Title: Messianic Reign/Isaiah 32:1-8
Jesus came into the world and gave us many words and lessons, and the sum total of all those words is that He gives us the kingdom of heaven. Heaven has a spatial meaning as well, but the Greek word means “to rule, to rule”. This chapter is a model of the age of the coming Messiah.
1. Characteristics of the Messianic Kingdom
The kingdom that the Messiah will rule is a kingdom of righteousness and fairness. Equity is possible when there is righteousness. Righteousness is an attribute of God, and when righteousness reigns, there is also fairness.
Jesus said to us, “Seek first the kingdom and its righteousness.” It means that the kingdom is the kingdom of righteousness. In other words, the kingdom of the Messiah will be the kingdom of righteousness, and the kingdom of righteousness will be a just kingdom. Therefore, when the Messiah comes, he will not only rule in righteousness, but also rule in justice.
“A king” (v. 1) historically refers to King Hezekiah, but what the prophet actually spoke of was the Messiah.
It is the Messiah who judges the world (Genesis 18:25). Jesus is the one who judges with justice (Psalm 7:11). Because God's judgment is certain and just, there is nothing to be upset about. When Jesus reigns, righteousness is full and full. But why should justice be established in the Messianic Kingdom?
First, since all forms of moral evil are severely condemned in Christ, the believer must achieve righteousness. Jesus rebuked hypocrites, practicers of lawlessness, and things that defile people (Matthew 23:13, 7:23, 15:19-20).
Second, it is because God has commanded the church of Christ to keep strict ordinances (1 Corinthians 5:7, 5:13, 5:11, 5:5, 1 Timothy 1:20).
Third, because God will judge you according to what you have done (Revelation 20:12-13).
2. The relationship between the Messiah and the saints
The kings of this world are often like a storm, a heavy rain, a dry land, a weary land that oppresses the people. The Messiah will be a refuge from the storm (verse 2). When God's wrath comes like a storm, if we stay in the arms of Jesus, we can avoid the storm. Not only that, we can hide in the bosom of pain, sorrow, and a storm that we cannot handle (Psalm 31:20).
Also, the Messiah becomes a rainstorm, a cover from sin. The Messiah will cover our sins, clothe us with white linen, and hide the shame of our nakedness (Revelation 13:8). Sin can only be escaped by Jesus.
The Messiah is the river of life like a stream on dry land. Rivers renew and enrich life in the desert, become a source of joy, and restore energy (John 7:37-38; John 4:14).
The Messiah is a great shadow in the barren land. The world is always a weary land. But in a world where the earth withers and the vegetation withers, Jesus, the spiritual rock, is with us (1 Corinthians 10:4). Under this rock we find rest, newness, freshness, and protection, from which we find strength, comfort, courage, and vitality. The Lord has invited those who labor and are heavy laden. For us who are weary from internal conflict and external persecution, Christ is a place of rest and shelter.
3. Contents of the Messianic Kingdom
When the Messiah reigns, we can see and hear rightly and make sound judgments about the facts (verse 3).
Also, when the Messiah reigns, the impatient, that is, the fool, will realize knowledge and change their behavior, and the tongue of the weak will become quicker and their words will be corrected (verse 4). This means that those who have wisdom but lack courage will speak what they say and do not say what they should say, and season their words with salt to speak gracious words.
On the other hand, when the Messiah reigns, the order of this society will be established (verse 5). When society is in chaos, foolish and deceitful people prevail. The word deceit means a weapon or a tool. A deceiver will do anything for his own gain. As a result, the civilians will suffer, and the same thing happened to Nabal (1 Samuel 25).
A righteous king will not hire foolish and treacherous people (vv. 6-7). A foolish person speaks foolish things, harbors injustice in them, acts deceitfully, deceives himself and becomes an enemy of God. They have no pity, they take food from the poor, and they take away drink from the thirsty. The wicked are evil in their vessels, and their plans are evil. They lie to the weak, and even when the needy speaks the right words, they do not listen.
Let me conclude.
Noble people, those who love to serve, do not advance in language, but are respected for their noble service. This is what the church will look like in the messianic age. Our country should become a society where such people prevail. Heaven is the future, but believers must achieve God's righteousness in this world through the church that Christ rules.
In the name of the Lord, I earnestly wish that you will be ruled by Christ, become the people of the kingdom of heaven that God wants, and become saints who establish God's righteousness.