Isaiah 32:1-2 – A Godly King
After all this talk of judgment and of discipline, God now has some words of promise here. There are words of judgment as well, but we begin this chapter by looking at the godly kingdom. We see, first, who is ruling. These verses may have some immediate reference to Hezekiah, who was a godly man, but he was not ultimately the One to whom this is looking. This looks beyond Hezekiah to the King who reigns even now, the Lord Jesus Christ. Here in the second part of verse one, the princes rule with justice. It speaks of those who are given delegated authority by the Lord Jesus Christ. Could this be speaking of the kings of the earth who yield themselves in covenant to the great King, the Lord Jesus Christ? It could well be! For we see that kings are commanded, are urged to yield allegiance to Him. And we see that nations, the kingdoms of this earth, shall become the kingdoms of our God and of our Christ, who reigns forever. This King, the Lord Jesus Christ, reigns in righteousness. Man’s rule so often, even in the most godly, is characterized by sinful mistakes, foolish judgments, and limitations. But this King has none of these. His reign is truly righteous. It is just. He is willing, and He is able to execute justice to the uttermost. He is wise beyond any mere man. He knows all, and He is able to do all that justice requires.
In verse 2, we see the effect of such a rule. We see him being the hiding place from the wind. The wind in Israel could be hot and dry and wither everything. Protection from that was a great blessing. We see Him as being a shelter from the storm. But He is not only protection, He is refreshing, as we see in the second part of verse 2, as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock within a weary land. That is Jesus. He is the One Who, for His people, provides the shelter from the heat and the oppression that is about in the world. He refreshes the downcast and the despairing.
Questions
- Who is the godly king?
- What is the effect of His rule?
Prayer Points
- Give thanks that Christ is our shelter.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.