Isaiah

I have recently started reading Isaiah, and was really stuck by chapter 3 and 4! Chapter 3 starts by describing what sounds like the main building blocks that holds Jerusalem together, from food and water, to leaders, to the average man who does his job, saying he will remove them from their positions and destroy the land, and yet, coming to chapter 4, there is a beautiful picture of love, care, and redemption!! It says…

In that day, the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel. Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded amongst the living in Jerusalem. The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire. Then the Lord will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over all the glory will be a canopy. It will be a shelter and a shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain. (Isaiah 4:2-6)

I love that picture, the God has a plan, that he saves, and creates beauty out of what is soiled, washing it clean, and that its’ God that is our hiding place, our refuge who we can turn to, and be protected in the storm and rain.

I have read Isaiah in bits and pieces, but so look forward to reading it again from start to end- like every book of the Bible, there is much treasure within!