Seven hundred years before Christ\u2019s incarnation Isaiah wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost concerning things to come and blessings to be fulfilled. He wrote to encourage and comfort the hard pressed people of His own age and did so by telling them beforehand of the Messiah\u2019s success and how this success would be measured. Having spoken of God\u2019s righteous servant being sacrificed for the sins of His people the prophet goes on to describe the fruit of Christ\u2019s suffering and the harvest He achieved.<\/p>\n
Prepare to go big<\/b><\/p>\n
The Old Testament remnant was by definition small. Even the number of Christ\u2019s followers in His own lifetime was not large. He called them His \u2018little flock\u2019 and they seem to have numbered only one hundred and twenty in Jerusalem soon after Christ\u2019s ascension. Isaiah foresaw that following the return of Christ to heaven the apostles and the small church that remained would see a great increase in conversions as the gospel was preached among the Gentiles. He told the remnant all about it.<\/p>\n
Our Maker our Husband<\/b><\/p>\n
Paul describes marriage as a man and a woman becoming one flesh. When the Lord Jesus joined Himself to our flesh He united Himself to His church as the Husband of His Bride. The Lord Jesus Christ, our Maker is our Husband, our Head, our Representative and our Redeemer. God the creator became man in flesh to redeem His people from their sin and gather them to Himself as one body from out of the whole earth.<\/p>\n
A gathered people<\/b><\/p>\n
Isaiah has previously spoken of \u2018the LORD, your redeemer\u2019. He promised the remnant people that \u2018Zion shall be redeemed\u2019. However, this work was bigger than one family and one nation. The whole number of God\u2019s elect would be gathered by their Redeemer-Husband from near and far. The visible church would be increased and no effort or resource should be spared in enlarging their tents. This is the people who will sing in heaven, \u2018Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u2018Everlasting kindness\u2019<\/b><\/p>\n
The spiritual dimension of God\u2019s promise to His elect is evident in Isaiah\u2019s reference to the everlasting nature of the Lord\u2019s grace and mercy. \u2018With great mercies will I gather thee \u2026 with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.\u2019 Here we see how the salvation of the body, the church; comprising every individual member from amongst the Jews and the Gentiles, is God\u2019s absolute promise and not conditional on man\u2019s freewill. Unless it can be proved there is divine kindness in hell then everlasting kindness, just as everlasting love, must be particular.<\/p>\n
\u2018The covenant of my peace\u2019<\/b><\/p>\n
God swears with an oath of certainty, enlisting in evidence His promise to Noah, of which the rainbow is the sign, and also the durability of the mountains. He will be faithful to His word. He has undertaken to redeem, deliver and gather His church. God calls this His covenant of peace because it is founded upon the atoning and reconciling work of the Lord Jesus Christ as Representative and Surety of those for whom He died. God\u2019s love and kindness is the foundation of His everlasting covenant of grace and peace.<\/p>\n
The storms of life<\/b><\/p>\n
God is aware of the trials and hardships encountered by His people in this tumultuous world. He promises help and care for His elect \u2018afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not (otherwise) comforted\u2019. The comfort of believers in this life is rarely derived from physical ease or temporal, earthly security. Yet, the precious stones listed imply the spiritual beauty, value and strength granted to the Lord\u2019s people. Justifying righteousness and knowledge of gospel truth confirms the preservation of the elect. Being taught of God assures the spiritual peace that passeth understanding despite the trials we must face.<\/p>\n
The smith and the waster<\/b><\/p>\n
The Lord promises to safeguard His own children whom He watches over. Any who plan to trouble us should understand that their devices will be thwarted. God holds the elements of this world in His hand. The smith and the waster are both Christ\u2019s to order and everything bends to His will. \u2018No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn.\u2019 This is the Lord\u2019s promise to His people, it is the \u2018heritage of the servants of the LORD\u2019.<\/p>\n
The comfort of sovereign grace<\/b><\/p>\n
Every generation of the Lord\u2019s people will endure trials of varying severity. Despite this we are constantly upheld by the Lord and supplied with faith to believe in Christ. We have placed our hope in the good news of His successful accomplishments. Despite the challenge of our individual experiences, Zion, the city of God, is being built brick by precious brick and cannot be harmed or destroyed. Isaiah took comfort in foreseeing Christ\u2019s people gathered in this our gospel day. We, too, should be comforted with the daily evidence of God\u2019s promises being fulfilled before our eyes.<\/p>\n
Amen<\/p>\n