LOCKET VERSES       WEEK 47

The short chapter twelve of Isaiah is so much a part of the continuing description of the millennial kingdom begun in chapter eleven, that it might seem strange at first that it has been separated into a chapter of its own. But with wisdom and God given direction, the chapter has been carved out for us as a document of praise! In chapter eleven, the reader has viewed the kingdom, the peace, and the rule of Messiah. The reader has traveled in his mind down the highway built for the people of God, which leads them to the city of righteousness. With all that vividly in the reader’s mind, the chapter division proclaims with a shout of acclamation: And in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise thee... Verse 1. This acclamation continues through verse six, when we are instructed to: Cry out and shout...for great is the Holy One of Israel... So let us begin today the journey down the praises of Isaiah chapter twelve and join together with the great shout of those of that kingdom crying out in that future day! Isaiah records: in that day...I will praise thee (verse 1). It will be a day of deliverance after judgment, seen in the phrase: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortest me. Verse 1. Isaiah is not speaking as an individual alone in that phrase, but as a representative of the entire nation of Israel, who will have been through the judgment of God and will experience the great salvation of the Lord as He set his hand again to recover the remnant of his people...and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel and gather together the dispersed of Judah... Isaiah 11:11 and 12. The joy of deliverance is very real, but so is the realization of the righteous judgment of God and His great mercy. Likewise, in our lives as Christians, though we were once under judgment for our sin, now as the redeemed of the Lord, God comforts us. Our joy is the same as for the redeemed remnant of Israel, because Behold, God is my salvation. It is as if we can cry out, "Look, this is the reason for my joy: I once was lost, but now I am found! I once was a sinner bound for hell, but now my deliverance is true, and I am on the highway to Heaven above!" It is just as sure as the journey of the remnant down the highway to Zion. Our salvation and deliverance is found in the fact that God Himself is our salvation. The italics of the word is in our verse, shows us that it was added for clarification to conform to our English grammar, but also challenges us to read the verse without that word to get an additional impact: "Behold, God my salvation." There is a glorious title of God seen in the verse. We can introduce Him as "God my Salvation." It is His name, it is His title. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Acts 4:12 The semi colon following the first phrase of Isaiah 12:2, helps us to understand the full implication of the verse: because we know He has done the ultimate, that He has delivered us in salvation, we can proclaim with Isaiah: therefore, I will trust, and not be afraid. The greatness of eternal redemption allows us to live a life of victory in this present world. Isaiah looked out through the future annuals of yet to be lived history, and saw the great redemption that would surely take place. Though he was still in the midst of a time of judgment and physical unrest for his nation, he could know that his confidence in the Lord was valid. No matter what happened, Isaiah could know with assurance that His God of the present was the same God as that of the future deliverance. He could trust that God and not be afraid. The greatness of the ultimate truth gave the reality of his present need a confident provision. Treasured in his heart was the confidence of hope. No matter what happened to him, he could trust in the living God of his salvation, the LORD JEHOVAH. Notice the significance of the double name of God given in all capital letters, how it leaps out from the printed page. Isaiah is saying: Lord, Lord...Jehovah, Jehovah...my God, my Master, the Ever living One, the Ever existent One; He is the One I know and trust. He gives me a confidence that is real, I will not be afraid. For this One is my strength and my song. This phrase echoes the song that Moses and the children of Israel sang after they crossed the Red Sea: The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation: my father’s God, and I will exalt him. Exodus 15:2 The principle of God being our strength now and in the future, reaffirms the declarations of two Psalms: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. Psalm 73:26 No matter what the trouble, regardless of how our mortal minds may react, the reality of the presence and power of God should give us comfort, strength and confidence. For truly in all our present troubles, He is become my salvation. He has saved me from eternal damnation and because of His ever present concern with my life, He can grant me present "salvation" from the trials, temptations and troubles that surround me. The verse started with this same thought. It is like Isaiah was saying: "Behold God is my future and eternal salvation, I have experienced His interaction in my life of eternal dimensions, so now I actually, personally realize He is become my salvation in my present life." Isaiah has joined with the chorus of his nation, proclaiming: "the God who has saved and delivered me, He is my God! Therefore, I will exalt Him!" Let us consider today: what is our own "that day?" Could it be "the day" when we would be discouraged, despondent, depressed or even victorious and filled with joy? Or a day when we are recognized for our own accomplishments or one when we feel overwhelmed with the jobs ahead? Whatever our "day" is, we can say with Isaiah in verse one of the chapter, "Lord, even though You were angry with me when I sinned, even now Your anger is turned away and You comfort me, You reassure me that I am still Yours. I know that You have a plan for my life and it is as if a neon sign has flashed to remind me, that BEHOLD - remember this, ‘God is my Salvation!’" Whatever trial we are in, whatever failure we experience, we should visualize that sign flashing to remind us: "God is my Salvation." The "is" should be underlined in red, for He constantly, continually, committedly is our salvation, not just "was" or "will be," but continually in the present "is." Once He has become our salvation, there will never be a time when He isn’t. He always is. What a reassurance to know that because He has done the ultimate, we can be confident of His working in our daily lives. If one word could be inserted in our verse, it would be "therefore." Behold, because it is true that God is my salvation, because I am constantly aware of this confidence in His ultimate working in my life, therefore, I will trust. How strange that we can place our trust in God for our eternal destiny and yet so often fail to fully trust Christ with our present life needs and challenges. How much better to say with Isaiah, "Because I know, I will trust." In whatever life situation you are in today, remember to see the sign of remembrance and say, "Therefore, I will trust in God." Lord, I lift Your name up today, the name of the LORD JEHOVAH in my life. I underline and capitalize Your presence today. Help me to exalt You to others and in my own heart. Let the confidence of praise fill my being, as the chorus of old filled the air of the sea shore. Oh LORD, I praise You for being the God of my future and present salvation. I pledge to You that I will trust and not be afraid of any terror that may come my way today. Help me to prepare for You a habitation that is well pleasing as I live my life before You. I praise Thee, O my God.

In the midst of this glorious chapter of the Book of Isaiah, is this sparkling gem of a verse. The first time I read it, my simple breathless comment was, "What a beautiful verse!" It is poetry to our souls and part of a melodic song for our spirits. The clarity of the preaching of Isaiah to his countrymen is clearly seen in this chapter. He is admonishing, encouraging and instructing the beleaguered of Israel’s believing remnant to look past their present circumstances to their future joy. In that [future] day (verse 1), those that stand before the Lord will praise Him for His great salvation, and because of the events of that future time, will therefore have the truth of verse three applied to their lives. Isaiah’s voice thunders through the ages to our own situations, "There is coming a day, when all sorrow will be passed and you will have joy! Be encouraged, look for that day!" Behind the words of the mortal man, Isaiah, were the direct words of revelation from God Himself. Not only do we hear the words of the prophet of long ago, but the clear declaration from the true Author of Scripture as He speaks to our hearts with His words of eternal value. He tells us that we will draw water out of the wells of salvation and we will do it with joy! I just finished reading parts of a book considered "deep" theology. It was full of dark thoughts of the necessity to endure, to suffer, and to be wounded in order to grow. After several chapters, I had to put the book down. There was no joy in the salvation taught of in that book. I wondered if the author had let down the rope tied to the well bucket until it had plunged into the crystal clear waters of the well of salvation, or had he held it too tightly in his hand, fearing the depth below. Perhaps he had only glimpsed the possibility of joy through darkened shades, pulled fast closed by human conception. While in our lives we will indeed suffer grief, be chastened, and have to endure until the trial is ended, none of it is done in the darkness, it is all done in the light! Ever above, behind, before and surrounding us will be the illuminating glow of the presence of our wonderful Lord. He invites us, even in the midst of trial, to let down our reservoir that has become empty and let it be used for the purpose it was intended, to be filled with the fullness of God’s provision. To not do so as a Christian, would be like a pioneer woman of old, when she had run out of water in the house, refusing to walk out her door and lower the well bucket into the water below. Her husband would have dug the well deep until he struck clear flowing spring water so that his family would always have a sufficient supply of that which they needed for life. The well bucket was a constant reminder to the wife that when her thirst became great and her own resources were dry and barren, her needs had been provided for, all she had to do was put forth the effort. Salvation is all of the Lord, He is the Provider, He is the Source, He is the Constant Supply. While He gives us salvation as a gift, if we are to find the full depth of all He offers to us, we are to do the drawing of that which He has provided! We can picture the bucket being let down into God’s well. It is lowered carefully. That part of the task is easy as we come to Him with eager faces. But then we must also start to turn the crank, pulling up on the sturdy rope. This drawing takes spiritual muscles, but, oh, the rewards of the cool clear water of God, refreshing to our spirits, cleansing to our souls. Water is vital to life. Without physical water, how little of the wife’s tasks could be done: washing, cooking, cleaning, personal cleansing, watering the garden for nourishment, replenishing fluids, caring for her young. Without water, the landscape becomes barren and there is the stench of death. When water is applied to that same ground, life will spring forth and there is renewal. So our every facet of life, every activity, must be washed with the spiritual life giving water of God. That which was barren in our spirit can be refreshed and come alive with renewal when we let down our buckets into God’s clear refreshment in the depths of His Word and the essence of Himself. Christ invites us to let our buckets down deeply, and let them be filled to the brim: These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. John 15:11 When we think of the great potential that is ours in Christ, the two words of our verse, with joy, take on excitement. The words should leap off the page with the impact of emphasis. For here we have the word that is only truly understood by the Christian, the content of which only Christ can give: JOY. Double star this verse in your Bible or put exclamation points, the Spanish way, at both the front and end of the verse! To make a pun, this is truly a verse of "deep" theology, for God’s wells are truly so deep, that there is no measuring their depth! As we take the verse apart, word by word, its beauty becomes of a richer hue. Therefore: this is a verse of promise! The promises are both unconditional and conditional. They are all of God, and supplied by Him out of that which we did not work for, but the fullness of which we must use our spiritual muscles to pull up from His fathomless depths. The word therefore points us to our work and His supply: Therefore, we praise Him (verse 1) because we are forgiven and comforted. Therefore, we trust (verse 2) because JEHOVAH is our strength and song. Therefore, we look confidently past the trials and know that He is become our salvation (verse 2). Therefore, we can draw with joy from the greatness of who Christ is, knowing that He will give us all we need for life and for service! There are many verses in the Bible on the subject of joy needed, joy promised and the source of that joy. Nehemiah 8:10 tells us the joy of the LORD is your strength, Psalm 16:11: in thy presence is fullness of joy, Psalm 30:5: in His favor is life and even after His chastening the promise that joy cometh in the morning. God’s provision of joy for the faithful is seen in Psalm 126:5: They that sow in tears shall reap in joy, Psalm 132:16: [God will clothe his priests] with salvation and [the] saints shall shout aloud for joy. How exciting to realize that in the New Testament, we as believers, are called priests of God! Thus, this clothing is ours! Joy is assured in that future day, Isaiah 35:10, for when we come to Zion, we will have everlasting joy. Jesus gave us many "recipes" for joy: John 16:24, Ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full, which continue through the New Testament as in Romans 14:17: when we are assured that the kingdom of God is joy in the Holy Ghost. A famous Christian writer of earlier times, Geraldine Guinness Taylor, wrote of the impact upon her life when she realized that God desired her as a Christian to live in joy. For years, she said, she had been serving Christ on the mission field in the spirit of Philippians 3, in the fellowship of his sufferings, and then one day, she knew God wanted her to move on to Philippians 4 in her life, and rejoice in the Lord alway. The question to our lives today is whether we have moved on to find God’s joy as we plumb the depths of His supply. For in the Christian life there must be balance. We endure trials and sufferings, we are made conformable to His death by the dying to self, but there must also be the element of joy. There cannot be victorious service without joy, otherwise it is self centered, based on our works and not Christ centered, based on His provisions. This verse looks "beyond" the dimly seen future day in clear application to our present life, for salvation applies to every area of our life, not just the hereafter. One of the biggest areas of Christian maturity is when we realize that salvation is not just pardon from sin, a home in heaven and deliverance from judgment, but a whole new way of life! That is when we move from baby food (milk) to the rich meat of God! That is when we have drunk deeply of the water of salvation that glistens in the bucket we have drawn from the deep wells of God. Roll up your spiritual sleeves today. Reach over and take the waiting bucket and drop it into the coolness awaiting in God’s provision. Find His joy today as you actively draw the pure fresh water from God’s deep well of salvation.

Again, in this chapter portrait of the future, we are introduced to the term: in that day, which literally refers to the regathering of Israel to the Lord in the future millennial kingdom. It is a day when all the redeemed of Israel will join together in the great song of Isaiah chapter 26, when they sing Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. Isaiah 26:2 In that day these words will be said as a chorus from the people, a chorus of praise and of challenge. Just as in other glimpses of that future day, we can draw present instruction for our lives now. How exciting to think of that day of the Christian rapture, of our regathering, but also, the phrase "in that day" can be applied presently, to that day, even today, tomorrow, next week, or next year. Our present days should be as filled with praise for the working and person of God as will our future "that" day when we stand before Him. Vital, victorious Christianity does not just wait for a future day when we will be in the throng of celebrants, but involves the present day individual presentation of praise "living" to the Lord. That praise living should impel our every action, motivate our every desire, direct our every activity. We know the reality of the blessedness of the future events for Israel and for us as Christians. It fills our hearts with praise and gratitude to know that one day, in that day, we will stand with the redeemed of the ages and give praise and honor to the Holy One before us. That thought should motivate us to live lives of praise here and now. We can take the dialogue of the future and apply it presently, allowing us to use each phrase as an instruction, challenge and command.

In that day shall ye say: Though this phrase is "telling" what the redeemed will do in the future, we could use it as a challenge in the way we "hear" it to our present ears of understanding. Read in the present tense, it is in the command voice. "Christian, in the day that you are living, you SHALL say the following things: Praise to the Lord, call upon His name, declare His doing before others, make mention that His name is exalted." These are commands for our present lives, things we should do.

Praise the LORD: Psalm 67:3 says, Let the people praise thee, O God, let all the people praise thee. The word all should jump off the page for us today, because all includes each one of us individually. Hebrews 13:15 gives insight as to how we can praise the Lord: By him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. Only through Christ can we give God proper praise, by him the verse explains. It is our sacrifice to the glory of His name. What a beautiful picture this paints in our minds. Our praise being lifted up as the wave offering was lifted up by the Old Testament priest, given wholly to God. Picture your praise as a literal sacrifice given as a gift of love and honor. It is to be given continually as beautiful fully ripe gems of fruit, born from the blossoming forth of the praise issued from our lips. Though we are often encouraged to separate praise from thanksgiving, this verse shows an inseparable link between the two. Our thankfulness to our Lord for all His is and all He has done, should spark the true essence of praise. If you have had a difficult time "learning" how to praise the Lord, begin with thanking Him for His work in your life today and the praise will begin to grow and bud in your life.

Call upon His name: How often do we call upon the name of the Lord in prayer. How often do we call upon His name for assistance in trouble. Some only call His name in jest or in vain, but we are privileged to know Him, whose name is Almighty, whose name is Jesus. We are commanded to call upon the Lord for salvation: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Romans 10:13 We must also call upon Him for deliverance in present trials for the "present" salvation spoken of in Isaiah 12:2: Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. We need to call upon His name in love, in honor, in praise, in petition, in gratitude and for guidance. It is common for us as women to pick up a telephone and call upon a friend, just to "stay in touch." How much more should we avail ourselves of the direct line of prayer to our Friend Jesus, to communicate with the One who should be the closest Confidant of our heart needs.

Declare His doings among the people: Psalm 66:16 gives us the encouragement and the example of what our heart attitude should be regarding this command: Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul. In the congregation of the righteous we should declare what great things God has done for us. As we share with our brethren, we are joining with Isaiah when he said these thrilling words: I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindness. As Christians, God has granted us multitude upon multitude of lovingkindnesses and mercies. We need to be used to encourage our brothers and sisters in the Lord, to lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees. Hebrews 12:12 Our praise and testimony is not only a sacrifice to our God, but a ministry to others to rekindle the flame of praise within their hearts. Often we only think of our witness to the lost, encouraging them to come to Christ for salvation. We must never be weary in doing this great task, but let us never forget to also give declaration of our testimony among the people of God.

Make mention that His name is exalted: What an honor to be able to enter into the praise given by God Himself to Christ: Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: Philippians 2:9 Likewise the angels and redeemed of all ages beckon us to join with the Heavenly praise of exaltation: Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. Revelation 5:12 Everyday, in our conversations with others, we need to take the challenge and grasp the opportunity to make mention that indeed His name is exalted, that He is exalted in our lives. It sounds so common in our modern day English to say, "Make mention." We often coach that phrase in a statement of polite casualness, "I thought I would just make mention of something." Politely, casually, in our common every day conversations, we need to make mention of the Lord to others. This privilege and responsibility is not just reserved to "formal" times and "ministry" times, but for those moments of the everyday, for the moments of this day!

Let us take the challenge that this verse has hidden within. Let us not wait until that day that is in the future to praise the Lord or to call upon His name or to declare His doings among the people! Let us make "this day" the day to do these things. Let us make mention that His name is exalted to all that will listen, even today, even tomorrow, even throughout all our days!

Chapter twelve of Isaiah, ends with a glorious command to those that love the Lord! It is a command that echoes down though the ages as it envisions not only the redeemed of the Lord in the future New Jerusalem, but also the believers of any time, even today. The challenge is for us to join in the great crescendo of praise as we sing, cry aloud and shout unto the Almighty LORD. My reference Bible has a section on singing that begins with the category: "Singing: a Religious Duty." The word "duty" often implies obligation and responsibility, but when viewed in the mode of singing, that which could be burdensome becomes a pleasure! How gracious of our God to give us a responsibility that brings us joy in the performance! We are admonished to Sing aloud unto God...make a joyful noise (Psalm 81:1 and Psalm 95:1). The word noise implies a sound of triumph and applause, for our song is to be one of accolades to our God. In Isaiah 30:29, we are given the promise of a future song that we can claim for today: Ye shall have a song, as in the night when a holy solemnity is kept (when we seriously compose that love sonnet to our Lord in quietness of heart): and gladness of heart, as when one goeth with a pipe to come into the mountain of the LORD...(as if we were piping forth joyful notes in praise, climbing higher in our moments of gladness). Paul said, as he considered his own religious "duty" to the Lord that he would sing with the spirit, and...with the understanding. I Corinthians 14:15 Then he encouraged each of us to perform our duty as well in Ephesians 5:19, when the command is given: Speaking to yourselves in ...spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. Note the two aspects of the command, one is to encourage our own selves and the other as praise to the Lord. How glorious that what we do as unto the Lord, gives us personal comfort and encouragement within! The great emphasis of our "maturity need" of singing is seen in James 5:13, when those who are merry are told: let him sing psalms. When happiness surrounds us, let us not be self centered, but relate that joy to the Lord! In all the admonitions of our verse for today, we should note that the motivation for both singing and shouting is the greatness and excellence of God! For as we move on to the command to Cry aloud and shout, the same pattern emerges as we study other verses that trace the pattern of "shouting for joy" unto the Lord. Significantly, Leviticus 9:24, records the first acceptance of the priestly sacrifice made by Aaron, when there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed [all] upon the altar.....which when the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces. Likewise in Joshua 6:20, ...when the priests blew with the trumpets...the people shouted with a great shout, that the walls fell down flat...and they took the city. Again in 2 Samuel 6:15, when David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD [to Jerusalem] with shouting... Also, in connection with victory in battle, as in II Chronicles 13:15, ...the men of Judah gave a shout, and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass, that God smote [their enemies]... Followed by shouting as an evident token of promise in the rededication of the people to serve the Lord, in II Chronicles 15:14, ...they sware unto the LORD with a loud voice, and with shouting... In Ezra 3:11, during the public ceremony of Thanksgiving after the foundation of the temple was laid, And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD. All these recorded times of shouting showed that act being done by an organized group of people, praising the Lord for something He had done. In several verses of Scripture, the people of God are commanded to shout: Psalm 5:11, ..let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice, let them ever shout for joy, Psalm 47:1, ..shout unto God with the voice of triumph, Zephaniah 3:14, ...shout...be glad and rejoice with all the heart, and Zechariah 9:9, Rejoice greatly...shout (to Israel because Messiah comes). While singing was a command for the individual and for a group of people, shouting as a command was almost always given to the corporate body, specifically to those of Israel. Whether it was in singing, crying aloud or shouting, all was to be done in response to the greatness of God! The commands are given so that we can show forth two essential qualitites of our God: He has done excellent things and He is great in the midst of us. The fact that God has done excellent things is known in all the earth. All around us is the evidence. People far and wide have been told and many have believed it to be true. Our God has done excellent things. The challenge is for us to personalize this realization. We need to sing in our hearts a new and joyful song, "My God has done excellent things for me!" O Lord, when was the last time that I acknowledged my gratitude for the marvelous things You have done in my life? Am I always an "asking" petitioner? Do I only come to You when I have a great need? Are my thankful words only uttered when I escape a great crisis? Lord, help me to see the things You do for me every day.

        Open my eyes that I may see, Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me:

We are to cry out and shout because, as inhabitants of the kingdom, we should know that great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of [us]. In that final day when we are in that city whose light is the Lord, we will know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is there in the midst of us. For truly there will be no shadows in that transcendent light. Oh, how often do we need to be reminded that He is here with each of us today. He is in the midst of our lives at every moment, we need but to acknowledge it. It is as if we are in a busy place and we need to turn from the distractions and lock eyes with our Savior who has been watching us all along. He is there all the time! Lord, help me to give You the rightful place of being in the midst of my decision making, the midst of my priorities, the midst of my plans. When life seems to crowd around me and the walls of trials seem to close in, help me to turn my eyes upon You, waiting in the room of the problem, to reach out Your hand and lead me to the door of escape. When I have joys and triumphs, help me to share them with You as You patiently stand in the midst of the garden of happiness. Help me to lay, as it were, the petals of the flowers of joy into Your hands. I know that You so want me to recognize Your presence and be part of every area of my life. Lord, You are Holy and You are great. Make me ever aware of Your presence so that I will desire to have my life house one that is presentable to Your holiness, where You can be comfortably welcome. Let me honor You for Your greatness and cause a deep swelling of praise to issue forth from my heart that cries and shouts ever into my spiritual ears, "My God is great and He has chosen to dwell with me!" When I begin to be discouraged today, let that shout echo in my mind until I can but allow You to raise me up in my spirit. Thank You, Lord, for being such a great and holy God.

As a missionary wife, this verse excites me! I can envision myself with the people of Israel, being exhorted by the leader of the army to go forth up the high mountain ahead of us, to plant and lift high the banner of our king! "Fight the battle, wage the war, win the victory and declare deliverance to the captives! Claim the mountain for the kingdom, take possession for your king." In my mind’s eye, I can see the great surge of the people of the army, running up the sides of the mountain, the standard bearer carrying the banner in their midst. The breeze from the slope causes the banner to flutter, but the strength of the forward motion of the bearer is that which keeps it floating for all to see. Higher, higher, the army goes, onward, ever onward, until at last the summit is reached. And there, knowing that victory is assured, the standard bearer lifts the banner one last time, waving it for all to see. The shout goes out from all the people as the staff of the banner is firmly planted in the ground on the peak of the mountain. The territory has been claimed for the king. Just over the rise, the gates of the enemy fort have been opened wide. The opposing forces have fled, but within the walls are those who were the captives. They have heard the shouting and the victory cries, but it is not until they see the faces of the army that they have full hope of deliverance. Each soldier reaches out his hands to those who have been captive. They lift up those that are fallen, encourage the weak, and lead them out into freedom. Days later, they are all welcomed into the halls of the palace, where they are honored by the king and all his nobles. How thrilling to imagine one’s self as part of a heroic battle of yore. How thrilling to realize that the battle can be real and the victory can be ours in the spiritual mountain of our King, the Lord Jesus. We have been called to lift high the banner of our King, to climb the heights before us and claim the victory in His name. We are to exalt the voice, use our voices to witness for our Lord. One of my dictionaries listed synonyms for the word exalt, among which were: adore, celebrate, advance, commemorate, dignify, elevate, ennoble, extol, glorify, honor, laud, magnify, lift high, praise, promote and worship. In lifting high the praise of our mighty Lord to others, we can indeed exercise our voices in doing all of those parts of exaltation. We need to challenge ourselves concerning our enthusiasm and conviction that is expressed as we talk to others. Just as the soldier of old used every opportunity and weapon to wage a good warfare, so we must use the opportunities that God places in our paths to witness to others by "exalting" the virtues of our Lord to them. We must shake the hand of those we meet, if we are to win them in the battle. The genuineness of our friendship and care should be as evident as an outstretched hand. There is something eloquent in the extension of our hand for the grasping of another in a handshake. It speaks of mutual respect, friendship and the breaking down of barriers. The handshake at the end of a battle stood to seal the commitment, to honor the agreement that had been settled by the victory. When we extend ourselves to others in the act of Christian witnessing, we are inviting them to join with us in a solemn trust, a life long commitment, an agreement of honor with the Captain of our forces. Shaking the hand involves personal involvement, the hand extends, our eyes meet, we are momentarily "knit together" with another. We have to extend ourselves, our testimony and our lives, like the extending of our hand, held out for others to either grasp or reject. There are different types of returns of handshakes, like the different responses to our testimony for the Lord: cold, hesitant, clinging in need, strong and confident, even strong and defiant. The response is not our responsibility or even under our control, but the offering of the hand shake is. Next time you are "called upon" by God to witness, picture yourself with eyes shining, extending your spiritual "hand" in greeting, clasping that other "life" to you. You are welcoming, honoring, acknowledging, offering friendship. You are reaching across a "cultural gap" and seeking to bridge the differences as in famous handshakes of peace treaties in history. For truly we are ambassadors extending the treaty of peace with our God. "Shake the hand" gives great emphasis for personal involvement in soul winning. We need to grasp their hands in friendship and invite them into the gates of the nobles. Inside those gates, there is life in the court of the great King. Not only do those set free in the battle get to enter into the courts, but they enter in as one of the nobles, themselves. At salvation, we become ones of royalty, princes and princesses in the household of the mighty King. What a great and glorious task we have been given as witnesses for the Lord, ones who can lift high His royal banners! What an exhilarating experience it is to enter into the battle! In view of our calling and mission, this verse has very personal meaning to me. At one point in our church planting career, we were called to go up a literal "high mountain" for God. From serving in the "lowlands" of Central California, we were told of an opportunity for church planting in a town high in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. There, just past a main highway pass of 7,300 feet, was a sunlit high valley with a growing town in need of a church. It was as if the Holy Spirit issued the marching orders, Lift ye up a banner upon [that] high mountain! We could sense His commands to witness, preach, befriend and lead others to Christ. It was our vision to lead others through the gateway into the kingdom of our Lord, where they would be part of the nobility in Christ. When we were invited to tell of our missionary life in that mountain community, I would often quote this verse and share how we were attempting to lift up the banner of our Lord in that place. When we were ready to move on to another church planting assignment, we could look back and see that a church had been planted, souls had been saved and many battles won. It was our prayer that the banner would continue to wave so others could join in the forces of our Lord. The challenge of this verse is not just for missionaries, but it is for the mission of each of us as Christians, the mission of witnessing for our Lord. The command goes out: Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain. Though for the Jew, that mountain could have been seen as the literal Zion, there is always a mountain in front of us. The possible message of the banner is even specified in Isaiah 12:6, where the cry of the people of God is given: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee. We need to share that He is great and He is holy and He is in the midst of us today. We need to heed the command and exalt the voice unto them; the people God will bring into our lives. We need to shake the hand; show ourselves a friend of those that are lost and in need of deliverance, that they, too may go into the gates of the nobles and be part of the great assembly of the righteous as the saved ones, the children of the King. The people to whom the command of verse two is given are noted in verse three: I have commanded my sanctified ones.... As those that are the saved of the Lord, we are given the command to scale the high mountain and lift up His banner for all to see. We are the ones who must exalt with our voices the praises of our God as we are privileged to take others through into the gate of the kingdom, into the courts of the great King, where they can only enter in salvation. The task is given and the question should echo in our mind, "Lord, where is my high mountain?" In your life, dear Christian, lift up your banner of praise and identification with your King on your high mountain. Whatever place that you dwell, do not view it as a desert or a valley, but as a high mountain. Climb over your "silent" witness and exalt with your voice as you become involved personally. The promise is given, take the hand of someone today and lead them gently "home."

Isaiah 14:24 is the declaration of the Almighty God. The firm resolve of His voice should echo in our minds this day. Whatever our life need or spiritual question, we can be assured of the constancy of our God who has declared and promised the intent of this verse. The word Surely should be printed in bold letters. It reminds us of the many times Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you..." God knows we need reassurance and so He speaks with clarity to our hearts: "Dear redeemed one, surely, verily, verily, I have promised you. In my eternal counsels my thoughts were already formed." This lofty concept is difficult for us to fully comprehend with our limited mortal minds, so bound to the temporal. God’s thoughts always were. They were and are established. His plan and decree is also established. As God has purposed, the concept is a mind expanding adventure of thought, for indeed, His purposes have always been. God did not ever "decide" for He always knew. The term purpose of our verse does not carry with it the concept of choice, but the firm resolve of purpose. The mind of our God is as one set like a flint, never erring, never flinching, never deviating, never failing. So shall God’s purposes stand. There is a firmness in that standing and a great strength. We do not often think of the strength it takes to stand, but I had a unique experience in that matter. In the treatment of my illness, I was given massive doses of a medication that caused a chemically induced partial paralysis. The use of my thigh muscles were greatly affected and for many months I could not stand from a sitting position without assistance. Once on my feet, I could not stand or walk with strength. The doctor had begun gradually reducing the amount of the daily dosage of medicine when a most memorable event happened. I was sitting on a stool in the kitchen of a friend, when one of my children called for me. Without a thought, I stood to go to him. Everyone around me reacted with surprise and excitement, but it could not match the thrill I felt. For the first time in months I had stood, and the exaltation and strength it conveyed to my heart was almost overwhelming. We need to be a people who purpose to stand, who covenant to that firm solid standing for God in every area of our lives. Our thoughts need to be established and "stayed" on God. We need to be people of spiritual strength, not ones who have a partial paralysis in any area. It is interesting to note the placement of our verse in Chapter fourteen of Isaiah. It occurs after the description of the fall of Satan and in the midst of the promise of the breaking of the power of the Assyrian. Our problems may seem small next to these two "giant" opposers of God, but even they could not prevent God’s purposes and plan. Nothing that exalts itself against the Almighty God will stand. In Isaiah 7:7, God had already told King Ahaz that the full evil planned against the kingdom, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass. Now seven chapters later, in the year King Ahaz dies, the people of the kingdom are reminded that God’s purposes had and would stand. ( Isaiah 14:28) The message for them and for us is the same: what God swears, He will do, what God has "thought," it will come to pass, what God has purposed, it shall stand, because it is He, the Lord of Hosts, who has purposed it. The promise and security is in Himself! Our confidence is not in men or in circumstances, for our surety is God and God alone. The words purpose and stand hold great depths of meaning for us in this matter. Included in the roots of purpose are these thoughts: to determine, to plan and to counsel. In the word stand: to abide, continue, confirm, maintain, to be set, fixed, fulfilled, endure, to be proven, valid and made binding. What a peace and confidence we can have this day knowing "surely" our God will be and do as He said. No matter what powers or situations arise, they will not disannul or turn back God’s purpose. Not Satan, not the Assyrian, not our difficulty, For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? And his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back? Isaiah 14:27 God had promised the nation Israel a future day. Many may have faltered as the Assyrian army marched on their land, but they had to but remember Who it was that controlled the plans of nations. This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations. (Isaiah 14:26) God was in control. What has God sworn in your life? Have you faltered in faith this day? Do the circumstances look like great armies marching over into your valley? Our God is the same God as in the days of Isaiah. What He has promised, that He will do. The people of Israel, were challenged to act on this knowledge of trust: What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation? That the LORD hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it. Isaiah 14:32 When the messengers of Satan come to buffet us, what should we proclaim in answer but: "What our God has sworn to us, that will He do!" Dear Lord, help me to remember today that no matter what difficulty may arise, I can have confidence in Your surety. Thank You, Lord, for being a covenant keeping God and the One who has pledged to keep His promises to my soul.

Chapter fifteen of Isaiah, is entitled "The lamentable state of Moab" in my Bible commentary. It shows scenes of destruction, crying and terror. Yet, chapter sixteen holds the hope of mercy for those of Moab that heed God’s pleas. Ever the loving, tender Father, God extends His hand of mercy to all those that will place themselves under His rulership. While some would see Moab as outcasts, God says to as many as will obey His commands, "I have a purpose for you, a job of honor within my plan, come join with Me and my people." How like Moab we are. We were like those who had the heritage to know of God and be part of His redeemed, yet we were all those who had turned aside to our own ways. Yet, when we heeded the call of our Sovereign God, He had mercy on us and gave us the privilege of being established within His kingdom of righteousness. He gave us a purpose and a responsibility to act as His servants. God gave those of Moab that would obey Him a glorious promise: in mercy shall God’s rulership and throne be established in your midst. To those who come to Him, the very evidence of God’s rulership is His mercy, and because of His mercy, He rules in our lives. He does not leave us to "fate." He is not a God without compassion or one who casts His creation to the winds of destiny. He is a God who rules, and truly our God reigns as a compassionate, wise and mighty King! Throughout the Scripture that King is shown on His throne, active and in control. Our Lord Christ sits on that throne, the Son of David and Son of God. Each word and phrase of our verse is rich with meaning:

In mercy: the word root for mercy comes from that which means "lovingkindness." It pictures God’s goodness, kindness, and faithfulness. It is mercy that gives us peace.

Throne: the picture is of royal dignity, honor, power and authority.

Established: meaning firmly fixed, set up, not to be moved.

Sits in truth: God’s authority and rulership is one of truth. He is a reliable sovereign and the good King! The word sit means to dwell, inhabit, continue. Truth carries with it the idea of a "faithful" truth, an absolute reliability.

Tabernacle is an interesting image in this verse for it is often used as the symbol of God’s presence in our wilderness life. Moab had been those that dwelt in the wilderness, yet God offers them the privilege of His dwelling with them. The tabernacle was also used to speak of the dwelling place spiritually of the indwelling God, that sacred place where only He can exist. It is not cited here as the tabernacle of the Jews or of Moses but of David. Think of the implications. The tabernacle had not been in the possession of David when he began his reign as king of Israel. Yet he had desired it to be brought to Jerusalem, to be available for the people. Only as he obeyed God’s specific way of transporting the tabernacle was he able to bring it into the capital city with joy. Trying to do it in his own way had brought death and defeat. God calls to us to come to Him through faith in Christ, His "only way," so that He can truly tabernacle or dwell with us.

Judging: to govern, while vindicating and punishing with authority.

Seeking judgment: To seek with care, to require the execution of justice.

Hasting righteousness: Quick, prompt, skilled, and ready action, providing that which is proper, fitting, and right. Simply, righteousness is that which is absolutely right and is one of God’s attributes. It speaks of God as covenant keeping. When applied to Israel’s fate at the time of Isaiah’s writing, they were outcasts (verse 4), with oppressors, but true to the covenant of God, the oppressors would cease and righteousness would be brought in like a flood! God knows the times, as well as His subjects. He will hasten righteousness to His own: Ps 55:22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. We must obey and cast our burdens at His feet to find His sustaining mercy.

So God calls out to Moab in Isaiah 16:3 and 4: ...hide the outcasts....Let mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab; be thou a covert to them... He asks for their obedience. In the midst of this "counsel," they are approached to share in Israel’s blessings if they will shelter God’s chosen ones. The nation that was formerly under the judgment of God, is offered a promise of privilege. Jesus is God’s chosen One for us, the Father desires for us to "shelter" Him in our heart’s home. Just as Moab was to take in the Jews deep into their rocky kingdom, so we are to "take in" Jesus deep within our hearts, into our stony places, deep inside, allowing Him to totally occupy there. That which had been walls of stone before salvation, will become a strong dwelling place where the rays of His love can shine forth. There His richness of character can become ours. We will be changed and we will be blessed. Lord, break down the walls of stone that I have allowed to be built in my life. Dwell richly within every area as I recognize Your power and rulership in my life. When I need Your help, I trust that You will hasten to me. You are so mighty, so powerful and so worthy of praise, that I am humbled to realize afresh that You have chosen to dwell within my heart. Make my life a fit place for the Ruler of the Universe to dwell. Help me to cast aside all that would not be worthy of the dwelling place of the King. Help me to serve as Your servant and hasten to obey Your calls on my life.