Wow – Thanksgiving week – time for thankfulness and hope and even some pause to the commercialism that is coming soon – bearing down our neck like Black Friday forecasts…  Let’s take a few days to bask in the need to NOT give any gifts – NOT impress people – NOT get caught up in frenzy and simply be thankful…  Things might be better but they could be far far worse.

Now is a great blessing to slide into the last few chapters of the Prophet Isaiah – and lo and behold we DO have a Christmas Miracle appearing not early but right on time – Isaiah 60 plus is direct talk from a Servant Savior – yes Messiah – Jesus the Christ – and yes the Kingdom – what a GIFT – this is not of the work of our hands but of His. “The Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.” For this we can be in much thanks giving. 

If you are like me – the enormous book of Isaiah took me months to read (and write thru) – it brought in a lot of conversation and consolation about the wicked and those not listening. God gets our pain because He Himself experiences the dealings with the wicked from the worldliness and fallen evil prince of the earth –  both in old testament scenes and those current and futuristic times described. Was thick Word, but SO worth reading through all these 60 chapters – and yes any long journey has that great feeling of “being in the HOME stretch” – and this one does. Especially as this incredible future prophecy is laid out, we ARE going to God’s Home – Kingdom – Forever.

So, to help get through the enormous journey of pages, I found that a tremendous video series from the Bible Project on YouTube was SO helpful – with quick talking wit that summarizes so succinctly. Part II of Isaiah was presented to see the wicked left behind and the good servants of the Kingdom let into God’s Forever – especially into the New Kingdom of Jerusalem. WOW. THAT’S US!!!  It is a THANKSGIVING and yet I can barely wrap my head around it. If you need some Good News today – and everyday – think of the Kingdom already won – and the Servant of a Messiah gaining us entrance. Think of how we can serve as a thank you – giving thanks. 

In Isaiah 59 then 60, we start to hear about this redeemer – this justice – this SALVATION. “Therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him“… These next chapters are a promise to Israel and to Gentiles alike – God’s Servant is due all praise and honor and glory –Then you will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

Here IS some GOOD NEWS – THANKS BE TO GOD!!!

“I will make peace your governor and well-being your ruler. No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise. The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end.”

AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

---

Isaiah 59: 16-21 The Redeemer of Zion

Then the Lord saw it, and it displeased Him that there was no justice. He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor; Therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him; and His own righteousness, it sustained Him. For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head; He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, And was clad with zeal as a cloak. According to their deeds, accordingly He will repay, Fury to His adversaries, Recompense to His enemies; The coastlands He will fully repay. So shall they fear The name of the Lord from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him. “The Redeemer will come to Zion, And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,” Says the Lord.

“As for Me,” says the Lord, “this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants’ descendants,” says the Lord, “from this time and forevermore.”

…

Isaiah 60 – The Glory of Zion

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
.
“Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the hip. Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come. Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the Lord. All Kedar’s flocks will be gathered to you, the rams of Nebaioth will serve you; they will be accepted as offerings on my altar, and I will adorn my glorious temple.
.
“Who are these that fly along like clouds, like doves to their nests? Surely the islands look to me; in the lead are the ships of Tarshish, bringing your children from afar, with their silver and gold, to the honor of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor.
.
“Foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will serve you. Though in anger I struck you, in favor I will show you compassion. Your gates will always stand open, they will never be shut, day or night, so that people may bring you the wealth of the nations – their kings led in triumphal procession. For the nation or kingdom that will not serve you will perish; it will be utterly ruined.
.
“The glory of Lebanon will come to you, the juniper, the fir and the cypress together, to adorn my sanctuary; and I will glorify the place for my feet. The children of your oppressors will come bowing before you; all who despise you will bow down at your feet and will call you the City of the Lord, Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
.
“Although you have been forsaken and hated, with no one traveling through, I will make you the everlasting pride and the joy of all generations. You will drink the milk of nations and be nursed at royal breasts. Then you will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
Instead of bronze I will bring you gold, and silver in place of iron. Instead of wood I will bring you bronze, and iron in place of stones.

I will make peace your governor and well-being your ruler. No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise. The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end.

Then all your people will be righteous and they will possess the land forever. They are the shoot I have planted, the work of my hands, for the display of my splendor. The least of you will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation. I am the Lord; in its time I will do this swiftly.”