Throughout this entire book of Isaiah there has been a running theme. When God speaks, He refers to Himself as “the Redeemer”. Over and over and over again we’ve read it; it’s almost like He’s trying to make a point or something. J
The LORD God is our Redeemer. While a woman may “forget her nursing child” and “have no compassion on the son of her womb”, Yet, He “will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands”. (Isaiah 49:15-16) The hands of Jesus bear PERMANENT marks from the nails that held Him to the cross, our cross. It is absolutely impossible for Him to forget YOU. He loves you too much.
“Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall prostrate themselves; because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” (Isaiah 49:7) The LORD is faithful, and He has chosen YOU. That’s no small appointment my friend. He chose YOU to have an intimate and personal relationship with Him. That’s huge! Why? Because He loves YOU!
“Thus says the LORD GOD: ‘Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nations, and raise My signal to the peoples; and they shall bring your sons in their arms, and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders. Kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you, and lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who wait for Me shall not be put to shame.'” (Isaiah 49:22-23)
My friend, the time has come. Trouble has hit the streets hard lately. It’s time to unite and fight as only Christians can. We’ve GOT to drop the denominational lines that separate us and cause turmoil between us. We worship the same God, we’re on the same side. We’ve got to stop fighting against each other and start fighting WITH each other! We have a common enemy and it’s not the government or the person across the aisle from us. The enemy isn’t a Republican, a Democrat or a Tea Party member. Our Enemy is SATAN! We do not wage war against flesh and blood, we wage war against Satan. And until we get that straight in our brains the battle will continue to rage around us.
Yes, there is trouble in our world today, but it is NOTHING that we can’t handle when God is on our side! I mean, I don’t know about you all, but I’ve read the end of the book, I know how this story ends. And it isn’t with the good guys losing! Those who wait on the LORD shall not be put to shame! It’s right there in black and white, so let’s read it all over.
“The LORD GOD has given [YOU] the tongue of those who are taught, that [YOU] may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning He awakens; He awakens [YOUR] ear to hear as those who are taught. The LORD GOD has opened [YOUR] ear” (Isaiah 50:4-5) “The LORD GOD helps [YOU]; therefore [you] have not been disgraced; therefore set your face like a flint, and know that [you] shall not be put to shame. He who vindicates [you] is near. Who will contend with [you] Stand up together. Who is [your] adversary? Let him come near to [you]. Behold, the Lord GOD helps [you]; who will declare [you] guilty?” (Isaiah 50:7-9)
“From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. Working together with Him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says, ‘In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, NOW is the favorable time, behold, NOW is the day of salvation. We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way; by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything. We have spoken freely to you, our heart is wide open. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affection. In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also.” (2 Corinthians 5:16-6:13)
“Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is My law; fear not the reproach of man, nor be dismayed at their reviling. For the moth will eat them up like a garment, and the worm will eat them like wool; but My righteousness will be forever, and My salvation to all generations.” (Isaiah 51:7-8) “I, I am He who comforts you; who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, of the son of man who is made like grass and have forgotten the LORD, you Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, and you fear continually all the day because of the wrath of the oppressor, when he set himself to destroy? And where is the wrath of the oppressor? He who is bowed down shall speedily be released; he shall not die and go down to the pit, neither shall his bread be lacking. I am the LORD your God, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar – the LORD of hosts is His name. And I have put My words in your mouth and covered you in the shadow of My hand, establishing the heavens and laying the foundations of the earth, and saying to Zion, ‘You are My people’. Wake yourself, wake yourself, stand up, O Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the hand of the LORD the cup of His wrath, who have drunk to the dregs the bowl, the cup of staggering.” (Isaiah 51:12-17)
“Therefore hear this, you who are afflicted, who are drunk, but not with wine; Thus says your Lord, the LORD, your God who pleads the cause of His people; ‘Behold, I have taken from your hand the cup of staggering; the bowl of my wrath you shall drink no more; and I will put it into the hand of your tormentors, who have said to you, ‘Bow down, that we may pass over’: and you have made your back like the ground and like the street for them to pass over.” (Isaiah 51:21-23)
“Listen to Me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the LORD; look to the rock from which you were hewn and to the quarry from which you were dug. Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you; for he was but one when I called him, that I might bless him and multiply him. For the LORD comforts Zion; He comforts all her waste places and makes her wilderness like Eden, her desert, like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the voice of song.” Isaiah 51:1-3)
Tamar Knochel 