“The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, ‘Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.'” Isaiah 40:3
It was T. Bimney, in his great hymn, “Eternal Light, Eternal Light,” who wrote the following:
“There is a way for man to rise to that sublime abode; An Offering and a Sacrifice, A Holy Spirit’s energies, An Advocate with God.” What is Bimney speaking about here? His subject is a “pathway,” a “way to rise,” or as Isaiah put it: “…the way of the Lord, …a highway for our God.” (Is. 40:3) When Jesus was ministering on this earth, He made very clear to all men everywhere that HE was “the way,” that solitary pathway to God the Father, that certain means and direction by which a man could truly know God, be accepted by Him, and be eternally blessed by Him with Life, His Life. After Jesus death and resurrection, when the church was born, the disciples were called those that believed in “The Way.” They held that God in Christ was indeed exactly, precisely and completely the pathway by which one could know forgiveness of sins, and receive the life of God by the Spirit. This way had a beginning in the One who was the beginning. It also had a “means” and direction, which was given to those in Christ by the Spirit. This highway of God was singularly Divine, and perfectly revealed in the person of Christ. What does the knowledge of this way have to do with the promises of God realized in the life of the believer?
When Israel had been downtrodden, after suffering greatly because of her neglect and rebellion against God, she was as a person wounded and hopelessly discouraged with regard to her existence, meaning, and the lack of means by which to “rise.” In Isaiah 40, we discover that the way of God in dealing with her, to restore her to that place of faith and obedience, was the message of comfort given by God. The God of all comfort came speaking to Jerusalem, crying to her that something had occured in her life with regard to God. The Lord’s message: “…(your) warfare is accomplished, …(your) iniquity is pardoned.” Her sin had been paid for, totally erased. Essential to Israel’s recovery from her errors and sins was the comforting voice of God saying that the past was over, a new day had dawned, where things of the past were no more.
The second thing we discover in this “pathway” where the promises of God are realized, is that Jerusalem is called to remember that essential to faith is the word of God, the very expression of the faithfulness of God in truth. The Lord would declare to her, “…the word of the Lord shall stand forever.” (40:8) To realize God’s promises, the new beginning would have as its basis the very word of God, and one’s devotion to God according to it.
Thirdly, Israel would not only be called upon to recognize the importance of the word of God, but also, her calling which had never changed. She was the servant of God, chosen by Him, to know, consider, and understand that the Lord was, and is God. She was chosen to BE Christ’s, His witness to the world that He was the Redeemer, and sole Savior of men. She was no longer to think herself as being “cast away,” but the beloved of God. If she would again grasp her calling and purpose, then the Lord HImself promised to be with her, strengthen her, help and uphold her, with the right hand of His righteousenss, His authority.
Fourthly, all the promises of God have their origin in the Perfect Servant, Christ. It would be as the people of God see Him faithfully committed to them, that He becomes the conscious presence, desire, and sufficiency of the soul. Christ pours out His Spirit, satisfies the longing soul, blessing the believer with His presence. When Christ reveals Himself to the soul, the believer is His witness.
Dear Father, Fulfill all Thy promises. In Jesus’ name, Amen.