Last Sunday, May 31, 2020, I preached from Isaiah 54:11-17. This was the natural order of the preaching schedule I’m on working through the book of Isaiah. As the events around the country began to unfold over the past week it became clearer that the personal and corporate application of this text would come in “vivid technicolor”.
The images and sounds of cities across the nation in an uproar over injustice, in many cases with more injustice, leaving already devastated businesses in even greater uncertainty. Violence is what comes from the anger of humanity. Righteousness is what comes from the anger of God.
What will come of the ruined cities? This must have even been the question citizens in Jerusalem were asking as they were being taken into exile to Babylon. What will come of our beloved city?
Isaiah 54 is a chapter filled with the images of restoration. In verses 11-17 the focus is upon the new city that will not be ruined by weapons, fire, or looting. It is a lasting city that will remain. It is the promise that awaits the church too. The promise of what the Apostle John saw in Revelation 21.
Look around, cities are burning around the nation.
Look closer though. Weren’t they already in ruin? Where is a church that expects any great thing from God, where is the church attempting great things in God’s power? In many places, churches are playing it safe and only doing what they see they can do in their own strength.
The heritage of the church of the Lord is not in this world, but her humble duty in this temporal day is to lift high the royal banner of the city of our God. The city that is not torched, ruined, or forsaken. This city is where the sound of true peace will come from. The sound of the Gospel of Peace. Ambassadors of Christ’s reconciliation must come from these redeemed souls to the nations who currently hate God.
Can any church in the land expect God to do great things while she has more influence upon her from the world than from her Redeemer? Should any Christian expect God to use him/her while participating, endorsing, promoting, encouraging, and making light of any sin before God?
While the attention of the nation is captured by what appears to be the unjustified death of one man in Minneapolis, there was not one report about the unjust murdering of children across the nation, even in Twin Falls, Idaho. The one enraged the nation , the other is considered normal and the nation sleeps, both are tragic sins before the Holy God.
May God rain down righteousness from Heaven once again.
