The words that detailed a preferred future were not the current reality for the people of Jerusalem and Judah during Isaiah’s lifetime. To find encouragement and comfort, they had to grasp them by faith.
Thus says the Lord:
In a time of favor I have answered you;
on a day of salvation I have helped you;
I have kept you and given you
as a covenant to the people,
to establish the land,
to apportion the desolate heritages,
Saying to the prisoners, “Come out,”
to those who are in darkness, “Show yourselves.”
They shall feed along the ways;
on all the bare heights shall be their pasture;
They shall not hunger or thirst,
neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them down,
for he who has pity on them will lead them
and by springs of water will guide them. (Isaiah 49:8-10)
The same faith that clings to Isaiah’s message is needed to discover the blessing Jesus described in the Sermon on the Mount.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3).
Jesus took a passage from Isaiah as a pattern for His life.
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to set free those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19)
How does someone who is poor, captive, blind, and oppressed respond to Jesus’ message? They do so the same way as the Hebrews of Isaiah’s day. They place their full trust in God and cooperate with His purposes with their whole heart.
The Suffering of the Faithful
C. S. Lewis waited until late in life to marry. Not long after his wedding, his wife died. This created for Lewis a crisis of faith. He greatly struggled with the loss of his wife, and the way he reconnected with his faith has been a lesson for many over the years.
We have to honor the poor, blind, captive, and oppressed people who remain faithful to God. “Cadillac problems” is the phrase my friends use to describe the kind of difficulties someone like me faces.
There are people who face overwhelming obstacles, and they have a right to lament their situation like the Israelites did.
But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me;
my Lord has forgotten me.” (Isaiah 49:14)
God declared that He has not forgotten.
Can a woman forget her nursing child
or show no compassion for the child of her womb?
Even these might forget,
yet I will not forget you.
See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands;
your walls are continually before me. (Isaiah 49:15-16)
God did not remove the oppression and poverty from His people. He told them they would never be forgotten and that they would know Him by experience.
Then you will know that I am the Lord;
those who wait for me shall not be put to shame. (Isaiah 49:23)
How do we have an experiential knowledge of the Lord? We wait for Him. To wait for God is to place our trust in Him no matter what.
Pope Leo’s Africa Trip
Pope Leo’s trip to Africa is emblematic of God’s servant bringing a message of hope to the poor and vulnerable of society.
In Cameroon, the Pope encouraged a large gathering with these words:
“Dear children, I know that many of you have endured difficult trials. Some of you have known the pain of loss through the death of parents or loved ones. Others have experienced fear, rejection, abandonment, deprivation, and uncertainty. Yet, you are called to a future that is greater than your wounds. You are bearers of a promise.”
“Wherever there is misery, suffering, or injustice, God is present,” the pope said in a meeting with orphaned or abandoned children in Cameroon.
When Isaiah pronounced God’s future plans for the Hebrew people, their situation didn’t immediately change. The same is true of Jesus’ blessing on the poor. The Pope continues in the Gospel tradition of hope and comfort for the “least of these” among humanity.
What are people to do with words of promise, comfort, and hope in a harsh world? We wait. We faithfully trust that God has a plan and a promise, no matter their circumstances.
In the end the “least of these” among God’s children know, “But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first” (Matthew 19:30).
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 