Pray for redemption for our nation
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| English: Icon of Jesus Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
The prediction in Isaiah 32 relates to Hezekiah and his reign. Up to this time, Ahaz, a wicked and disgraceful hypocrite, had corrupted everything in the whole civil government and religion. But under Ahaz’s son Hezekiah, the Lord would bring great change. Government would be restored, justice would flourish, and freedom would truly reign because people no longer would fear criminal activity threatening their possessions or their lives.
Isaiah presents to us in this passage a lively picture of the prosperous condition of the church, which cannot be attained without Jesus Christ. The prediction, while referring to Hezekiah, also points to Christ, of whom Hezekiah was a type and whose kingdom he foreshadowed. The Lord had brought judgment on the nation for its rebellion by taking away all sense of justice and by dulling understanding and right reason. John Calvin comments that we ought not to “wonder if we see, almost throughout the whole world, states thrown into confusion, ranks overturned, and all good government despised and set aside; for this is the just punishment of our iniquities, and we deserve to have such governors, since we do not allow God to rule over us.” Only when God pours out grace upon us and brings us to the Cross in faith and repentance do we see the truth about ourselves and the world we live in. Only then do we think straight and understand what it really means to be ruled by God Himself.
Outside of Christ there is no spiritual life in the world, because the Lord has declared unbelievers to be destitute of sight, hearing, sound understanding, and the proper use of speech, “till they be united in one body, of which He is the head” (Eph. 4:15–16, Calvin’s translation). When a society rises up against the rule of Christ, these things are taken away (sometimes sooner, sometimes later), but when it submits to Him and when the Holy Spirit brings redemption, spiritual blessings flow (Eph. 1:3).
Isaiah adds to this prediction about the restoration of God’s blessings a warning to hypocrites in verses 9–15. It was common for the prophets to warn hypocrites after proclaiming God’s promises because they never wanted those who were self-deluded in their religion to find undue comfort in promises meant only for true believers.
The only hope for a society destitute of justice and of understanding is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In a world corrupted by sin, only the light of Christ can bring spiritual life and understanding. Pray that the Lord would bring redemption to your nation and that every nation would be filled with gladness at the name of the Lord.
