IN DISTRESS BUT NOT DESTROYED

(A series in the book of Isaiah: Chapter 33)

When things are not going well the way we wanted it to be, we start to feel distressed, anxious, and fearful. Many people say that when things like this they would turn to God like they never have turned to Him before. Many people also claim that many times in these events of life they stay in the corner of fear, distress, and anxiety.

Isaiah chapter 33 brings us to the picture that impacts me deeply because this is the first time, I noticed that God’s people called for God for help. In the previous chapters, it was all about declaring what God can do for them. Then, this specific chapter finally, that prayer comes out.

Isaiah 33:1-4,

“2 Lord, be gracious to us;

we long for you.

Be our strength every morning,

our salvation in time of distress.

3 At the uproar of your army, the peoples flee;

when you rise up, the nations scatter.

4 Your plunder, O nations, is harvested as by young locusts;

like a swarm of locusts people pounce on it.”

It is just so comforting to imagine that even in the seemingly rebellious nature of God’s people. In the seemingly hopeless condition of God’s people, comes this prayer. The prayer of plea and longing for God’s protection and loving presence. People’s hearts may appear hard but we see hear that they hear God, they see God, and they understood who God is and what God can do. They may be hard and rebellious at times but they are not ignorant of who their God is and in the moments of those great and deepest troubles they knew where to turn their hearts into.

These wicked and sinful people of God knew that they can go back to God and they did and proclaimed that only from God is their supreme help comes from. Isaiah 33:5-9, the people declared the justice of their God.

5 The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high;

he will fill Zion with his justice and righteousness.

6 He will be the sure foundation for your times,

a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge;

the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.

7 Look, their brave men cry aloud in the streets;

the envoys of peace weep bitterly.

8 The highways are deserted,

no travelers are on the roads.

The treaty is broken,

its witnesses are despised,

no one is respected.

9 The land dries up and wastes away,

Lebanon is ashamed and withers;

Sharon is like the Arabah,

and Bashan and Carmel drop their leaves.

Then from verse 10 to verse 24 God repeatedly assured them that they will be delivered. Their distress will never destroy them. Instead, they will see the beauty of the works of God and those who oppressed them will be no more. This speaks not only of that momentary trouble in the prophecy but rather it also speaks of that promise of God for eternity that His children will never see evil again.

Friends, verse 22 says,

“22 For the Lord is our judge,

the Lord is our lawgiver,

the Lord is our king;

it is he who will save us.”

He promised and He is faithful to do it. No matter how sinful and how far you think you are God’s grace comes running for you. In your cry for help, He will always come running for you… We may not know how or when exactly it will happen.