It Is So Good this evening to see that the hand of the Lord has been gentle upon our dear sister today, despite the years of suffering. In all things, yes, in all things we give thanks to our Maker and divine Sustainer.
The prophet Isaiah speaks to us mightily through this oracle, as we prepare to share the sweet tokens of the Lord’s death and resurrection. Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have my law in your hearts! He tells us, Do not fear or be terrified, and he gives us strength to cope with the causes of our fear and terror.
Look at the earth, says Isaiah, it is wearing out. Its inhabitants die like flies. The environment is ever more degraded and worn out, undermining the life support systems of us all. AIDS has now become the leading cause of death among children and the young in the Caribbean, with the pandemic spreading relentlessly. People who are ill have to accept that our health systems are hopelessly overwhelmed, and wait for hours for treatment of any kind. Dear sister, we know that you do not need to be reminded of that. Medications are so far beyond anybody’s pocket that bush medicines are now the only help. When I had a heart attack last year, it was only faith, prayer and bush medicine that assuaged the excruciating pain and healed me. It seems the Lord must have more work for me to do for Him in this island. Then there is the fact that the enemies of the true God roam the earth. But Isaiah encourages us: Do not fear the reproach of men or be terrified by their insults.
Three wondrous truths
There are three wondrous fundamental truths in this prophecy, which form the unshakeable basis for the prophet’s exhortation not to be terrified.
- The Lord will surely comfort Zion.
- God’s salvation will last forever.
- God’s righteousness will never fail.
Day after day on television we see horrific images of broken bodies and weeping women in the streets of Jerusalem. But take heart from the prophet’s words: salvation is on the way. We are the real Zionists, looking for a new Jerusalem, wherein dwells righteousness, the city of divine peace, for which we daily pray. We share the distress, though undeserving. The comfort will be for us too, and it will last forever and never fail. God promises everlasting salvation to all true Zionists. Joy and gladness will be found in her thanksgiving and the sound of singing.
The rock and the quarry
The prophet urges us to look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn. The quarry of our faith is the word of truth, the rock is the promise to Abraham, the father of the faithful. We are among the many from all nations of whom the prophet speaks.
The emblems we now share speak eloquently of the rock from which we are cut and the means of our salvation. This evening, by His grace, the Lord will look with compassion on our ruined state and make our wastelands like the garden of the Lord.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One