Resting Secure in the Lord

Here Isaiah begins again to show that, after the return of the people from captivity, they will be defended by God’s power and guardianship, and that under His protection Jerusalem will be as safe as she had been when she was guarded by bulwarks, ramparts, and walls. The safekeeping of God’s people has been, is, and always will be in His own power. Our defense is not dependent upon our own abilities or the abilities of others to whom we might be tempted to turn, but our defense is in God alone. He is the one who keeps us safe in His hand, and it is because of His decree and power that we need never fear that we will lose His promised salvation.

This is a point that many Christians fail to realize, and because of that failure their lives are riddled with fear of temptation and fear of losing their salvation. But our sanctification and our ultimate salvation are guaranteed by God Himself. If He has chosen us, He will sanctify us and glorify us, not because of anything we have done, but because of His faithfulness. We are saved by His grace; therefore, we must live by His grace. We are sustained by His power; therefore, we will be kept safe by His power for all eternity. Our survival is not dependent upon ourselves, on the defenses we can construct, but upon Jesus Christ alone.

The song in chapter 26 prophesies the deliverance of the Jewish people from captivity. When they initially were led into captivity, they undoubtedly would have despaired had they not been encouraged with such promises. Isaiah composed this song for the people, even before the calamity occurred, to help bolster them in their resolve. Thus, they might be better prepared to endure it and might hope for better things. On the basis of the song, they could rest assured that Jerusalem would be fully restored and the city of God would rise above the terrible city of man.

This is our hope as well. We have been delivered from our captivity to sin, and the Lord has promised to make a secure place for us. That place is in Jesus Christ. Because we have been promised to Him, we can never be separated from Him. As Paul wrote in Romans 8, nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ. We are His people, and in Him our salvation is secure.