For you shall go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
shall break forth into singing,
and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;
and it shall make a name for the LORD,
an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
When I drove a truck for a living, I saw a car commercial in which all the lights turned green for that particular car. It resonated with me. Imagine that for us and you get a glimpse of the good news Isaiah gave to God’s chosen people. There would be a New Jerusalem and the Messiah would reign. All they needed to do was to turn from their disobedience and accept the forgiveness of the Lord. I have seen some beautiful days when I said, “Of course there is a God!”, but the beauty that Isaiah described here defies the imagination.
That is what makes it all the better that this is a promise from God for those who repent and believe. No longer will we wake up, look outside and bury our head in a pillow because it is stormy and windy. The whole creation will sing his praise and we will naturally join in.
This is good news for those who wake up each day in despair. No matter what happens today, there is a day coming when none of it will matter because the Lord will take it away. They will want to know how. We can tell them that Jesus came on that first Christmas, rose again on that first Easter, and is coming again…
All lights will be green.
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church