The Lord said, "My mercy and justice are coming soon. My salvation is on the way. My strong arm will bring justice to the nations."
(Isaiah 51:5)
Friends,
Soon God will act, and the transformation will be swift. Even the heavens, which stands as it seems, to symbolize the constancy of todays nature, will appear to transform and the recreation will restore the spirit and the earth to its original state. The church of God on earth has gone through generations of wastelands and tribulations, but now the righteous One will restore the earth and heavens. He'll return the glory of Eden to the earth. We have only known wilderness, but soon the foundations of the earth will be shaken and everything that is unfruitful will become reborn because of God's glory. Before the King returns, too much of what the bride has been about is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much they see, they are never satisfied. But in Christ God has new comforts in store for the wastelands of his church. He will make them fruitful.
"He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave...his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants...He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels."
(Isaiah 53:9-10b,12b)
Friends,
The gospel tells us, "the true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” (John 6:33) And come he has. And now?
The community of believers, those who love God and obey his commands, have experienced healing and forgiveness because God has transferred their deserved punishment onto a Messianic sinless servant, Jesus Christ, God's grace. God qualified him as our perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal peace and joy. The same Jesus who commanded, "Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always" (Matthew 28:20).
"For your Creator will be your husband; the Lord of Heaven’s Armies is his name!"
(Isaiah 54:5)
Friends,
The times will change. The ways of mankind will no longer be as we have always known. There will be no need for priests, for the Lord himself will teach God's children. And the city of God will be safe from any and every oppressor. God’s word has promised it, and it will not return to him void. Believers are said to be married to Christ, and like a bride they may bring forth fruit for God's glory (Romans 7:4). And this bride was like a woman whose husband has gone off to war. She has faced the wickedness of a war torn kingdom. Creature-confidences failed her. Her idols deceived her. Her friends and lovers misled her. And now her husband has returned to set things right. He knows her sin and the idols she has embraced, but God’s kindness shall never depart from his people, for he loves who he loves, to the very end; and his covenant of peace, his peace, can never be removed, for he is the Lord of mercy. Not mercy built upon his brides merit, but on his mercy alone, the everlasting peace of grace.
"You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands!"
(Isaiah 55:12)
Friends,
All creation will join in the celebration. And the people will become like the trees, bearing fruit according to God's design. They will become graceful and useful as the fir-trees.
The church’s enemies were as thorns and briers, but now the bride will no longer be vexed by the thorns and brambles, those things will burn up and never be a curse again. The curse on the earth is removed and the Garden will flourish. The bride will be like a tree of life and stand as an everlasting sign of God's glory. Her children shall be wiser and better than their parents. They will know only God's peace and sin will no longer exist.
God be praised!
Glory be to God!
Come Lord Jesus, come!
Amen.