July 9, 2024 - Isaiah 48-52

The Lord says to his people, “Hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and who came from the waters of Judah, who swear by the name of the LORD and confess the God of Israel . . . The former things I declared of old; they went out from my mouth, and I announced them; then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass . . . I declared them to you from of old, before they came to pass I announced them to you, lest you should say, ‘My idol did them, my carved image and my metal image commanded them’” (48:1-5).  Think about it.  The idols cannot make this boast.  The gods of the world’s religions cannot make such an assertion.  And, certainly, we cannot claim to know the future and to work all things according to our own will.  Only God can do these things.  He spoke, and the worlds came into existence.  He made a promise, and Isaac was born.  He declared he would deliver his people, and Egypt gave them up.  He promised a land, and Israel moved in.  The prophets spoke, and their words were fulfilled.  The Scriptures declared the coming of a Messiah, and the baby was laid in a Bethlehem manger.  The Lord assured that his people’s sins would be atoned for, and atonement was made.  Jesus declared that the gospel would be preached to the whole world, and here we are.  And what wonderful promises yet to be fulfilled!  God has promised and, so, we go forward with the joy and confidence that his hand continues to lead.

The right hand of God is writing in our land,

writing with power and with love,

our conflicts and our fears,

our triumphs and our tears

are recorded by the right hand of God.

The right hand of God is pointing in our land,

pointing the way we must go,

so clouded is the way,

so easily we stray,

but we’re guided by the right hand of God.   -- Patrick Prescod (1979)