He will come and save you

Bible Reading: Isaiah 35 & 36

Isaiah 35:3-4 Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. 4 Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.

Even after the prophet warned the people of God's chastisement that was going to come their way, he still had a word of encouragement for them. God was not pleased with the Israelites' way of life. He warned them that if they did not repent, there would be dire consequences and a foreign army would come and take them away. Yet, right after the warning, he gave Judah this word!

The Assyrians would take Israel, but Judah would not fall by their hand. The prophet told the people to strengthen weak hands and confirm feeble knees. Tell the fearful to be strong and fear not. God would come and save them!

Wow! What a wonderful word of encouragement right at the point of incredible conflict. The next chapter describes how the Rabshakeh came and told the men of Judah that they were going to invade. This could cause hands to be weak and knees to be feeble. This could cause great fear in the hearts of the people. Isaiah told them not to fear because God would come and save them.

The writer to the Hebrews quoted this passage from Isaiah as he wrote about the chastisement of God. He declared:

Hebrews 12:7-8 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

What son is he whom the father chasteneth not? God loves his children and when we go astray, he chastens us. He does not do it to destroy us but to correct us. If there is not chastening, you are not a child of God.

God's Word tells us that when we encounter chastening from God, we should not faint. He is doing it for our good and his glory. Therefore, the book of Hebrews tells us:

Hebrews 12:11-14 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. 14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

God wants to heal us. He wants to restore us to a right fellowship with him. Don't faint! Lift up the hands which hand down! Strengthen the feeble knees! Make straight paths for your feet. God will come and save you!

In Christ,
Rody