Isaiah 25:9 “It will be said on that day,
“Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.
This is the LORD; we have waited for him;
let us be glad and rejoice in His salvation.”
It has been said, anything worthwhile is worth waiting for, but when it comes to receiving the reward for diligence, patience, and hope…there will be no greater reward than for those who wait for the coming of the Lord.
The path of peace has been reserved for the faithful. The elect of God who have laid down their lives that Christ might be glorified have a trust that is unwavering, and a strong city in which they might dwell. Salvation is a bulwark of strength and their faith is a shield against the enemy forces.
The mind of the diligent is stayed upon the Redeemer, He leads them and they follow in joy. What are they waiting for, you might ask? Could it be great riches or reward? Are they waiting for past loved ones or the promise of a new Heaven and Earth? Could it be these people have an expectation of personal glory or divine promise?
All of these hopes are true, but that is not what they are waiting for…they are waiting for Him.
Isaiah 26:1-4 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.
Open the gates,
that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in.
You keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on you,
because he trusts in you.
Trust in the LORD forever,
for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.”
There will be no greater joy, there will be no deeper satisfaction, or desire fulfilled, than the day the longing heart of the redeemed meets their Savior.
The idea that Jesus could mean so much to a group of people escapes the reasoning of those who cannot see. For the casual observer, Jesus might be to them a wise teacher or model of character worth admiring. There are those who partake of the things of God because it makes them feel holy. The idea of personal edification thrills them, to them they certainly deserve Heaven as the next one in the pew, they’ve given the sign of the cross countless times and kissed the image of the saint. Look over their mantel and you might see an effigy of a praying saint and relics line their houses, but for many of these lost souls, Mary takes precedence over the One who honored her.
Isaiah 26:5-6 “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.
The foot tramples it,
the feet of the poor,
the steps of the needy.”
The Lord has made level paths for His people. There was no climb necessary and no shaman waiting at a peak after a difficult ascent. The Lord has established a pathway for His people and for those who delight in His way, the longing soul will be filled.
Isaiah 26:7-9 “The path of the righteous is level;
you make level the way of the righteous.
In the path of your judgments,
O LORD, we wait for you;
your name and remembrance
are the desire of our soul.
My soul yearns for you in the night;
my spirit within me earnestly seeks you.”
The name of the Lord will be magnified over the Earth. The blasphemer, the liar, and the thief will be brought low. The murderer, adulterer, idolater, and the covetous will find they have received all the reward they will ever get in this life. A short cheap thrill exchanged for an eternity of judgement.
Who is it whom God raises up?
- The poor in spirit
- Those who mourn
- The meek
- Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness
- The merciful
- The pure in heart
- The peacemakers
- Those who are persecuted for bearing His name
Are these people exempt from sin? Have they never offended God in the same ways the condemned have done so? Of course they have, and in abundance!
The difference between these two groups of people is not found in their past but rather in their position.
Proverbs 18:10 “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.”
A people once meant for destruction have been called from death unto life. They have heard the Word of the Lord and He has glorified His name over them. They run to Him and He has become their strength. Their anxious hearts long for Him and He pours forth His Spirit upon them and anoints them with joy.
The flesh limits God’s people from experiencing Him in full, but when He returns, what was once dim has been made clear, the old nature is gone and the joy they have now is made complete.
Don’t you see? The people of God have tasted and seen what is good and what the Lord requires of them, to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with their God. Love is poured out upon them but it does not end with them. The love Jesus has given them goes out to others, as it was freely given, so it is freely shared.
Isaiah 26:20-21 “Come, my people, enter your chambers,
and shut your doors behind you;
hide yourselves for a little while
until the fury has passed by.
For behold, the LORD is coming out from his place
to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity,
and the earth will disclose the blood shed on it,
and will no more cover its slain.”
The call goes out, come up to Me my people and enter into the chamber that I have prepared for you….and their hearts cry, come quickly Lord Jesus.
For those who wait, they will not wait much longer. The morning has dawned and the Beloved has come.
Song of Solomon 2:10-13 ”My beloved speaks and says to me:
“Arise, my love, my beautiful one,
and come away,
for behold, the winter is past;
the rain is over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth,
the time of singing has come,
and the voice of the turtledove
is heard in our land.
The fig tree ripens its figs,
and the vines are in blossom;
they give forth fragrance.
Arise, my love, my beautiful one,
and come away.”
What great joy awaits those who wait for Him. The longing of their hearts will find satisfaction, the investment of God’s Spirit will lead them into a fullness of His presence, and then they will worship Him as one Body…the beloved Bride of Christ united with the One she loves.
U.T. 