January 6: GOD’S SURE PROVISION

The righteous perishes, And no man takes it to heart; Merciful men are taken away, While no one considers That the righteous is taken away from evil. Isaiah 57:1

This chapter (57) is an unbroken continuation of the line of thinking presented in 56:9, where we see God allowing murderers and devourers among His people because of their unwillingness to turn from their sinful ways. Inevitably, the faithful and loyal are also targeted by beasts. King David made a similar observation: Help, LORD, for the godly man ceases! For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men (Psalm 12:1).

Isaiah is taking comfort in the thought that in tumultuous times, the death of the righteous delivers them from the ongoing evils of a fallen world under the sway of Satan. Paul understood that the death of someone righteous could have a strong, positive impact upon others: “…my earnest expectation and hope [is] that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death” (Philippians 1:20).

Isaiah continues: He shall enter into peace; They shall rest in their beds, Each one walking in his uprightness (57:2). The righteous who have died are resting in peace. The grave is to them a welcome release from the distresses and trials of troublesome times. The imagery of walking points to the progressive movement through time toward the Day of the Lord’s return. God remembers each of His faithful, and upon His return, they will be in full possession of the gift of His own righteousness, graciously imparted to each of His people. Paul wrote of the Lord’s return, desiring to be found in Him, having that [righteousness] which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith (Philippians 3:9).

In the “hall of faith” it is written of the faithful: These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth (Hebrews 11:13). Paul understood the reality of death as an unconscious state, therefore making the Lord’s return for His bride seem as an instantaneous flash, whether centuries or mere moments pass between the time of death and the great Day of the Lord. God has provided us with His plan, which is far better than any that humans could devise…

And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. Hebrews 11:39-40

Dig deeper: 2 Chronicles 16:14; Job 17:13; 34:14-15; Psalm 104:29; 115:17;139:8; Ecclesiastes 3:20; 12:7; John 11:11-14; 14:1-3; Acts 1:9-11; 2:29,34; 1 Corinthians 15:23, 51-54; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Timothy 4:8; Hebrews 10:36