Isaiah 32:1-20

God has a plan for this world and His people.  His plan is a wonderful plan with a happy ending, but the path to the fulfillment of that plan is far from easy.  There will be great pain on the way to the gain that the Lord has planned for His people.  God has been gracious to reveal His plan to His people so that they will not lose hope in the midst of trials and so they will understand that there are consequences for disobedience.  The times of prosperity and punishment are both ordained by God and are orchestrated by God in order to accomplish His plans for His people.

THERE WILL BE A RIGHTEOUS REIGN: There will be a time in the future when there will be a righteous reign.  A king will rule over the children of Israel in a completely righteous manner and all of the princes will reign with Him is such a way that will bring refreshment to the inhabitants of the Land.  The people will experience the protection of God and His provisions in their lives will be abundant.  Most significantly, the hearts of the people will be opened and attuned to the Word of God.  Those who were blind and deaf to God’s instruction will hear and see clearly.  The minds and bodies of men will be anxious to please the Lord and find their greatest delight in obeying Him.  The difference between right and wrong will be clearly seen and the consequences of sin will be carried out swiftly.  Evil will be punished and good will be rewarded in perfect and complete righteousness.  This is how God wants us to live in all generations but it is how things will be in the coming reign of Messiah.

THERE WILL BE A JUST JUDGMENT: This righteous reign will be proceeded by a time of just judgment.  The lazy and licentious ladies are told to prepare for a time of judgment where all of their livelihood will be swept away from them.  Before God can establish the reign of His Son there must be a full and complete judgment of sin.  There are times throughout the history of the world where it appears that God does not judge sin and sinners.  People and nations walk in rebellion and sinfulness and there just don’t seem to be any consequences.  We can rest assured that this is a temporary situation that will one day be fully remedied.  There is a just judgment coming on sinful men during which time the land will be devastated and produce nothing but thorns.  The people will suffer and lament over the devastation that they experience.


THERE WILL BE A PROSPEROUS PEACE: The severity of the judgment of God will in no way annul the promise of His future provision.  God will sweep the land clean during the judgment so that His righteous Son might reign supreme.  The Spirit of God will be poured out on His people and they will worship God in spirit and in truth.  God will bless His people with His presence as well as a peace and prosperity that will never come to an end.  God has a wonderful plan for His people and He will bring the plan to fruition in His timing and in His way through the power of His Spirit.  We can look forward to that day in full assurance that it will happen.  It may not happen while we are alive but we can all take hope in God’s future promises and live in light of them today with the full assurance that in His timing and in His way this promise will become a reality and all of us who have trusted Christ will participate in the righteous reign as princes.  

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