Justice is turned back and righteousness stands far away; for truth has stumbled in the public squares, and uprightness cannnot enter. Truth is lacking, and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. 15) The Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice. 16) He saw that there was no man and wondered that there was no one to intercede; then his own arm brought him salvation and his righteousness upheld him. 17) He put on righteousness as a breastplate and a helmet of salvation on his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak. 18) According to their deeds, so he will repay wrath to his adversaries, repayment to his enemies; to the coastlands, he will render repayment. 19) So they shall fear the name of the Lord from the west and his glory from the rising of the sun; for he will come like a rushing stream which the wind of the Lord drives. 20) And a redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from their transgressions, declares the Lord.
Isaiah 59:14....
I’d like to consider with you these verses with Jesus in view. Isaiah prophesied for approximately 50 years under the reign of four Judean kings to a people whose sin had separated them from God and brought judgment.
While we live in what is commonly considered among dispensationalist, the age of grace, there is a fixed day coming where “God will judge the world in righteousness by a Man whom he has destined and appointed for that task, and He has made this credible and given conviction and assurance and evidence to everyone by raising him from the dead”, Acts 17:31AMPC
I believe these are days the Holy Spirit is pressing upon the church a greater alignment to become a bride without spot, wrinkle or blemish, looking and waiting for the return of Jesus. I believe these are days where, like John the Baptist, there is a cry coming forth to prepare the way for the return of the Lord through a message of repentance. I believe we have been in a season of great pruning where we are seeing the long suffering of God giving space for repentance and now I’m beginning to hear and sense words regarding judgment.
Judgment begins at the house of God.
For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 1 Peter 4:1
Now I want to remind you although you once fully knew it, that Jesus,who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day - Jude 5,6
I’m surely thankful there is a place of communion with the Lord, that if we will exercise righteous judgment upon our own life, mind, words, actions, and heart, we will not be judged with the world but find the place of forgiveness and cleansing by the blood of Jesus. Jesus himself said you are cleansed by the word I have spoken, meaning once again, this word that we feed upon will continually wash our mind and heart to walk in ways that are pleasing to him as we deny ourselves to follow Him.
I believe, as we see Jesus from these verses in Isaiah, so we are seeing the gathering of His church, “He put on righteousness as a breastplate and a helmet of salvation on his head, he put on garments of vengeance for clothing and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.”
Living from the zeal of the Lord consuming the church, a passion for righteousness will find us like Phinehas, who turned back the wrath of God from the people of Israel in that he was “jealous with my jealousy” and stayed the plague. Keeping ourselves in the love of God, will find us exercising mercy with fear, upon those who doubt, compassion, in hopes of the goodness of God leading them to repentance, others pulled from the fire, we will offer His salvation, while holding fast to hating the effects of sin.
His church will value purity above the pleasures of sin, distinction marked by personal consecration and by his love all men will know we are his disciples.
Now unto him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.