Title: Messianic Kingdom/Isaiah 32:15-29
“At last the Spirit will be poured out on us from above, and the wilderness will be a good field, and the good field will be considered a forest. Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and justice in good fields. is everlasting peace and security; and my people will have a peaceful house, a safe dwelling place, and a quiet resting place; but the forest will be devoured by the hail, and the city will be destroyed. "(Isa 32:15-20)
The message of the text is that when the kingdom ruled by the Messiah arrives, the Holy Spirit will come, the natural world will be changed, and above all, justice will abound in human society.
1. Pour out the Holy Spirit
Verse 15 means that a welfare state will be established in Judah after the Assyrian invasion is over, but it is actually a prophecy of the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. The word “from above” means coming from heaven, and “who will pour out the Holy Spirit” refers to the pouring out of the Holy Spirit like water by comparing it to water (Isaiah 44:3; Ezekiel 39:29; Joel 2: 28, Luke 11:13).
It is known that God pours out the Holy Spirit on individuals and prophets. However, it seems that Isaiah was the first to preach the word of pouring out the Holy Spirit on a nation to repent. Then, we will study how the Holy Spirit will come upon a nation by comparing it with the incident of the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost.
Pentecost is the 50th day after the Passover. Also, on this day, the 50th day after the Israelites left Egypt, Moses received the Law on Mount Sinai. On the other hand, the Day of Pentecost is also the day when the Holy Spirit came as promised 50 days after Jesus was resurrected.
Four important events occurred on the day of Pentecost. The descent of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost is the last event before the second coming of Jesus, the Holy Spirit came as a way for the apostles to arm themselves before preaching the gospel, the descent of the Holy Spirit is the start of the work of the Holy Spirit, and the descent of the Holy Spirit is the beginning of the church.
The Comforter, the Holy Spirit, is with us. The Holy Spirit enlightens us and teaches us the truth so that we can believe in Jesus Christ and serve Him. The Holy Spirit also guides us (John 16:13ff).
In the event of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost in the early church, there were three important symbolic signs: strong winds were heard as a symbol of power, tongues of fire were shown as a symbol of holiness, and finally people spoke in tongues. When the Holy Spirit is poured out like water, these gifts are given to each person, and through that gift, the church of God can be firmly established.
2. Changes in nature take place
The wilderness produces no vegetation because there is no rain (verse 15). However, the wilderness turns into fertile soil, and the original fertile land becomes a beautiful and abundant forest. This means that the ethics of God's people will be greatly changed by the Holy Spirit. Believers who are fruitless like the wilderness will become believers who are fruitful like a beautiful field, and believers who bear beautiful fruits will become better and grow as thick as a forest. In other words, a change in nature means that our old person is changed and becomes a new person.
Those who receive the gift bear fruit. If there is a person who does not bear fruit, it cannot be said that he is a dead believer and has received the Holy Spirit. Therefore, those who have received the Holy Spirit must live a life bearing fruit just as the wilderness becomes a beautiful field and produces fruit.
3. Justice abounds in human society
The ‘wilderness’ is the lowest place, and the ‘beautiful field’ is the highest. Therefore, verses 16-17 say that fairness and justice prevails everywhere in the country. This is an important event that will take place on the day of the coming of the Messiah, and peace and rest are the ultimate goals of Christ's kingdom.
Kierkegaard said, “Justice is across the river.” The justice that man speaks of is only his own justice. Righteousness is the merit of Christ, and in the Messianic Kingdom, Christ alone is righteousness. Therefore, when Christ Jesus comes, peace and security come, and there can be no peace anywhere with human beings.
I will conclude
For God's chosen people, suffering comes before blessings (verse 19). This is because we become more grateful for God's grace through suffering. They receive refinement and come out like gold, and when others suffer, they comfort others with the comfort they received from God. Therefore, we should not try to avoid the hardships God gives us, nor do we try to give up on hardships, but we should receive the precious blessings that God has given us.
According to verses 17-19, God's people will come to a safe place and will be able to rest in silence, but the destruction of forests and cities nevertheless tells us that we need suffering. God gives suffering to those he loves. But times of trouble have a time limit and do not last.
After the Assyrian invasion, the Jews will be able to farm in peace (verse 20). It is a symbol of peace and likens the spiritual condition of a saved Christian. “Beautiful fields” and “sowing seeds by the water” refer to the blessings that will be fulfilled in the wilderness. Suffering for a while does not hold us down forever, but it will pass soon and we will come to a time of blessing when the Messiah will come.
Such blessings will come to us when the Messiah comes, so I earnestly wish in the name of the Lord that you can enjoy this blessing forever by having Jesus Christ as the Messiah today.