Israel at the End - Day 5

 Behold the sovereign mercy of the LORD…

Day 5

Isaiah 54 (Forgiveness - The future glory of Zion & an eternal covenant of Shalom with His People Israel)

“Sing, O barren one, who did not bear;

break forth into singing and cry aloud,

you who have not been in labor!

For the children of the desolate one will be more

than the children of her who is married,” says the LORD. {See Psalm 87:4-6 & Revelation ch.7 - Salvation to the nations of the world}

“Enlarge the place of your tent,

and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out;

do not hold back; lengthen your cords

and strengthen your stakes.

For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left,

and your offspring will possess the nations

and will people the desolate cities. {See also Psalm 87:4-6 & Isaiah 2:2}

“Fear not, for you will not be ashamed;

be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced;

for you will forget the shame of your youth,

and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.

For your Maker is your husband,

the LORD of hosts is his name;

and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer,

the God of the whole earth he is called.

For the LORD has called you

like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit,

like a wife of youth when she is cast off,

says your God.

For a brief moment I deserted you, {Compare Jeremiah 30:6-7; Matthew 24:15-22}

but with great compassion I will gather you.

In overflowing anger for a moment

I hid my face from you,

but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,”

says the LORD, your Redeemer.

“This is like the days of Noah to me:

as I swore that the waters of Noah

should no more go over the earth,

so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you,

and will not rebuke you.

For the mountains may depart

and the hills be removed,

but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,

and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,”

says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

“O afflicted one, storm-tossed and not comforted,

behold, I will set your stones in antimony,

and lay your foundations with sapphires.

I will make your pinnacles of agate,

your gates of carbuncles,

and all your wall of precious stones. {Psalm 87:1-3}

All your children shall be taught by the LORD,

and great shall be the peace of your children.

In righteousness you shall be established;

you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear;

and from terror, for it shall not come near you.

If anyone stirs up strife,

it is not from me;

whoever stirs up strife with you

shall fall because of you. {Psalm 2}

Behold, I have created the smith

who blows the fire of coals

and produces a weapon for its purpose.

I have also created the ravager to destroy;

no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed,

and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment.

This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD

and their vindication from me, declares the LORD.”

Directly following ch.53, the famous prophecy of the suffering Messiah, chapter 54 is the Lord’s promise to his wayward people of, not only their restoration as a people, but their Salvation, through the recognition and receiving of their own Messiah: who was promised to them - and who will come from among them;

However 

In Romans 11:25-27, Paul teaches us that “Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in…” {see Revelation ch.7} 

This is the way the Lord has chosen for Israel as a People, to come to a knowledge of Christ. {Romans 11:11}

“…and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written:

“The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.

And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”

For surely the Lord has promised…

“…I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.

Zechariah 12:10

This is why we do not fear: Confidently and with faith, we pray. 

Because before Israel ever became a nation, the Lord had already written the end of this story…

Written 10/16/2023