God's Wonder Working Word Series

IV. CALLED TO BEAR THE FRUIT OF THE WORD, 12-13.

For all those who receive the Word of God there is promised fruitfulness as verse 12 indicates. "For you will go out with joy and be led forth with peace;.The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. (13) "Instead of the thorn bush the cypress will come up, and instead of the nettle the myrtle will come up. And it will be a memorial to the Lord, for an everlasting sign which will not be cut off."

For or because God’s Word isn’t void, His promises do indeed come to pass. Because He promised that His people would return to their land, their return was sure. Those who seek the Lord through repentance, will indeed go out in joy and in the ways of God find salvation. Joy and peace will fill their hearts.

The imagery expresses the joy of all creation at sinners being made holy through the Word of God. To be sure, the return from exile is a part of that work of the Word, but that return is only a prelude to the salvation the new covenant brings. The deliverance from the guilt and the power of sin is now a glorious possibility. It is redemption of every type, physical, emotional, and spiritually.

The work of redemption of which the return from exile was one small part, will stand for all time as a testimony to the name (memorial) of the God of Israel, Creator and Redeemer, the One who formed and the One who saved His creation. The eternal sign indicates that this work of redemption will stand for all eternity.

[Because of salvation the effects of sin will be reversed in the Millennium, including the provision of inner joy and peace (54:10) and changes in the physical creation. After Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden thorns and thistles began to choke out the good vegetation and Adam’s work to grow good crops was increased (Gen. 3:17-19). But in the future even nature will be joyful (Isa. 55:12b). The trees personified as clapping with hands (branches moving in the wind) suggests the joy people will have because of the changes in nature.

The wilderness itself will be transformed from a place of briers and thornbush to a place of pine and myrtle. It will make a name of renown for God.

Fertility on the earth will be a sign that God is in control. This imagery symbolizes what God does in a person’s heart at salvation. But the earth will indeed be unusually fertile during the whole Millennium (35:1-2, 41:18-19; 44:3a). [Walvoord, John, Zuck, Roy; The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL : Victor Books, 1983-c1985, S. 1111]

CONCLUSION / TIME OF RESPONSE

God calls people to forsake their wicked lifestyle and turn to Him for pardon, compassion and the covenant of everlasting blessings which He intends His witnesses to enjoy.

God has planned salvation for His people. He sent His prophetic word to announce it and set it into motion. God’s Word can be trusted to bear fruit just as certainly as the rain from heaven produces fruit in the ground. God’s Word always accomplishes His purpose.