Truth is lacking,
and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey.
The LORD saw it, and it displeased him
that there was no justice.
He saw that there was no man,
and wondered that there was no one to intercede;
then his own arm brought him salvation,
and his righteousness upheld him.
He put on righteousness as a breastplate,
and a helmet of salvation on his head;
he put on garments of vengeance for clothing,
and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.
According to their deeds, so will he repay,
wrath to his adversaries, repayment to his enemies;
to the coastlands he will render repayment.
So they shall fear the name of the LORD from the west,
and his glory from the rising of the sun;
for he will come like a rushing stream,
which the wind of the LORD drives.
“And a Redeemer will come to Zion,
to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares the LORD.
“And as for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the LORD: “My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children's offspring,” says the LORD, “from this time forth and forevermore.”
This brief section of Isaiah’s prophecy gives us the bad news and the good news that we eventually read in the Gospels. In the above passage we first read that truth is lacking. The word here, truth, refers to justice. There is no justice at this time in Israel. What is God’s response to such a crisis? What is God’s solution when He sees no justice on the earth? That is the response we read, above. He does not send kings and authorities to bring justice. He does not call on anyone but Himself to restore justice. The last two verses, are the key verses:
Isaiah 59:20-21 (ESV)
“And a Redeemer will come to Zion,
to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares the LORD.
“And as for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the LORD: “My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children's offspring,” says the LORD, “from this time forth and forevermore.”
God is going to provide justice, Himself by sending a Redeemer to restore and provide justice in the heart of mankind. But that justice can only be received by those who turn from transgression. This is a picture of the same message that John the Baptist spoke as he herald the coming of Jesus:
Matthew 3:2 (ESV)
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Jesus came to restore justice. But God’s justice can only be had by repentance from sin. Jesus came to bring truth. In fact Jesus was truth:
John 14:6 (ESV)
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
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