ. The book of
Isaiah teaches this over and over again. Though I do not long for judgment, I
do long to see the church revived! Amen! The Lord Jesus will take delight in
his repentant ones. He rejoices over every one who repents of their sin and who
turns to him in faith. He is our creator, our foundation, and the one who
builds his church. Those of his who have been committing spiritual adultery, he
will return to him. Many of those who now do not know Jesus Christ, including the
Jews, will come to faith in Him. And, one day, when he returns, the wedding
will take place, and we will be forever married to our Lord.
Posted Watchmen
I
have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem;
they will never be silent day or night.
You
who call on the Lord,
give yourselves no rest,
and
give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem
and makes her the praise of the earth… ~
Is. 62:6-7
A watchman is someone God has appointed to stand guard
(watch) over, and to offer to God’s people, the church, the only means of protection
for their lives from all manner of evil, i.e. as is taught in God’s word –
Jesus Christ and the gospel of our salvation. He or she warns of approaching
danger to our spiritual lives and our walks with Christ, and helps prepare the
people for spiritual battle. God makes him or her aware of what is going on
within the society, the church, and the world around him or her, so that he or
she can address and confront the dangers that lurk about. He or she also shows
the people of God the way of holiness as taught by Christ and the apostles, and
shares with the people the joys and benefits of following the Lord Jesus in
submission and obedience to his instructions for our daily living. He or she
teaches this in very practical and understandable ways that are relevant to
what is going on within the church, our society and the world about us today,
so that we can know how to apply those truths to our present day circumstances.
The watchman of God calls the people to repentance and faith
(or renewed faith). He or she understands that not all who call themselves
Christian actually know Jesus Christ, so he or she warns of the dangers of a
false gospel message and of wolves in sheep’s clothing - mere deceivers and
manipulators of truth. He or she speaks the truth concerning the true gospel of
salvation, and he or she warns that unless we turn from our sins, put our trust
in Christ Jesus, and walk in his ways – in the power and strength of the Spirit
within us – we will die in our sins. He or she also warns the people that if
they do not take heed to the words of the Lord that a judgment of God – his divine
discipline – is coming, but not to destroy, but to revive and to rescue his church
from deceivers and deception, so that God - the Lord Jesus - may renew and
restore her to fellowship with him. The watchmen (and women) whom God appoints
will not be silent day or night until God restores his adulterous people, he revives
his church, and the church becomes the praise of the earth. Amen!
Although this speaks to the role of God’s watchmen and
women, these instructions here are not unique only to those God has appointed
to his service to do this full time. We, as followers of Jesus Christ, are all
to keep watch over one another, to encourage each other in the faith, to warn
of the dangers of falling away, and of false gospels, and of wolves in sheep’s
clothing. Encouragement is not just a pat on the back, nor is it false
flattery, nor is it always words that cheer our hearts, though I certainly
enjoy the cheering. To encourage means to give people hope and confidence, but
not in themselves, but in Jesus Christ, their Lord. It also involves urging
people to live holy lives pleasing to God. It involves counsel, exhortation, and
appeals, as well as reassurances, promises, comfort and support (help).
Pass
through, pass through the gates!
Prepare the way for the people.
Build
up, build up the highway!
Remove the stones.
Raise
a banner for the nations. ~ Is. 62:10
Your Savior Comes
The
Lord has made proclamation
to the ends of the earth:
“Say
to Daughter Zion,
‘See, your Savior comes!
See,
his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.’”
They
will be called the Holy People,
the Redeemed of the Lord;
and
you will be called Sought After,
the City No Longer Deserted. ~ Is.
62:11-12
In Isaiah 40:10 we read: “See, the Sovereign LORD comes with
power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his
recompense accompanies him.” And, in Revelation 22:12 we read: “Look, I am
coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to
what they have done.”
One day Jesus is coming back to this earth. He is coming to
judge and he is coming to receive his bride to himself, and to bring her
salvation to completion. Those who have washed their robes in the blood of the
Lamb will receive the reward of eternal life with God in glory. Those who
refused to believe in Jesus, and who continued in their unbelief, will receive
eternal punishment and eternal separation from God. In the meanwhile, we wait
on our Lord and his return. We find our courage, our strength, our joy, our
hope and our rest only in him. We trust in his sovereignty, believing that all
things have a purpose, and that God has a plan for our lives. We also rest in
the knowledge that our God is completely faithful in all that he does, he is
true to his promises, and he will never leave us or forsake us. No matter what
trials we may face in this life, he is there right beside us, leading and
guiding our steps all the way. In his love we can find rest. Amen!
Wait! / An
Original Work / February 8, 2014
Wait for your Lord. Be
of courage.
Be strong, and take
heart today.
God is always watching
o’er you.
Trust Him with your
life always.
Sing of your Lord.
Praise His blessings.
Believe in His
sovereignty.
He delivered you from
your sin;
Gave you life
eternally.
Rest in your Lord.
Know His promise.
Beneath His wings rest
secure.
Your God has a plan
and purpose.
Let your faith in Him
endure.
Trust in your Lord.
He’ll not leave you,
Because He is
faithfulness.
He will lead and
guide; protect you.
In His love you can
find rest.
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