Lawrence Blair’s Encouraging Words on Waiting Well
“Waiting is not weakness, it’s courage” Lawrence Blair
Consider daily reflecting on God’s character and choosing to focus on hope instead of becoming bitter and resentful!
“God is too good to be unkind and He is too wise to be mistaken. And when we cannot trace His hand, we must trust His heart.”
― Charles Spurgeon
Are we trusting in Him or in our own understanding? Faith rests upon truth: the truths of His nature and goodness!
Patience is the grace to wait quietly to suffer calmly, and to hope steadfastly
John Charles Riley
Patience and faith work together to help us to grow, thrive, and become more like our Savior! Images generated using Night Cafe Studio.
The light of His presence obscures our present worries, doubts, and struggles as we wait for a word from Him.
Isaiah 59 & 60
Commentary Links:
It’s vital when examining God’s promise(s) to His people to consider first the audience, second the circumstances, and the proper application of these promises to us as modern believers. Here’s an excellent summary of Isaiah and themes: emphasis mine
Brief Summary: The book of Isaiah reveals God’s judgment and salvation. God is “holy, holy, holy” (Isaiah 6:3), and therefore He cannot allow sin to go unpunished (Isaiah 1:2; 2:11-20; 5:30; 34:1-2; 42:25). Isaiah portrays God’s oncoming judgment as a “consuming fire” (Isaiah 1:31; 30:33).
At the same time, Isaiah understands that God is a God of mercy, grace, and compassion (Isaiah 5:25; 11:16; 14:1-2; 32:2; 40:3; 41:14-16). The nation of Israel (both Judah and Israel) is blind and deaf to God’s commands (Isaiah 6:9-10; 42:7).
Judah is compared to a vineyard that should be, and will be, trampled on (Isaiah 5:1-7). Only because of His mercy and His promises to Israel, will God not allow Israel or Judah to be completely destroyed. He will bring restoration, forgiveness, and healing (43:2; 43:16-19; 52:10-12).
https://www.gotquestions.org/Book-of-Isaiah.html
Audience and Historical Context
Consider the nature of God, our sinful nature, and how God works through Jesus to redeem us. The audience of Isaiah is God’s people specifically the tribe of Judah and residents of Jerusalem: Chapter 1 Verse 1 reveals 1
“The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.” New King James Version
Historical Context
This era of history was a time of prosperity, increasing national wealth and prestige, and later pride. Later the Kingdom of Judah faces the Assyrian threat of invasion and conquest under King Hezekiah.
https://www.gotquestions.org/King-Uzziah-in-the-Bible.html
https://www.gotquestions.org/life-Hezekiah.html
The people of God are being unfaithful and God sends Isaiah to warn them to repent. God warns of coming judgment and later restoration. Chapter 59 explains how sin has separated the people from God and includes both a confession and promise of God’s redemption. Consider chapter 60 in light of chapter 59!
Commentary Links
The disciplined runner continues to run even in the cold of the morning. He feels the warmth of the rising sun as he presses ahead in his trail run.
Application: Walking in His Light
Isaiah 60:1-3 NKJV
1Arise, shine;
For your light has come!
And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.
2For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,
And deep darkness the people;
But the Lord will arise over you,
And His glory will be seen upon you.
3The Gentiles shall come to your light,
And kings to the brightness of your rising.
Closing Promise vrs 19-21 NKJV
God the Glory of His People
19“The sun shall no longer be your light by day,
Nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you;
But the Lord will be to you an everlasting light,
And your God your glory.
20Your sun shall no longer go down,
Nor shall your moon withdraw itself;
For the Lord will be your everlasting light,
And the days of your mourning shall be ended.
21Also your people shall all be righteous;
They shall inherit the land forever,
The branch of My planting,
The work of My hands,
That I may be glorified.
22A little one shall become a thousand,
And a small one a strong nation.
I, the Lord, will hasten it in its time.”
God shines through our lives as we wait upon Him faithfully enduring the difficult circumstances and trials of our lives. We have the promise that He will be our Light and that we will endure and persevere in Him for His glory.
As the people of Judah faced defeat, exile, and sorrow, God’s Promises to them remained true. Pastor and commentary writer David Guziak explains how Isaiah 60 and Revelation 21 connect: emphasis mine
“a. The sun shall no longer be your light by day…but the Lord will be to you an everlasting light: This is like the light of the New Jerusalem described in Revelation 21:23, where the Lord Himself is the light. But just as important as having the Lord as your everlasting light is having your God your glory, and to glory in no one or nothing else.
i. “In the old order of creation, life was governed rigidly by night and day and unpredictably by the fitfulness of sun and moon. But in the new order of salvation, the ruling principle is the changeless presence of the Lord.” (Motyer)
b. They shall inherit the land forever: When we remember the context of Isaiah’s prophecy, it makes it even more precious. Isaiah was mostly written under the shadow of coming defeat and exile. To those dispossessed people of God, Isaiah pointed them to a day when they shall inherit the land forever.
i. This promise would not be fulfilled because the people of God were so good. Rather, the Lord said that it would be seen as the work of My hands, that I may be glorified.
c. I, the Lord, will hasten it in its time: God didn’t say it would happen soon, though in an eternal scale we might consider it soon. But God would hasten it – hurry it along, expedite it – in its time. When its time has come, the Lord will hasten it, but not before its time.
i. The promise seems too good to be true, and we are conditioned to think that if it seems too good to be true, it is. But God is too good not to be true.”
Source: https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/isaiah-60/
Words of Grace & Hope 