Exposition by Max A Forsythe
Do you remember the discipline you received when you were little? Yes, it may have been slightly painful then, but in the long run it was for your benefit. Clarence Thomas, reports that his future was well shaped by a grandfather who insisted that he learn to earn his own way and pull his own weight. And so he struggled and by hard work and common sense earned his place in American History and on the Supreme Court of the United States. But, his success was hard fought and the final obstacles almost insurmountable. But the character that was produced and the future years of productive court work ahead make the past discipline and discipleship worthwhile.
In a similar way, the entire life of Abraham Lincoln served to prepare him for the special task of presidency during the climactic Civil War. His second inaugural address stands as the high point of his career and is considered by many to be the finest speech ever composed and delivered anywhere! Adversity, discipline and discipleship it used to be known, can and does produce character. At one time, parents and teachers were normally prepared to administer the last two liberally for the benefit of the next generation.
Should we be surprised to discover that our Father God is also willing and able to discipline and disciple His elect to prepare them for service and finally for eternity with Himself? The awareness that His is able to administer tough love is noted in Calvin's comments on our passage in Isaiah today.
"The thought behind this chapter is that God, though justly offended at his people, is satisfied with inflicting a moderate chastisement. 'We ought, therefore, to be fortified by this doctrine, that, though we feel the anger of the Lord, we may know that it is of short duration, and that we shall be comforted as soon as he has chastened us.'"
All of the chapters in Isaiah so far lead us to this profound point where we learn from Isaiah what the future salvation will look like. Certainly, the past, present and future experiences are included in this particular moment. The praise here in these verses is for redemption. Just as the Israelites sang the praises of God for the mighty deliverance from Egypt, so in the future the people will again praise God for His wondrous redemption.
While Isaiah speaks as if his own contemporaries will experience redemption, he is actually depicting people in the future in terms of his contemporaries. The one voice of all generations may and must be united in eternal praise of our God in heaven both in the midst of continued adversity and in the eternity of heaven as well. This eternal gratitude is expressed to God not because He was angry, but because He had been angry and yet turned His wrath aside. See this fact there in verse one?
Of course we know better how this state of events was brought about. Isaiah is given a hint in verse two of chapter twelve. God Himself will be our salvation in and through Jesus Christ. Thus may Isaiah be confident in his assuring words "I will trust and not be afraid". This is a God given certainty of hope, which may be possessed by the redeemed. The personal nature of this is reinforced by the Hebrew, which may be translated "he has become to me for salvation." For this personal interaction, The Lord may acknowledge as Isaiah's strength and worthy of Isaiah's song.
So may we also acknowledge the God of Isaiah as our strength and song as well. Isaiah compares the eternal joy that may be ours to the value of water in Palestine. Just as water proved precious in the dry desert climate of Palestine so the joy of salvation is likened to the joys of a cold drink of well water in a dry thirsty land. All of those who have received the grace of waters from the well of salvation are encouraged in verse four to rejoice, give thanks and sing as a newer song goes.
All of this is to be done in the spirit of the first question of the Shorter Catechism where we are taught
"Man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him for ever." It is that forever to which Isaiah looks in this short hymn of chapter twelve. That forever of eternal life can also be ours in the present life as well. Even as Isaiah praised God for the promised deliverance expected in the near future during Hezekiah and in the longer future of the restoration, so may we praise God for the salvation, which delivers us from the punishment due our sins today.
Just as Isaiah called for rejoicing, giving thanks and singing for national deliverance so may we be called to rejoice, give thanks and sing for what God has done in Christ on our behalf. The very anger that is due to us because of our sinful nature, not to mention our many sins, is turned aside by the sovereign will of our Creator God. Surely this fact may give us comfort and encourage us to trust in God even as Isaiah did. Have you ever been thirsty enough to appreciate the wells of salvation described here?
Probably not, the closest experience I can think of was two years ago at school. The students had the day off and we had a psychological expert out of Columbus to entertain the staff for four hours. A dynamic speaker she wasn't. The English teachers were keeping track of how many times she said, "you know". By the first break they had filled one whole page of hash marks. Tension and stress were at incredible levels. I went to the area where we kept the pop machines to discover that our old machines were gone and a new generation of Pepsi machines were replacing the old Coke ones! As the advertisements went, I was really thirsty now! I found the administrator in charge of the new machine project and complained that there wasn't anything to drink! Unfortunately there wasn't to be any joy in school that day! But several of us did figure out that we ought to be giving thanks for the incredible incompetence displayed by a leading psychological administrator in the State of Ohio.
That is a poor example to be sure, and those who have drunk the far greater waters of Christ and know his salvation, have much greater things to be thankful for. For that very personal salvation, knowing that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, we must rejoice, give thanks and sing. Will you do that regularly? May the knowledge of salvation give us such joy. Amen.
Resources Used:
Ellis, Charles..
The Wells of Salvation.
Thomas, Derek..
Welwyn Commentery Series: God Delivers.
Young, Edward J.
The Book of Isaiah.
The Holy Bible.
New International Version (1984 Edition)
NOTE: I am not able to automatically
recommend any future editions.
Christ Covenant Reformed (Presbyterian Church in America) -
Box 13926 - Columbus, OH 43213
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26 Decemberber 93
Permission granted to redistribute unedited versions with this notice.