Judgement Produces Righteousness

Isaiah wrote about Gods perfect peace and proclaimed a song to be sung in Judah. Judah was strong and surrounded by walls of salvation. “Open the gates, that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in” (Isaiah 26:2). Those who place their trust in God, remain in perfect peace. God is our everlasting rock who has humbled the proud and brings down the arrogant. They are trampled by the poor and needy, but the path of the righteous is level. “In the path of your judgments, O Lord, we wait for you; your name and remembrance are the desire of our soul” (Isaiah 26:8). The song continued to express an earnest desire for God.

Isaiah said that when God’s judgements are in the land, the inhabitants learn righteousness. If favour is shown to the wicked, he does not learn righteousness. The wicked deals corruptly even in the land of righteousness and does not show regard for the things of God. “O Lord, your hand is lifted up, but they do not see it. Let them see your zeal for your people, and be ashamed. Let the fire for your adversaries consume them” (Isaiah 26:11). God’s reward for his people is peace and he causes us to advance. There are other gods and systems that have ruled over the earth. Other gods are dead as God will destroy them and wipe away their memory.

God has increased his people and enlarged their territories. They cried out to him in their distress through silent prayers, when they were being chastened. “Like a pregnant woman who writhes and cries out in her pangs when she is near to giving birth, so were we because of you, O Lord” (Isaiah 26:17). Their pregnancy did not bring forth a seed and there was no deliverance. The dead shall live again and those who are downtrodden will sing for joy. God’s people are warned to hide until his fury has passed. “For behold, the Lord is coming out from his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, and the earth will disclose the blood shed on it, and will no more cover its slain” (Isaiah 26:21).

In this song, Isaiah spoke of God’s love for his people and his gift of peace. He also spoke about judgment for the inhabitants of the earth, in order to teach righteousness. Judgment is punishment for sin and we know that the Lord chastises the one that he loves (Hebrews 12:6). In the same way that children need discipline to learn good morals and values, people need judgment to learn the righteousness of God. No one loves discipline, but it produces fruits of righteousness. “For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God” (1 Peter 4:17)?

A.P.-Y.