Isaiah 54 vs 5-17

Just a quick note on verse 4. We see the word “widowhood.” How is it that one becomes a widow? The only way is for the husband to die. Verse 4 is a reference to the fact that God Himself will die for the sins of the world.

Isaiah Chapter 54 Verses 5 – 8

·    This is all covenant talk and we even see that word used by God in just a moment in verse 10… Israel is referred to in the Bible as the wife of God and the church is referred to in the Bible as the Bride of Christ. This can be confusing and even sound a bit weird but it all comes down to covenant relationship.

·    The Abrahamic Covenant, given to Abraham and signified in the rite of circumcision, was an unconditional covenant, one-sided, between God and the blessed descendant nation of Abraham. We read God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:2-3, “I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” In this covenant God joined Himself to this people for all time. He promised.

·    And then the New Covenant, given through Jesus Christ and signified by the rite of circumcision of the heart, (Romans 2:29), is an unconditional covenant, one-sided, between God and the blessed descendant nation of Jesus Christ. And in this covenant God joined Himself to this people for all time. He promised…

·    So, in that we see the relationship commitment of God to Israel and the relationship commitment of God to the church, the wife and the bride. Not the same but also not different. God is One. Three in One. And think of the church as the bride that Christ has won unto Himself while Israel is the wife that God the Father has taken unto Himself. And here’s where it gets a little weird…, because Jesus was a Jew… I mean, weird to us but in truth not weird at all…

·    So, we read in these verses that there was a mere moment that they (the wife, Israel) were forsaken by God…, interesting isn’t it that Jesus called out from the cross, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me.” And we read here that with a little wrath God hid His face from you for a moment…, and in the moment, Luke 23:44 tells us that darkness came over all the earth for about three hours, darkness upon all of creation, while Jesus took on the sin of the world.

·    It was at that moment the terror of perhaps the Father turning His head from the Son…, His Jewish Son…, representing all people in that moment… the wife, the bride, the entirety of human creation. Everything, the Old Testament and New, the Old Covenant and New, everything converges upon Jesus Christ… All to do what? To usher in God’s everlasting kindness, God’s grace upon sinful man… and to make good on every promise God ever spoke!

Isaiah Chapter 54 Verses 9 – 10

·    That’s covenant talk. And the implication, its rather obvious, is New Covenant. Because in the previous verses we see kindness disrupted per se. Justice. And yet from here on out, just like the flood of Noah, can’t and won’t happen again… Why? Because it’s new and its secure in the perfect covenant sacrifice of Jesus.

·    The only way God could or would make statements like we read in these verses is because and if the sacrifice of Jesus Christ was and is sufficient to forgive all people of all sin for all time once and for all! Nothing more is required and nothing more can be given than to bruise the head of what started this whole mess in the first place, self-absorption and self-service, reversed and defeated through the strength of agape love and personal sacrifice!

·    What did Noah do after the waters of the flood receded? Genesis 8:20-21, “Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. Then the Lord said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done.” Now, what did Paul say of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ in Ephesians 5:2? “Walk in love, as Christ has also loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma…”

·    And now we have a glimpse of the ultimate promise as a result of what Jesus accomplished…

Isaiah Chapter 54 Verses 11 – 15

·    We are given a vision of the New Jerusalem in Revelation Chapter 21 which aligns perfectly to the promised description we just read. Revelation 21:9-21 reads, “Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, “Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her light was like the most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. Also, she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal. Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.”

·    But, while we wait, here we have promises for now also because the shadow of the New Jerusalem lives in the hearts of the redeemed… How do we visit it? Vacation there? AGAPE.

Isaiah Chapter 54 Verses 16 – 17

·    Who is the spoiler but the Holy Spirit Himself. The same power of salvation in the Word of God and blood of Jesus, if rejected, is the single condemnation upon men… Weapons are welcome to form against you, but they cannot, won’t prosper…, and God will even use the circumstances of creation to show His faithfulness (the blacksmith illustration).

·    This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord. That is…, the faithful. The agape-ers. Not the believers, the servants. This is a word of action. A word used in the Hebrew 800 times in the Old Testament. How many times is the word “boss” used? Zero times! Ha!

·    The bride of Christ serves her Husband. It’s as simple as that. How do you know who is the bride of Christ? The one who respects and serves Jesus with their life! And this is the heritage of the servants of God because of the righteousness that is from God.

·    There’s no trying to serve the Lord. No need to plan, strive, fight through not wanting to…, for the one who has passed from death to life, this is simply natural. Why? Because that’s love… The greatest commandment is also the greatest and only proof…, AND, it’s the greatest weapon, tool, whatever you want to call it in this world for overcoming the world!

·    Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength… no problem. Agape…, that’s the pleasure of my life for those that know Him and are known by Him!