By Cameron Magby
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 58:1-14, Isaiah 59:1-21, Isaiah 60:1-22, Revelation 21:22-27
We like to think we’re advanced. Culturally, socially, and technologically, it’s easy for us to think that we’re lightyears ahead of our predecessors. And in many ways, we are. But an honest look around at things we use daily will quickly show that some of our most basic things have been around for a very long time.
One of those is the humble hinge. Did you know they’ve found hinges that date back to ancient Egypt? You’ll find it on every door and cabinet in your house. That small piece that holds two things together and helps them open. Without them, you don’t have doors—at least not ones that work.
Our reading today combines two big pieces of prophecy, two pictures of the glory of God dwelling with His people. One given in the book of Isaiah, and in the book of Revelation. In Isaiah, the hope of God’s people Israel was to be restored from exile to their homeland. They hoped to see the glory of God in Jerusalem again. And part of that had happened—Israel was brought back from exile and settled back in the promised land. For the prophecy given to John in Revelation, our hope is set on a future reality. It’s the end of all things, and also the beginning of eternity—when God’s people will be fully with Him in the new heavens and new earth.
But there’s a hinge for the two pictures we read today. The image of God’s glory shining brightly in Jerusalem that we see in Isaiah 58–60 happened through a person—Jesus, about whom John wrote, “That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it” (John 1:5). What Isaiah saw was revealed in Jesus. His life, death, and resurrection have brought salvation to us and glory to the Father. His kingdom has broken in. In Jesus, the glory of the Father is fully displayed. Just a bit later in John 1 it says “We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
Remember, Isaiah said “Indeed, the LORD’s arm is not too weak to save” and “his own arm brought salvation, and his own righteousness supported him.” (Isaiah 59:1,16). Our salvation will be complete when sin and darkness are no more. God’s glory will be fully seen and experienced by all those who have trusted in Christ. His kingdom will be fully established.
So we wait. We have hope in the One who is strong to save. We see the darkness around us, but we dwell on the Light within us—the Light that cannot be overcome.
Written by Cameron Magby
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