Really, none of these great Isaiah chapters can be covered intricately. God’s Word is, to quote Psalm 119:96, “exceeding broad!” That’s why the second (in some cases, the third) Lesson on each successive chapter is entitled “Things I didn’t say.” But even those Installments can be critically important, because they are still reporting on God’s “Holy Writ.” (One more respectful name the old-timers used for the Bible!)
For example, today’s compact four-verse Text presents us another of Isaiah’s (what I’m going to start calling) “Millennial Moments!”
And you will be able to easily discern that immediately upon reading Isaiah 32:15-18. Here it is, King James Version: “Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest. Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field. And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places”
Wow!
This is a “reversal” of God’s previous judgment upon the Land, Judah. Remember yesterday? (All the prior Lessons are archived here for easy reference, for further study.) “Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns and briers; yea … the palaces shall be forsaken; the multitude of the city shall be left; the forts and towers shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks.” Isaiah 32:13-14
Now, in today’s Lesson … the Spirit of God is “poured” upon Israel! But that verb is quite interesting. In Hebrew “arah” normally (when passive, as here) means “to be uncovered, to be exposed.” Then it came to mean “emptied!” Graphic word pictures of the Effluence of God the Holy Spirit, in His inexhaustible Abundance. (Once they were “blind,” but when verse 15 here becomes reality, they can “see!” The Spirit of God, gloriously revealed!)
And the result of the Holy Spirit’s so “flooding” the Land? Results (plural) I should have said.
The “wilderness” (the noun “midbar” which means “desert” 13 times in the Old Testament) will become fruitful! Agricultural expansion and profusion, “the fruitful field shall be counted a forest!” Stalks of wheat tall as cedar trees!
And then next … both “judgment” (right court decisions) and “righteousness” will be universally available. No more cheating and lying and killing!
Isaiah himself says it best: “And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.” Verse 17, beautiful! “Peace, quiet, assurance!” (Apparently, no more agnostics!)
Then God speaks: “And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.” Amazing! “No more war,” to paraphrase many a hopeful Bible Prophet. They by then shall have beaten their “swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks.” Quoting Isaiah 2:2, earlier in the Book.
Yes, a short Paragraph today. But clearly Millennial in nature! And I believe these things literally await Israel in her (dark at first, but then very bright) God ordained future!
Amen!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
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