The Goodness Of God

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.