Isaiah 4:1-6

We have a tendency to look at life on earth from a perspective that things will go from bad to worse.  That, in part, is a biblical perspective because the Bible tells us that as we approach the last days the hearts of men will grow ever more distant from God.  However, that is not the end of the story and is certainly not the end of the history of the earth.  God has a glorious plan for this planet and even a more glorious plan for our eternal future.  This should provide us with a great sense of hope and expectation as well as an ability to cope with the distress that sin brings down upon us and the people around us.  Things may be bad and they will likely get much worse but there is a NEW DAY that is coming and it will be glorious.

THE DESPAIR OF SIN: The first verse of this chapter is really a continuation of the subject of the previous chapter.  The women of Israel are in the depths of despair because of the sinfulness that has run rampant in nation and in their own lives.  Most of the men of the nation have been killed by war in God’s judgment of the nation the women have been practicing a life of immorality and now it is all coming back to haunt them.  Sin always has far greater consequences than we expect.  The women are so desperate in this situation that seven of them will seek out one man in order to take away their reproach.  When women want to start sharing husbands we know that things have become very desperate.

THE DELIGHT OF SALVATION: God steps into this desperation and brings refreshment and delight.  Those of Israel who survive the judgment will experience a time of history like none this earth has not seen since Adam and Eve rebelled against the Lord.  He will provide relief, shelter, prosperity and most significantly forgiveness and freedom from sin.  The land of rebellion, despair and desolation will be renewed with the delightful worship of our Lord.  This is what God does.  He takes the brokenness of our sin and through the power of the cross He restores us and redeems us so that we can delight in a perfect relationship with Him.  This is the promise of the Gospel and the hope that should immunize us from the tantalization of temptation and free us to worship out Lord in sprit and truth.