February 20, 2022
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Isaiah? Here’s today’s reading:
Isaiah 25 (NIV)
Praise to the Lord
1 Lord, you are my God;
I will exalt you and praise your name,
for in perfect faithfulness
you have done wonderful things,
things planned long ago.
2vYou have made the city a heap of rubble,
the fortified town a ruin,
the foreigners’ stronghold a city no more;
it will never be rebuilt.
3vTherefore strong peoples will honor you;
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears
from all faces;
he will remove his people’s disgrace
from all the earth.
And there it is the hope that comes from an intimate relationship with Him. The salvation He provides that I do not deserve. He wants what is best for me and He will wipe away my tears despite the circumstances of this life…He remains faithful! He is with me through it all good and bad and even His judgement is for my betterment.
“In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.””
Isaiah 25:9 NIV
https://isaiah.bible/isaiah-25-9
Isaiah 25
Wow, what a great chapter! In Chapter 24, the Lord “lay waste to the earth” silenced all the “joyful timbrels” (celebration) in judgement only to deliver His people in Chapter 25. Isaiah is given the word that one day Messiah will “swallow up death forever” and that God one day will defeat all His enemies and the enemies of His people. What more assurance do we need?
I do agree with Steve P’s comment about this chapter that is listed under chapter 24…it is a breath of fresh air amongst all the judgement. But it actually reveals the true heart of God and what He would prefer to do. As with any parent, He would rather bless and provide than punish and withhold. So it is no surprise in the midst of chapters talking about the judgement coming, there would praise and affirmation because of the salvation that God can bring. And that salvation will be directed to His people and will include both physical and spiritual blessings. In fact the picture of judgement on HIs adversaries and favor for those who believe and follow is a consistent strain throughout the Bible and is at the core of much of Biblical prophecy. God humbles the proud and lifts up the humble!
“And it will be said in that day:
“Behold, this is our God;
We have waited for Him, and He will save us.
This is the Lord;
We have waited for Him;
We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.”
waiting…..waiting…….