Isaiah 51:1-23 Good News
God is talking to a specific group of people. Those who pursue His righteousness and follow His will. There is good news for them, even in bad times. God has them in His hand!
Jerusalem and all of Judah ARE going into exile. God will be extracting judgment for their sins. Israel has already been swallowed up because of her sins. Only Judah remains. But she too will be brought low because of her own guilt. God’s wrath will be poured out on her.
But what of the people who haven’t abandoned God? Will they be dragged into exile too? Will they suffer alongside those who have denied Him? God gives us His answer to those questions. The answer is “Yes & No.” Scratching your head yet? Ok. Here goes. This is what I see.
Yes. There are going to be hard times for Judah. They will be captured and carried off into captivity. God has also already put in place a plan to bring them out of captivity AT THE RIGHT TIME. But while in captivity, those who still follow God will continue to have His hand on their lives. Look at Daniel. GOD blessed him and gave him favor. Look to the most famous trio, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They refused to bow down to other gods and the Lord their God walked with them in the midst of the fiery furnace. They saw Him personally because they trusted Him implicitly. I am MORE than certain that these four men were NOT the only ones trusting in the Lord during this time. It is that we only hear a few stories.
GOD DOES NOT ABANDON HIS CHILDREN IN TIMES OF GREAT TRIAL. This is as true today as it was the day it was uttered by Isaiah. Today, as our governments fail us, God is STILL with those who seek Him. As our planet reels from the damage done to her over MANY years, God STILL has His hand on His people. He will NOT let us be swept away by laws or policies made by man. “Natural disasters” will NOT rob us of our relationship with Him. True, some may die. But even death CANNOT separate us from our God. He is Lord over ALL!
No wonder those who will return are being told to sing! There is GREAT cause to rejoice!
When the Hebrews left Egypt in the first exodus, ALL the people came along. The old and the young. The lofty and the lowly. Those who trusted in the words of the Lord and those who ‘went along with the crowd’. God wasn’t discriminating at that time. He took them ALL out. He even healed the feeble and brought them out in strength. NONE remained in the land of Egypt. Those who didn’t want to go were driven out by the Egyptians!
There is another exodus in the future of Judah. It will be when Cyrus lets the people go back to Israel; to Jerusalem. Those who come out will be the ones who want to rebuild what once was; a nation after God’s own heart. Many will choose to remain behind in the land of their captors.
There were four groups who would return to Judah but that was not all the people. In the later trips there were most likely those who came for reasons other than worshiping God. Their attitudes would mix in with the others. By the time Jesus came there would be a convoluted worship of God. Their ‘own’ version of righteousness.
A third exodus happened when Israel became a state again in 1947. Many Jews returned to escape persecution and discrimination. I have a feeling that worship of the Lord played a big part in that exodus too, but I can’t be certain. Not every Jewish person went ‘home’. Many stayed where they were, living as those around them did.
There will be at least one more exodus to come. That one will be when Jesus returns. When He sets up His kingdom on earth, those who love Him will come together to serve Him. There will only be those whose hearts seek Him in residence at that time. I wonder if Gentile believers will be allowed to live in Jerusalem or if it will be reserved for those of Jewish descent. I don’t have the answer to that question, but I do know that His reign will extend over the whole earth so I will feel His hand on my life too!
This prophecy gives those who seek Him hope in our time too. If He can keep those who love Him safe in captivity, He can and will do the same for us in our chaotic world. We are His witnesses in a dark place. There is NO WHERE God cannot reach us. His hand didn’t melt in the fiery furnace. It won’t wither when reaching into this sinful world right now either. We are SAFE in His arms!
Father God, I’m looking forward to the day when I spend forever with You. I’m tired of the arguing, bickering, fighting, and rampant sin in this world. I know it will get worse before it gets better. I’m trusting that You will draw Your people out before the worst of it. IF, by some misunderstanding, I’m wrong, I KNOW You will be with me until the moment Jesus parts the clouds. You have it ALL in control. I will be singing on that day!!!
