#DailyDevotion God’s Peace Is Like A River For You
Isa 66:12-14 For thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you shall nurse, you shall be carried upon her hip, and bounced upon her knees. (13) As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. (14) You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice; your bones shall flourish like the grass; and the hand of the LORD shall be known to his servants, and he shall show his indignation against his enemies.
Psa 46:4 “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.” The same Holy Spirit that inspired David to write these words is the same one who inspired Isaiah’s words here. We have moved on here beyond the visible and the hidden Church to the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven in the world to come after Judgment Day. The peace that the Lord extends to her is like a river and an overflowing stream. This river is the blood that flows from the wounds of Christ Jesus. It is the blood of Christ that the Lord God extends peace to Jerusalem and to the nations.
Our sins, transgressions, iniquities, guilt and shame call out for the wrath and anger of God. But God in Christ Jesus no longer counts our trespasses against us. Therefore we can have peace with God. Not only does the blood and death of Christ Jesus appease the wrath of God, it also washes away our sin. So in this New Jerusalem we will no longer be in our old sinful flesh. Incorruption shall take over corruption as our eyes behold the Lord on that day. It presents us before God the Father blameless and pure.
Christ’s Church shall nurse you and you will be carried upon her hip and bounced upon her knees. What great imagery for the children of God and the bride of Christ. You have certainly seen mothers enjoying their children and bouncing them on their knees. If not, go out to a park and look for some. Her children are her pride and joy. In Galatians, Paul says that Hagar stands for Mt. Sinai and the Law. Her children try to stand before God on the basis of keeping the Law. They cannot and they will be cast out. Sarah is the Heavenly Jerusalem. Her children are those who standing before God are based on trusting the promise of God.
The promise of God is that through the redemption, the buying back, with the blood of Christ you are God’s children, heir of God and of Christ Jesus. The promise is Jesus has fulfilled the Law for you and borne the curse of the law for you. You have been freed from its burden. Even now we are comforted by the Jerusalem from above by those who proclaim to us the good news, the free gift of life and forgiveness of sins for Christ’s sake. Even now, he washes us clean with his blood through baptism into his name and he feeds us with his very body and blood as guarantees of what is to come.
On that day, our eyes shall see the Lord and be glad. Our hearts shall rejoice our bones shall flourish as the Lord puts our bones back together, sinews upon the bones, flesh and skins upon that and the Spirit of our God shall enliven us. With our own eyes we shall be the Lord, know him and be like him and dwell with as he dwells with us forever.
But to those who refuse the gift, who wish to stand before God on their own two feet, who think their good works outweigh and cancel out their bad, they will be as his enemies on that day and they will know his indignation. “Depart from me, I never knew you,” will be the words they hear as they are cast with death, hell and the devil into the Lake of Fire. Don’t be one of those people.
Gracious and merciful Father, give us your Holy Spirit that we may believe the good news that flows from the wounds of your son Jesus Christ so we may be nourished them, have our sins and iniquities removed from us and we may enter into the heavenly Jerusalem on the day of resurrection. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.