Exposition by Max A Forsythe
One of the main themes of St Augustine's book The City of God is the idea that there are two ongoing kingdoms that we may experience during our brief life on earth. Obviously from his title, there is the eternal heavenly kingdom which he describes as the city of God. Then there is the other kingdom, the worldly kingdom within which we all must live for a short time.
How human our condition is when we mistakenly dwell on the felt eternity of sufferings or frustrating conditions instead of looking forward to that great day after time has ended. How much more do we remember a week's suffering than a moment's gladness? Is it because our ongoing life is too real to our senses that we cannot appreciate the joyful eternity that is ours in Jesus Christ? Or do we focus our minds wrongly on the tragic, the temporal and the times instead of the real hopes and promises of our God in heaven?
Isaiah continually seems to be able to see beyond the difficulties of his times. His social commentary and revelatory visions are regularly broken up with passages of hope for eternity. And so we come to a pause here in Isaiah's prophecy that refreshes his soul in the midst of an era that was passing into history in preparation for God's allowing something new to develop. The times, they were a changing; the small and medium sized city states of the Middle East were passing from the stage to be replaced by a series of gigantic empires.
We may observe in our day, that no matter how obnoxious the communist rule might have been in reality, the petty ethnic rivalries of the Balkan states may well cause us to wonder if there was some personal profit to be had from a collective experience in the former system? So may the mid-eastern rivalries and ethnic cleansings come to a timely end and their passing may even be celebrated. Yet, there is a timeless quality in this chapter twenty-five which ought to point our attention to the end of all worldly institutions and the final establishment of the heavenly kingdom.
In verse one Isaiah points our hearts to God alone. Great is our God, so great that He is ever and always worthy of our praise. Why, is it not because He is always faithful in the past, present and future? Isaiah observes that marvelous things have been done and everything that has and will be done is carefully planned. HisStory has a purpose from beginning to end.
The city mentioned in verse two is a generic city. No specific place is pointed out. Can this be the generic worldly city of Augustine's pen? However we apply this verse two, it is quite evident that the worldly place is pulled down to destruction by God's power and providence. Because of God's actions in history, some of the worldly will honor our God, even whole cultures will fear the Lord our God because their worldly confidence in their fortifications will be undone.
In the absence of these fortifications, many will find a refuge in the Lord. In our day, the fortifications of humanism are less impressive than buildings of earth and stone. However, as Dr Young observes: "the ecumenical power of man must be broken, that the nations may learn that the Lord is the God of all the earth, and may praise Him." By this statement we may understand that every Babylonian tower of man must come down so that the Lord may be lifted up in the hearts of the poor and oppressed.
Let us be careful here to understand that the poor here, who have been afflicted, are in truth his people. How difficult it always is for us to turn immediately to the Lord in the midst of our troubles. Why is it? Shouldn't the Lord's own people turn to Him in the midst of every trial? Yet, how often a person's mental viewpoint is indeed different from their daily practice. Just when people need the Lord and His people the most, they stay home alone and dwell on their problems. Sometimes they may even wonder if they belong to the Lord? Where is their real confidence? What tower of personal strength must be torn down before they can affirm the praise of Isaiah?
How real is the shelter and the shade of verse four for you today? The Lord indeed is able to silence the uproar of the foreigners, and just as the heat is reduced by the shadow of a cloud, so is the song of the ruthless stilled by the power and protection of the Lord. The powerful strains of Nazi martial music once filled all of Europe. Hitler boasted that if given ten years in power, no one would even recognize Germany. In one of my history books, I have a picture which shows that particular quote painted on a large sign which was perched amidst the bombed out ruins of a once thriving business district!
The defeat of Hitler and all the world's powers is eventually the work of God as His providence leads us to eternity with Him. One day, as Isaiah envisions it, the Lord will return and on His holy mountain a great and wondrous feast will be prepared. And the cause of celebration is defined in the following verses.
The shroud of death that enfolds all peoples will be swallowed up forever. And in His eternity, every tear will be wiped away and the sinful disgrace of his people in all the earth will be removed. Finally, God's people may put away every infirmity, every worldly care, every bitter emotional pain. Everything that would diminish our hearts, our prayers and our faith in Christ will finally be destroyed.
The wonderful promise of verse nine stands boldly against the backdrop of the worldly Kingdoms. Dr Young's translation here gives the proper emphasis: "And one will say in that day, Behold! this is our God, we have waited for him, that he might save us; this is the Lord, we have waited for him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation." Are you really waiting for the Lord to come? Do you by the practice of your life affirm the words of covenant when you joined a Christian Church?
It is so easy to say the words of belief, but ever so much more difficult to live a life that indicates a patient watchful waiting. Those who live in the heavenly kingdom will learn this patience and turn to the Lord in the midst of any trouble. But those who have pride will be humbled, as we learn in the last verses of this chapter. Moab is mentioned in verse ten as a contrast to Judah. The haughtiness of Moab as representative of the worldly powers is highlighted here to warn God's people where the other half is destined.
Someone once told me a joke about a visit to hell. In one room the guide showed a new resident a room where everyone stood on their heads on a surface of hot coals in a steam room. In the second room, everyone stood on their heads on a polished metal surface which was super cold. The new resident didn't like either place. In the third room, everyone was standing up, smoking, reading or talking in three feet of manure. The new resident said he thought this looked like the best of the three rooms. As soon as he said this, it was announced that break time was over, and everyone should stand on their heads again!
Welcome to Moab as the image of straw swimming in manure would have it. Where is your hope today? Are you like the worldly Moabites with your confidence in anything and everything but the Lord? The pride of the world is nothing more than a dung heap, Isaiah would tell us. If you don't understand the image properly, may I invite you out to the farm. But, I would much rather invite you to leave the worldly kingdom behind and to tune your hearts, your minds and your souls to our Sovereign Lord. May you trust in Him and patiently await the final coming of His eternal kingdom.
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
(c) 2001
11 September 93
Permission granted to redistribute unedited versions with this notice.