March 3, 2021
I greet and bless everyone in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. The blessed word that God has given for you today, is from the book of Isaiah 54: 11,12 “ O you afflicted one Tossed with tempest and not comforted, Behold I will lay your stones with colourful gems. And lay your foundations with Sapphires. I will make your pinnacles of Rubies your gates of Crystal. And all your walls of precious”
The above words speak about Jerusalem. God promises that His kindness will not depart from Jerusalem. By saying, “For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed. But my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed says the Lord who has mercy on Jerusalem”. These verses promise us that God will transform our tempest into His treasure. He will give us beauty for ashes. He will rebuild our broken walls. He promises that our ruins will be rebuilt. Our desolations raised up. And our ruined cities repaired. He also promises to fill our empty places. These verses demonstrate that Jesus Christ Himself will be our foundation and our walls, for He is the chief corner stone. He promises to restore our broken places such that we radiate His glory and beauty. He uses everything, precious and valuable to build us according to His pleasure. In fact He uses His very own self to be sacrificed for us.
The above passage actually speaks about the abandoned state of Hebrew nation for they were in exile for nearly seventy years, in Babylon. They were tossed and most afflicted in a comfortless condition. The people then, were far away from comforts, which they had enjoyed in their own land and they were apparently forsaken by God. They were afflicted and tossed with tempest. God asked them to return back to their land and promised to make them exceedingly beautiful and pure, stable and glorious. The above verses expresses the beauty, purity, strength, magnificence and solidity. The passage describes the New Jerusalem in the same oriental, manner. For Jerusalem shall be built with sapphires, and emeralds and precious stones. And the streets of Jerusalem shall be paved with beryl and stones of Ophir. God tells Jerusalem, “ I will make thee exceedingly beautiful and glorious, by a plentiful effusion of excellent gifts and graces.’
God said, about His people, “For a brief moment I had forgotten you, But with great compassion I will gather you.” God was very particular about the establishment of the new Jerusalem, While describing the New Jerusalem most men do not view Gods church in such magnificently entity colours. But this is Gods view. For the church is the most beautiful, sublime, glorious and magnificent entity upon the planet earth. Hence the external beauty of the kingdom of God is described in the above verses. He not only defended his people, but also wanted his church to rise with great beauty. May the Lord reveal the importance of church and also the power of God in expressing the revelation of the new Jerusalem.
Prayer: Our loving heavenly Father, we thank You for this blessed day, Lord help us to know more about the New Jerusalem. To learn about the greatness of the church and be involved in it. Lord teach us to realize the difficulties that the Hebrews faced during exile and also to be thankful to God who delivered them and blessed them with a land flowing with milk and honey. Thank you Lord for building our broken walls with colourful gems and lay our foundations with Sapphires. Thank You Lord for Your goodness and mercy extended to the people of God.
In Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
