A Covenant of Peace: Isaiah 54, 55 (1)

Pray Psalm 72.17-19.
His name shall endure forever;
His name shall continue as long as the sun.
And men shall be blessed in Him;
All nations shall call Him blessed.
Blessed bethe LORD God, the God of Israel,
Who only does wondrous things!
And blessed be His glorious name forever!
And let the whole earth be filled with His glory.
Amen and Amen.

Read Isaiah 54.1-8.

Reflect.
1. How would you compare the tone of these verses with the tone of Isaiah 52.13-53.12? What’s the difference?

2. What does God promise His people in these verses? To what does this refer?

Meditate.
“We’re gonna need a bigger house.”

Perhaps some of the faithful in Israel may have thought that to themselves, as Isaiah turned from the sorrowing, tentative mood of chapter 53 to the jubilant and expansive mood of today’s verses. “Stretch out your tent cords!” “Strengthen your stakes!” You are indeed going to need a bigger house, in fact, a new and bigger and more glorious city, to accommodate all God is going to do for you because of the work of His Servant.

The joy and excitement of these verses is palpable. It’s like when the barren wives of the ancient patriarchs finally brought forth sons (v. 1). It’s like the promise of the city on the hill, with the nations streaming up to it, to make their homes with the people of God (vv. 2, 3; cf. Is. 2.1-4). It’s a promise so huge that people might be inclined to doubt it, or not to boast about it, for fear of being put to shame by it’s not happening (v. 4).

But God told them not to be afraid; He would not let their boasts and hopes come to shame (v. 4). Boast on! Be glad! And get ready for the next and final stages of the great saving work of your Redeemer.

The days of shame will be over once the Servant’s work is done (v. 4). No more reproach, for the LORDwill revive His bride – He Who made and rules the world, Who is the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel (vv. 4, 5). Though Israel was not faithful as a young bride (v. 6), soon, after a “mere moment” of discipline, when God hides His face from her as she goes into captivity in Babylon (v. 7), God’s people will know the riches of His kindness and mercy, as He brings them into His redemption and begins the work of filling the world with the knowledge of His glory (v. 8).

The vision of salvation that God is bringing to His people begins to be bigger, clearer, and more all-encompassing from chapter 54 on, as Isaiah unpacks the glorious consequences and promise of the work of God’s Servant.

Prepare.
1. How does Isaiah tie the promise of this chapter to the promises God made to the patriarchs? Why?

2. Should we boast about the greatness of the Lord’s salvation? Why?

3. How would you explain the relationship between discipline and blessing in the life of faith?

He accordingly bids the barren one to fill the world with houses of prayer and to make them left and right, that is to say, in the south and the north. Theodoret of Cyr (393-566 AD), Commentary on Isaiah 17.54.2

Lord, I want to stretch out the tent pegs of my Personal Mission Field, because You have promised I will not be ashamed to do so. Help me today as I…

Pray Psalm 72.
David’s prayer for his son, Solomon, gives us insight to the salvation and Kingdom of the Son of God. Praise and thank the Lord for His saving mercy, and seek His help for the day ahead.

Sing to the Lord.
Psalm 72.15-20 (Martyrdom: Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed)
Let Christ be praised and all the gold of Sheba be His right; 
Let blessings to His Name be told, and prayers made both day and night. 

And let the earth abound with grain, let fields His fame proclaim; 
And may our King forever reign and nations bless His great Name. 

Now bless the God of Israel Who wondrous works performs. 
And bless His Name, His glory tell both now and forever more!

T. M. Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006). All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (available by clicking here).