No longer will violence be head in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise. – Isaiah 60:18
We are just days away from Christmas and now more than ever, it is so pronounced that the birth of Jesus Christ is the biggest of all gifts! There is no place where the sun shines on this planet where evidence celebrating this divine event is not visible, even if it is only a single string of lights, or a humble meal with family partaking.
It is just a wonderful sight to see busy shoppers, oblivious to the ills that COVID-19. In spite of it, it is joy to the world, the Lord is come.
Isaiah is referred to as the “eagle-eyed” prophet, because he prophesied the birth of Christ more than 700 years before it happened. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government shall be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Good news continues as Isaiah prophesied, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.”
In our text, we are admonished to not get in the doldrums of whining and pining about what is and what is not – but to arise and shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.
“And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favor have I had mercy on thee.
“Therefore, your gates shall be open continually; They shall not be shut day or night, That men may bring to you the wealth of the Gentiles, and their kings in procession.
“Also the sons of those who afflicted you shall come bowing to you, and all those who despised you shall fall prostrate at the soles of your feet; and they shall call you the city of the Lord, Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
“Violence shall no longer be heard in your land, neither wasting nor destruction within your borders; but you shall call your walls salvation, and your gates praise.”
My dear and faithful readers, do not be alarmed at who is breaking down and building up in our land; we, as a people of God stand to be blessed abundantly by those whose wealth have been stored up. God is about to do marvelous things for us in our land. The wealth of the world will come to our shores – and the have nots, the poor, the despised and rejected are about to reap where they have not sowed, and drink from fountains that they did not build.
This Christmas season resounds the message of the angels of thousands of years ago – peace on earth and goodwill toward all men.
Indeed, in the midst of a pandemic, God is about to open the windows of Heaven – and showers of blessings will rain upon his children.
All praise and thanks to God for the darkness of COVID-19 will turn into a great light of hope and inspiration. Indeed, our God moves in mysterious ways.
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