Future Glory Series

Finally, these promises speak of the end of history, "when time and change shall be no more," when the Creator will call all things to an end and the Holy City, the congregation of those made righteous by the blood of the Lamb, will dwell securely forevermore. [Oswalt, Isaiah, 429]

In the second half of the verse the prophet commands oppression and terror to be distant from these righteous. They no longer fear for the Lord will protect them from tyranny (1 Pet. 3:14). Dear Lord, speak this command over me.

III. THE HERITAGE OF THE RIGHTEOUS, 15-17.

Verse 15 contains another assuring promise. “If anyone fiercely assails you it will not be from Me. Whoever assails you will fall because of you.

Whatever trouble may come to them, God will not have sent it to them as a means of judgment and destruction, which was the case surrounding the events of the exile. Although God is in control of history, and nothing happens outside that control, He is not a puppet master whose sovereignty requires that every individual event be initiated by Him. We live in a fallen world where trouble comes to all people. But those who are living in obedience to the righteousness of God need not fear Him causing us to be fiercely assailed. Our conflict is neither a sign of retribution nor discipline, but merely of the patience of God in allowing free will of man and the cause and effect of the world to take their natural course.

As long as you live on earth and strive to follow God, you will have enemies. Don’t worry about them or what they can do, just be established in righteousness. Your enemies shall surely fall. The verse states that is no doubt about it, they shall fall because of you.

[In the millennial kingdom no nation will be allowed to defeat Israel because the Lord has decreed it. Nations rise and fall on the basis of His word. Bible Knowledge Commentary, OT, ]

God states that all instruments and agents are at His disposal and under His control in verse 16. “Behold, I Myself have created the smith who blows the fire of coals and brings out a weapon for its work; And I have created the destroyer to ruin.

Since God is the Creator who creates not only the warrior (the destroyer) but the weapon in his hand, and not only the weapon but even the blacksmith who made the weapon, we should not think that anything can come to us that will contradict God’s purposes for us. [An emphatic declaration that God is the maker of the weapon and the maker of their maker as well as the maker the warrior who wields them.] Isaiah’s point should not be overlooked. He is saying that no part of creation is exempt from the purposes of God, but that all things will serve the purposes of our Creator.

Now God does not promise us that trouble will not come. Indeed, Jesus promised His disciples just the opposite (Mt. 10:25), and both Peter (1 Pet. 4: 12) and Paul (Rom. 8:17) echoed that teaching. But He does promise His presence in the trouble, and He promises us that He will not allow it to tear us from His embrace. There are destructive agencies around us on all hands but they are all under the mighty hand of God. They cannot overstep the limits He assigns. [When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. He restrains the wrath of his foes, and surrounds him with a rock fortification.]