Friday in the Second Week of Advent

Isaiah 27:1-13

The Redemption of God’s People

Having gathered God’s people together to protect them from the coming storm of God’s judgment (yesterday’s passage), Isaiah now pictures God’s triumph over the forces of evil personified as “Leviathan,” a twisting serpent.  The image is supplied from ancient mythology but serves the function here of representing everything that opposes God’s purposes and God’s people.  We may sum up these enemies as the world, the flesh (that is, our sinful nature), and the devil.  The Book of Revelation personifies Satan as a dragon throughout.  The point is that in the end, God will thwart evil and we shall live in a blessed Kingdom where nothing shall hurt us ever again.

Then comes a beautiful passage describing God’s renewed, redeemed vineyard.  You will recall in chapter five that Isaiah sang a song about another vineyard that God planted, a vineyard that proved faithless, even after all the work that God had done for it.  Well here is a different vineyard altogether, made up of God’s faithful people.  These do not leave Him; these do not forsake Him, for the Lord Himself is the vineyard’s keeper.  And every moment He waters it.  We are immediately reminded that the Holy Spirit is referred to in just this way – as living water welling up in the hearts of believers, a water sent to us from the Father through faith in Jesus Christ (John 7:37-39).  Isaiah goes on to say that God will keep this vineyard “night and day,” a wonderful promise of His ever faithful protection.

In verse four, God says something truly comforting which again foreshadows our Lord Jesus Christ and his work on the cross.  He says, “I have no wrath.”  We are reminded of the awful truth of Romans 1:18: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.”  Indeed, it is.  Man is born under the just condemnation of Almighty God for his sin – both his sinful nature in which he is born, and the actual sins he commits.  This is because sin is never a matter of indifference to God, but is revolt against God – the holy God, the God who created man in his own image, who then rebelled against his Maker.  But God the Father provided the remedy through His Son who took our wrath upon himself, taking our place on the cross.  This, and only this, takes the Father’s wrath away.  This is the age Isaiah prophesies: a day when the redeemed of the Lord, rescued from the just wrath of God, spread out and blossom over the whole earth; that is, the Church of Jesus Christ.  Let us bless God that He has delivered His people from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10).

Author: The Reformed Baptist

My name is Stephen Taylor, ordained Baptist minister of eighteen years pastoral experience with a Ph.D. in Historical Theology from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. Better than that, I am married to a godly woman, Karla, who has been very patient with me since 1989. I have two daughters, both of whom I homeschooled for extended periods of time, who became godly young women, and who ran off and married godly young men, all of which is very proper. The oldest daughter has even seen fit to bless me with a grandson and a granddaughter, and my youngest daughter with a grandson, all three of whom are bundles of exceeding joy. As you can see, I am quite blessed. This website is dedicated to helping people grow in the wisdom and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ through the gift of writing that the Lord has given to me. It is specifically about helping His people grow in godliness, the theme you see repeated above. I write devotions with this aim and hope that they might be of some help to God’s people. Full disclosure: I am of a Reformed bent, meaning that my understanding of Scripture is primarily informed by the Reformers and their successors of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. However, as a student of church history and theology, I strive to remain true to that teaching handed down once for all unto the saints through every age of the Church. I like to think of myself as a “catholic” Christian, as the Reformers thought of themselves. At any rate, feel free to read, pray, and contact me if you wish, or correct me if need be. As you can see, I tend to follow the church year. Of course, I make no special claims about these devotions. I know very well that others have written better and plumbed the depths of God’s word with greater insight. But if my musings help someone draw closer to the Lord, well then, I have my reward. Blessings to you and may the God and Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ speak to you that word which He knows you especially need to hear. Grace & peace, Stephen Taylor View all posts by The Reformed Baptist