We, as Israel in the time of their Babylonian Captivity, live in troubling times. We, as a people created by God, have sinned a great sin. We have left our first love, Jesus Christ, and have been following after the Great Whore of Babylon, Mystery. All her lascivious ways, this woman named Mystery which rides on the Beast of Satan, we have subtly been taken thereby in, and are filled with her iniquities. Judah, now known as Israel, the earthly nation of God’s chosen, followed after the idols of the world and was taken into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon. Have we fallen from God’s grace as they did and are living in a time of captivity to the evils of the Prince of this world? Is this sinfulness affecting our lives and our spiritual foundation? Does it seem to bring no end to our punishment? Has God turned his face from us?
Perhaps the person desiring to have a place in this world to survive and be faithful to our Lord finds this world’s existence to be most painful and difficult. Perhaps we believe God is not blessing us as we believe he should. Perhaps his righteous judgements do not reveal themselves before us in what we may feel is a timely manner. To the young and weak believer, as well as many seasoned believers, we question this time in our existence upon the earth. Many from Judah were doing as we are.
God has spoken. God has revealed his plan for our existence not only in this physical world but into the future world. He does not need to repeat those words again. We have access to his nature by his Word, Jesus his son. We have access to the old scriptures. We have been told they are written for our learning. Romans 15:4. 4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Today, it is this hope of which I desire to encourage each true believer who acknowledges the power of the Spirit of God dwelling in each true believer to acknowledge the goodness of God and wait upon the Lord for He is good. The comfort of scripture is our hope through patience in God.
Let us see the power of God over an individual who had no god but was transformed in his mind to do the will of God Almighty for the benefit of God’s people Israel. We recognize today’s Israel as the Spiritual Israel; the chosen people, the believers in Jesus as Messiah and Christ. To this Spiritual Israel we encourage the message of hope through the goodness of God Almighty. Therefore, to see this power of God, let us turn to the Old Testament, the book is Isaiah, and the chapter is 44. We shall begin in verses 1-8. 44 Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen: 2 Thus saith the Lord that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen. 3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: 4 And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses. 5 One shall say, I am the Lord's; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel. 6 Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God. 7 And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them. 8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.
God is calling to his children, the physical children of Jacob who are in Babylonian Captivity. He called them “the upright one” (Jesurun, vs. 2) He is reminding them who He is and the power he holds over all creation. In His description of himself to them, he provides a message of hope. Now let us read who their deliverance and allowance to return to their Promise Land would be. Verses 21-28. 21 Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me. 22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee. 23 Sing, O ye heavens; for the Lord hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel. 24 Thus saith the Lord, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the Lord that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself; 25 That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish; 26 That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof: 27 That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers: 28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.
God redeemed Physical Israel through a man who had no god, Cyrus. God directed his heart–mind–to be favorable unto the Hebrew nation and provide everything they needed to rebuild their city Jerusalem and their temple. Cyrus is their deliverer and the one who allowed them to return to Israel. With the rebuilding of their capital city and place of worship, they rebuilt their nation. Until God calls this world to an end, he can and will do the same for the true faithful. Then Jesus, as we know from his word, will have built us a new capital city, the New Jerusalem, with he as our temple, the place of worship; with a new land to dwell as a new nation of believers faithful and true to The King of Kings. This place is called Heaven. Jesus shall be our deliverer and allow the true saints to enter our Promised Land.
Let us look at Isaiah chapter 45 for this wonderful message of Hope and the goodness of God through this man Cyrus. A quote from Matthew Henry: “Cyrus was nominated to be God’s shepherd; more is said to him and more of him in this chapter, [45] not only because he was to be instrumental in the release of the Jews out of their captivity, but because he was to be therein a type of the great Redeemer, and that release was to be typical of the great redemption from sin and death; for that was the salvation of which all the prophets witnessed.” It is this same result of which we yearn, redemption and salvation from our troubles, sorrows and persecutions, of today. Cyrus being a type of deliverer then, Jesus is the true deliverer today.
Let us read the 45th chapter. 45 Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; 2 I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: 3 And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. 4 For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. 5 I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: 6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the Lord, and there is none else. 7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.
God is in control over all things, even godless people. He uses them to fulfill his greater desire for mankind. All his works are to manifest his name throughout the earth. God shall guide these men to do his earthly will to discipline humanity. God gives these men wisdom of the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places. God is the one who makes peace and creates evil. I the Lord do all these things.
When we see works of leaders over nations happen unto other nation’s leaderships, we can know it is the works of God. These events may seem evil unto us but it is the fulfillment of God’s greater plan for humanity to show humanity he is God. through godless men does God deliver his punishment against evil and evil followers of Satan.
8 Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the Lord have created it. 9 Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands? 10 Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?
God is the potter. As his creation, we have no right to question his authority. God shall rain down his chosen blessings upon whomever he desires with no one having a right to question him. Woe unto him who questions God. It is a true sign of little or a lack of faith in God. It is a stubbornness of mind toward authority which is a sin. True children of God rely upon God without question; through total faith in his guidance. Then, and only then shall the skies pour down righteousness. And, heaven and earth shall spring up together.
11 Thus saith the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me. 12 I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded. 13 I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the Lord of hosts. 14 Thus saith the Lord, The labour of Egypt, and merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shall come after thee; in chains they shall come over, and they shall fall down unto thee, they shall make supplication unto thee, saying, Surely God is in thee; and there is none else, there is no God.
Times of the future will be where evil people shall come to the saints, the true saints acting on behalf of God because he gives them this privilege, asking to receive of the blessings of God for he is the true God; there is no other. True saints of God shall display the love of God and others shall desire to be partakers of these blessings from the righteous.
15 Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour. 16 They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they shall go to confusion together that are makers of idols. 17 But Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end. 18 For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else. 19 I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the Lord speak righteousness, I declare things that are right. 20 Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save. 21 Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the Lord? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. 22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. 23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. 24 Surely, shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed. 25 In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.
God, therefore, is the sovereign one. He is the authority from whom all goodness is from. He speaks no lie; he has not hidden anything necessary for humanity to know concerning himself. All his goodness is before us. Are you a partaker in his blessings? There is no idol in this world which can save humanity from iniquity; only the Living God.
This invitation was written to all who desire to be partaker of his goodness. Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: There is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. The word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.
God invites you to come and find salvation. God invites you to share in his goodness; no matter how it is perceived as bad and hurtful in the minds of humanity. It is the righteousness of God shaping the saints for heaven. Come repenting, declaring the name of his son, Jesus, confessing and bowing before him. If you have not washed away your sins, be baptised cleansing your soul and walk in the newness of life receiving the goodness of God.
