epcblog

Devotional thoughts (Monday through Thursday mornings) from the pastor of Exeter Presbyterian Church in Exeter, NH // Sunday Worship 10:30am // 73 Winter Street

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Isaiah 35

Proverbs 25:25 says, “Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.” I remember being in a distant land some years ago, and thinking about this verse. People back home were waiting for good news, but when I made the phone call to them, I could not bring the news that they were hoping far. Much of life seems to involve situations like that. In this fallen world, the phone calls that we remember are not always filled with messages of good news.

We have been traveling through various chapters in this big book of prophesy. There certainly has been good news for us all along the way, but sometimes we had to travel along a gospel road to find it. We had to see Christ in judgment and then reason our way to the cross and find the grace that we needed to refresh our souls again in the death of Christ for sinners. But now we have come to a chapter that is marvelous news, and it comes to us from a land that may seem to be far away, but as we gather in worship in the One who is both at the right hand of the Father in heaven and simultaneously somehow in us who would enter His gates with thanksgiving and praise, the land that we seek is not as far away as we imagine.

There is a day coming when our eyes will see what we only now know by faith. Land that is so parched and dry, shall be fruitful with refreshing streams of good news experience of the best water finally right on our thirsty lips. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, those who long for our Lord more than all that this present age can offer us, will find that our hearts desire has been satisfied, and that we are not alone. We are with Him, and many others are with Him. All who have had a taste of the streams of living water that have flowed forth from the source of gospel life will now see the Source and know the cleansing power of salvation most completely accomplished. We will see the majesty of our God.

The northern kingdom of Israel fell to Assyria during the reign of Judah’s king Hezekiah. Here Isaiah, who lived at that time, prophesies about the restoring of God’s people to the land. But he must be speaking of something much more than what their hearts could have even imagined at that time. He is a herald of the New Covenant era, and ultimately of the consummation of the Kingdom of heaven.

We still wait, in a way, for the greatest fulfillment of these words so many hundreds of years after they were first uttered by God’s prophet. We who have this long-standing hope are in the line of the Old Testament saints, the faithful in the early church, and those who have hoped in God since Adam named His wife Eve because He believed God’s promise that she would be the mother of all the living. Even though we today have a firmer hope because of the appearing of the promised descendant of Eve who would crush the head of the vile serpent, yet we need today to strengthen our weak hands in the ancient promises of God displayed for us so wonderfully in the earthly ministry of the Lamb of God, who rose victorious from the grave.

We, much more even then the Old Testament remnant, should know for certain that this Jesus will come and save us. He has already come and displayed His holy power when He opened the eyes of the blind. He unstopped deaf ears, and made the lame man leap for joy. We, who had no heart for the worship of Israel’s God, now sing for joy a new song to Jehovah, even using the words of David’s psalms.

How can we be worshiping God through the mediation of a Jewish Messiah? Waters have broken forth in the wilderness of even Gentile lands. We, who lived in places that were utterly desolate in spiritual terms, now share in the hope of Israel that the apostle once preached, though he was a prisoner. And we, like Him, have been put on the highway of heavenly happiness. We are out of the captivity of Assyrian chains, and as citizens of the best land we sing for joy on the road to the fulfillment of every divine promise. We are the ransomed of the Lord, through the blood of Christ, and everlasting joy shall be upon our heads. No chains of man, or discipline of our loving Father in heaven, can separate us from the love of that same God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Therefore, though we acknowledge that we often have news that is less than what we might desire, and though we have precious and frequent opportunities to comfort our beloved brothers and sisters in their very real disappointments and heartbreaks today, may we know even now something of heaven’s gladness. In Christ we are not far from the kingdom, where all our best hopes and dreams are surely reserved for us. We have sent our best treasures there ahead of us. Where your treasure is, let your heart be. Because of the hope of Israel, may your sorrow and sighing flee away in the wonder of the love that excels all earthly joys.

posted by Pastor Magee @ 7:00 AM

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