“What Does Christ Offer Us Today?”
Isaiah 33:17-24
Today’s Scripture concludes chapters 32-33. This section reminds us that the Lord would be the divinely provided leader of Israel and He would do a far better job than any drunken, confused human leader ever would. Last week we read in verse 2 of chapter 33, how the Lord was the leader they had been longing for all along. This promise of God leading the Israelites was fulfilled in multiple ways throughout history. The immediate result was fulfilled when Hezekiah, the anointed king at this time, put his trust in God and the Israelites experienced deliverance in dramatic ways. You can read about it in 2 Kings chapters 18-20. Later, God delivered His people from captivity in Babylon, and brought them back to their land. You can read about this in Ezra chapter 1. We see deliverance again when God revealed His Messiah, in Jesus Christ. And the final fulfillment will occur when the Messiah returns and rules the earth.
In the context of this chapter, the king is referred to as God, and in “his beauty” He will remove the Assyrian siege, their “chief officer, revenue, and towers.” God will make so the Assyrian language will no longer be heard. After God takes over, there will be a “peaceful abode.” Then Isaiah uses a bit of an oxymoron when he describes the city as a permanent “tent.” Tents are not meant to be “permanent.” Perhaps there is a bit of comparison here to us humans, our bodies or tents are just as fragile. Yet, if we give them over to God, He can make them more secure and give us peace.
From the metaphor of a tent, Isaiah takes us to the imagery of water. The city will be like “broad rivers and streams.” A river is often used as a symbol of peace and abundance. Isaiah continues to present a peaceful scene as he writes, no vessel of war or “No galley with oars will ride them, no mighty ship will sail them.”
And why will there be peace?
Isaiah continues to explain why,
because of the righteous character of the Lord.
Verse 22, “The Lord is our judge,” and as a righteous judge, He would bring in order. “The Lord is our lawgiver,” which means He would bring in obedience to the Torah. The Lord is Moses, Samuel, and David, all rolled up in one, and with this picture in mind the Israelites can be assured that He will bring peace and harmony,
and even better, salvation.
Isaiah then goes on to describe what happened to the warship that attempted to come up against the Lord. Like a mighty windstorm, the Lord has caused this warship’s rigging to hang loose, the mast had become insecure and they were destroyed before they were even able to set the sails. All of the plunder that the enemy had acquired will be carried off by even the lowest of lowest, the lame.
Isaiah ends this chapter with a final promise, that Zion will be ruled by the Messiah, and it will become a place of health, both physically and spiritually. Sins will be forgiven for those who dwell there. Zion will return to the manner in which it was first intended.
For those of us who have grown up in a representative democracy, may find it difficult to comprehend the emphasis of a king. However, it doesn’t take a great deal of disorder in our lives, and we too start demanding a strong leader. History often repeats itself. In the 1930’s this is exactly what happened in Germany. Their government was a limited representative democracy but they had strong, independent opinions. When the Weimar Republic began to experience raging inflation and widespread unemployment, Hitler had little opposition when he stepped in and convinced the people he would be able to save them and make them strong again. It wasn’t long before he had acquired all the powers of a king and then some.
A similar thing happened earlier in Russia. Czar Nicholas was inept and eventually disposed of, only to allow Lenin to step in and impose his will on the nation, who in effect become the new czar. The result was a more tyrannical leader.
Whenever a society and government begin to break down, the people seek a strong leader to take charge. Isaiah recognizes this tendency in his people and assures them that God will give them a leader, someone who is both strong and righteous, a visionary and compassionate. However, they need to trust in God, not humans.
As I commented at the beginning, this passage can be applied to four different historic settings and we are living in one today. For those who heard these words from Isaiah, and perhaps even Isaiah himself, there may have been the question as to “How can these things be?” How can God be both deity and also fulfill the human rolls of judge, lawgiver and king?
Even at the birth of the Messiah, we are told that Mary “pondered things in her heart.” Again, the human brain attempting to understand God. However, in Jesus, as God-Man, the contradiction is resolved. God doesn’t just rule from heaven as if He’s absent from what is happening. He also rules here on earth, and He is not limited like us humans.
If this is true,
What then, does Christ offer us today?
From this passage I can find three things:
 
First: verse 17 states that He offers us beauty and wide      opportunities
Second: verse 18-20 states He offers us security
Third: verse 24 states we have health in its most comprehensive form
Let’s look at the first thing Christ offers us today, and that is beauty. You may see this as nonessential but that’s not how God sees it. Just look at creation! Not only is there beauty in the sunrise and sunset and all of the flowers and trees, the beauty God provides for us exists in harmony, symmetry, rhythm and balance. When we allow Christ to be King of our lives, these things are offered to us as well. Christ is in perfect harmony with the Father and He brings to us a life of rhythmic giving and receiving. When we rest in the assurance that God will take care of us and provide all of our needs, there is a serenity and wholeness that gives us peace, which in and of itself, is beauty.
Let’s face it, in Christ, all things are possible, the opportunities are endless! Everyone is unique and different with gifts and talents represented as only they can do. We are not pressed into a mold, or expected to be like robots who serve Him. Instead, He calls us “friends.”
And He allows us the freedom to reach the maximum of who He designed us to be. How can this be? Because God is a King who not only seeks our love, but delights in serving us. With this as reality, regardless of the restrictions around us, our opportunities truly are endless.
Secondly, life in Christ provides complete security. This security comes from knowing that no matter how dark things get, we are loved by Him. Not only that, we know that no matter what we do, He will never stop loving us. We can rest in the palm of His hand, knowing that no matter how badly or how often we fail, we are His and He is ours.
Thirdly, like beauty, there is both inner health and outer health and the two are closely related. It has been proven that for those who have hope and an inner health, they are more able to handle their outer health issues.
We need to remember that our sins are forgiven, our future is secure. We need to remember that God promised to meet all of our needs. Then we can rest in God. And even when our “earthly temple” fails us, our inner life can remain radiant, in health and wholeness, through Christ.
So, what do you do when chaos happens?
When your world starts caving in and things seem to be out of control?
Do you put your trust in humans, or in God?
Granted, God often uses humans to complete His will, but I am asking you what comes first for you?
Do you seek beauty and opportunities?
Do you desire security?
Do you want to be healthy, inside and out?
If you answered, “Yes, but How?”
Here are some suggestions.
Increase the amount of time you spend thinking, listening and communicating with God.
If you don’t see the beauty,
if you aren’t amazed by the endless number of opportunities around you,
If you feel insecure,
if your inner soul is not healthy,
Spend more time with God.
Read His Word.
Listen to Christian radio.
Put God first and foremost in your life.
Seek people out that you see do all of these things.
Spend more time with them.
Be intentional.
You have twenty-four hours each day.
Wherever you are right now in placing God in those twenty-four hours,
determine right now that you will add more time,
from now on.
Even if it is just five minutes,
even if it is just changing the radio station in your car.
Put a Bible next to your bed and have a Psalm be the last thing you read before you go to sleep.
Be creative, God made you that way.
Christ offers us more than we can ever receive.
Let’s be more intentional at seeking Him,
at strengthening our friendship with Him,
daily.
Let’s pray.