Isaiah 59:17-19 – The Lord’s Redeemer
In these verses we see Him Who is the Lord’s Redeemer, and His work toward that which is the enemy of His people. First we see Him in verse 17, arrayed for battle. The people of God have terrible enemies who are fighting against them. The stronger one and the nastier one is the enemy on the inside. It is their own sin by which they’re afflicted. But then there are wicked ones on the outside. They are helpless against either one, especially the sinfulness of their own heart. What are they to do? Who will rescue them? We see Jehovah sending Him Who is the only Redeemer of God’s elect. Here He comes to save. Here He comes to defend. Here He comes to redeem His people. To battle their sin, He has this armor that we see here, the breastplate of righteousness and the helmet of salvation. What is righteousness? It is a proper standing before the law of God. We have no righteousness, of ourselves. We have absolutely shattered the law. But the Redeemer comes, and He has a breastplate of righteousness. He, it is, Who kept the law perfectly, in excruciating detail in every point, in every situation, in all of His life. He kept this law in order that He might be the perfect qualified High Priest. He kept this law in order that He might present Himself as the perfect spotless sacrifice for sin. He kept this law in that perfect way, in order that just as Adam’s sin was put in our debit, His righteousness might be put on our record for righteousness. That breastplate of righteousness, that helmet of salvation, was placed upon us.
God’s people have dangerous enemies in every age. Whoever they are, Christ is clothed to take them on — clothed in vengeance. Christ has a fierce love for every one of His who are in Him bought by His blood. Those who refuse the One Whom God has sent, whether it be individuals, families, societies, nations, whoever they are who hate Christ, hate His Word, and hate His people, and they know that they hate them — they very consciously war against Christ. In the same way that they war against God, His Redeemer, His Word, His people, so shall the Redeemer war against them.
Christ’s redemption of His people leads to His glory. They will fear the Lord over all the world, unendingly from east to west. For the remaining ungodly, it is paralyzing terror as they come under His judgment and destruction. But for many, it is that fear of the Lord that is the beginning of wisdom.
Question
- Why is Christ’s righteousness so important?
Prayer Points
- Give thanks that our Saviour is a powerful defender of His people.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.