Day 189: Isaiah 32- Good Government?

Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule in justice. 2 Each will be like a hiding place from the wind, a shelter from the storm, like streams of water in a dry place, like the shade of a great rock in a weary land. 3 Then the eyes of those who see will not be closed, and the ears of those who hear will give attention.4 The heart of the hasty will understand and know,  and the tongue of the stammerers will hasten to speak distinctly. 5 The fool will no more be called noble, nor the scoundrel said to be honorable. 6 For the fool speaks folly, and his heart is busy with iniquity, to practice ungodliness, to utter error concerning the Lord, to leave the craving of the hungry unsatisfied, and to deprive the thirsty of drink. 7 As for the scoundrel—his devices are evil; he plans wicked schemes
to ruin the poor with lying words, even when the plea of the needy is right. 8 But he who is noble plans noble things, and on noble things he stands.

9 Rise up, you women who are at ease, hear my voice; you complacent daughters, give ear to my speech. 10 In little more than a year you will shudder, you complacent women; for the grape harvest fails, the fruit harvest will not come. 11 Tremble, you women who are at ease, shudder, you complacent ones; strip, and make yourselves bare, and tie sackcloth around your waist. 12 Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine, 13 for the soil of my people growing up in thorns and briers, yes, for all the joyous houses in the exultant city.

14 For the palace is forsaken, the populous city deserted; the hill and the watchtower will become dens forever, a joy of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks; 15 until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is deemed a forest. 16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness abide in the fruitful field. 17 And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever. 18 My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places. 19 And it will hail when the forest falls down, and the city will be utterly laid low. 20 Happy are you who sow beside all waters, who let the feet of the ox and the donkey range free.

Meditation
Government is an essential sphere of society, established by the Lord Himself (Romans 13:1-7). Only one government can carry hope for humanity. Christians find their handle for hope in God’s eternal government, the true superpower that will never fall.

God’s plan is to redeem rulers to represent His character of justice and righteousness (1).  Through His sovereign transformation God’s ways will provide shelter, streams, and the shade of a great rock (2).  These promises sound inviting! And the positive proclamation is the backdrop of exposing the corruption of governors of the globe (3-8).

God will bring His good government, His Kingdom come, through sovereign transformation accomplished by judgment (9-14) and revival (15-20). Judgment will empty and revival will fill. The Spirit of God will bring the fullness of the Covenant promises of God, His beneficial rule and reign.

Notice the description of the Spirit filled authority of redeemed rulers noted in v 15-20: joy, peace, fruitfulness, righteousness, quietness, security, blessedness, and fruitful planting. Lord, bring your Kingdom!

We must honor governments ordained by God but we cannot hope to receive from them what only God’s good government can deliver. Hezekiah was king when Isaiah prophesized and he had a horrible government (see 2 Kings 18). His government, like every other on the globe and throughout history, cannot hold the hope of humanity.

We pray, “Your Kingdom come…” because our hope is in Heaven. May the Spirit of God bring the fullness of the rule and reign of God.

Richly Dwelling
-Do you look to government and rulers to provide what only God can give? How?

-Where do our rulers need redemption and revival? Pray for them- now.

-How can we live with our hope in Heaven? Daily orient your heart to hope only in Heaven through praying the prayer Jesus taught His disciples to pray. His Kingdom come! His will be done, in our cities and countries as it is in Heaven.

Key Verse
1 Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule in justice.