Dear Ones:
In Isaiah’s great chapter concerning the comfort and consolation of God as it applies to the return of Israel from the exile, there is one message that rings loud and clear: “…the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.” (Is. 40:5) What does this mean? It means that God will reveal Himself, that men will see and KNOW that He is God. Nothing could be so impossible as the return of the people of Israel after seventy years of captivity. But in several of the minor prophets, we discover the promise that the temple and the city of Jerusalem will be rebuilt. When we delve deeply into what the Lord promises with regard to this return, and what He will do, there is no doubt that His glory will be revealed…and it was.
Now, let us fast-forward to the birth, life, crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. The same message of this “voice of him that crieth in the wilderness” mentioned in Isaiah, is that which would immediately precede the appearing of Christ in His ministry. Here again, the glory of God is revealed, and this in the most remarkable measure. When the Romans destroyed Jerusalem in 70 A.D. (Jesus declared beforehand to his disciples that this would happen…), Israel would cease to be a nation, the people would be scattered over the face of the earth. In 1948, a monumental historical “act” occurred again. Israel, for the first time in almost two thousand years, became again a nation with a defined territory. Again, the glory of God is revealed. But what about our experience, personal experience of “seeing the glory of the Lord?” Does He truly reveal Himself to our individual hearts, or are we limited only by the great historical facts of His intervention?
The great message of Isaiah which shows us the way is this: “All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field.” (Is. 40:6) “…surely this people is grass…the grass withereth, the flower fadeth, but the word of our God shall stand forever.” (vs. 6-8) The point is this, there is NO comparison between that which is of man, and the expressed design and will of the Creator and Redeemer. As G. Campbell Morgan wrote, “God rides best in His own chariot,” and that chariot is the word of God. Until we come to grips with the “scales of time (and eternity),” weighing in the balance the “wisdom and philosophies of men,” as opposed to the eternal word of God, we shall not SEE His glory. God reveals Himself only according to the truth of His word. His word is NEVER a contradiction to His person. What does this practically mean? It is written of Sarah, Abraham’s wife, that “…she judged Him (God) faithful who had promised.” In other words, she staked all on Him according to His word, His revealed will. The result, she saw the glory of God. Those who returned from the exiled were armed with the promises of God in the face of impossibilities. Those who were waiting for the “Consolation of Israel,” saw it in Christ…all based on a promise, the promise of His coming. We will see the glory of God as we trust Him wholly according to His word.
Dear Father, give us grace to defer fully to Thine incalculable wisdom in Christ, for Thou hast made and redeemed us. Indeed, all wisdom dwells IN Thy Son. Grant that we become active beneficiaries of the wisdom of Christ by taking Thee at Thy word, “standing on the promises,” and waiting with expectation to SEE the glory of God. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad