Isaiah 59:12-21
Isa 59:12
For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and
our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and
as for our iniquities, we know them;
The people know and acknowledge the fact that their
transgressions have been multiplied before the LORD.
This means they know that they have committed many transgressions of the
law of God. As if they were in
court, their sins are the prosecution and they are the defendants so they
admitted their guilt before the judge that their sins testify against them.
Their transgressions remain with them until they are paid for under the
penalties prescribed by law. They
also acknowledged their iniquities or their wickedness.
It is one thing for a person to openly admit their sins but it is another
to actually do something about them.
Isa 59:13
In transgressing and lying against the LORD, and
departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and
uttering from the heart words of falsehood.
Then they admitted the transgressions that they were
guilty of. First, they transgressed
against the LORD by their wickedness in their lifestyles.
Then they lied against the LORD and they probably made up false stories
about him to justify their wicked lifestyles and their idolatry.
How many times today do we hear statements like “There is so much evil in
the world, why doesn’t God do something about it?”
They realize they departed from the true God when they decided to adopt
false religions along with their idols.
They not only spoke of oppression and revolt which was cruelty and
rebellion, they actually partook of those sins.
Then they would create false teachings to coincide with their evil
lifestyles. They would also create
their own justifications for their idolatry and their evil ways.
These were not just shallow words but they actually believed what they
had concocted and then acted on them.
That is how deep into sin they were.
Isa 59:14
And judgment is turned away backward, and justice
standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.
True judgment on matters is turned backward and is
rejected by those who follow their pernicious ways.
They do not want anything to do with the righteous judgment and as a
result, true justice is far from them and there will not be any justice for
anyone since they perverted the system in favor of their sinful ways.
Truth is one of the first things to go in any evil society and here truth
about their condition has fallen in the street like dust which is trampled on by
those who walk in the streets. It
is like that in the present world where truth is the first fatality in any evil
situation. Equity means fairness or
impartiality and has no place in their lives as it is slanted toward the evil
doers. The poor people cannot
receive any fair hearing as they are subject to the wealthy oppressors who have
the judges in their pockets.
Isa 59:15
Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from
evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him
that there was no judgment.
Even when the truth is told or brought out in a court of
law it does not prevail because a society based upon lies will always disdain
any truth tellers. So the reward
for those who choose not to partake of the evilness of the rulers is that they
become a prey to them. These people
were punished for trying to walk according to the law of God but was persecuted
by the evil rulers. The LORD was
fully aware of what was happening and it displeased him that there was no true
judgment on an equal basis regardless of wealth or status.
The LORD determined that it was evil in his eyes what he saw.
Isa 59:16
And he saw that there was no man, and wondered
that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto
him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.
Ezekiel had written the same thing in different words.
And I sought for a man among them,
that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that
I should not destroy it: but I found none. (Ezekiel 22:30)
There was no intercessor for the nation of Judah because there was no one
righteous enough to carry the responsibility of bringing the nation back to the
LORD. This was not saying Isaiah
did not have that capability but he was the LORD’s prophet and bringing the
message to the people that there was not one among them who could intercede for
them. The LORD had wondered at
their situation because they had been people who had been taught so well the law
and word of God through many fine teachers and prophets.
Then the LORD had given salvation to those who had rejected the evil ways
and the righteousness of the LORD had sustained or supported the men who refused
to join in with the evil workers who were bringing about the destruction of
Judah. Whenever we think of an
intercessor we think of the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Great Intercessor for
the entire body of Christ.
Wherefore he is able also to save them to
the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make
intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25)
Isa 59:17
For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an
helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance
for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.
There is a great parallel between this verse and the
verses we find in Ephesians 6 where we are to put on the whole armor of God.
Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth,
and having on the breastplate of righteousness; (Ephesians 6:14)
In the ancient days, when men wore long flowing robes or clothing, it was
necessary, during a time of crisis, that they were able to girt up or tie up
those robes to be able to maneuver better. Sometimes the girdle or large belt
was a fancy one with many sequins or silver. Peter had to girt up his loins
when he saw the Lord Jesus on the beach. “Therefore that disciple whom Jesus
loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was
the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast
himself into the sea.” (John 21:7) Girting
up the loins was something which was done to facilitate both defensive and
offensive positions.
We are told that we need to have our loins girt about with truth. In the
Scriptures, the term “loins” meant the place of strength. “Bless, LORD, his
substance, and accept the work of his hands: smite through the loins of them
that rise against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not again.”
(Deuteronomy 33:11) We
also read in Scripture that the loins were where used in reference to progeny. “And
all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph
was in Egypt already.” (Exodus 1:5) So
as the loins were involved in the creation of a lineage, they are also being
used symbolically as the place of our strength. We are being told that we need
to be strong in the Lord and strong in His truth. “He shall cover thee with
his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be
thy shield and buckler.” (Psalm 91:4) The
loins represent human strength but our human strength must be cloaked in the
strength of the truth of the Gospel for us to be able to stand against the
attacks of the Satan.
In the next part of this verse we are told to put on the breastplate of
righteousness. The breastplate protected all the vital organs. To modernize
it, you could compare it to a Kevlar vest which Police use to stop bullets. The
breastplate of righteousness is one that the Christian wears as a result of
becoming saved. The physical breastplate guarded the heart, lungs, and the
other organs from sword, arrows, or even spear penetration. When the soldier
was in battle, he would have been able to concentrate on winning the battle
rather than worrying about being pierced, which would divide the mind and maybe
cause him to lose concentration, and thus his life. It gave him a certain
confidence to be able to give the extra strength to defeat his opponent. When
we put on the breastplate of righteousness, we too, may also have the confidence
that when we go into spiritual battle we need not worry that we will be pierced
with whatever Satan is sending our way. Normally, the physical temptation will
be easy to spot but it is the spiritual temptation, the accepting of unbiblical
ideas, is what we have to be on our guard about. If we are wearing the
breastplate, no matter how many times we are hit with these spiritual anomalies,
we will be unharmed. That is how we are able to stand in the presence of the
enemy’s attacks.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the
Spirit, which is the word of God: Ephesians 6:17
The helmet was made of thick leather or brass and was designed to protect the
head from blows received from an axe, sword, or even a club. This piece of
armor protects the physical head but is likened to those who are truly
saved. The helmet of salvation is there to protect the mind which is the new
mind of Christ which we have received upon salvation. When Satan comes at us
with false teachings and philosophies, it is like being attacked with a blunt
instrument. When we wear that helmet of truth, those false teachings will be
unable to penetrate the renewed mind that we now possess. It is in our mind
where we begin to ponder thoughts which could be detrimental to the Christian
walk but when our mind is protected by that helmet, they will have no effect
upon us nor will they affect our thinking concerning spiritual things. The
helmet of salvation is designed to keep our minds stayed upon the Lord. “Thou
wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he
trusteth in thee.” (Isaiah 26:3)
The next piece of equipment we are to take is the sword of the Spirit which is
the word of God. The sword was used both as an offensive weapon and a defensive
weapon. It was the primary fighting tool of the soldier. When we think of the
Scriptures, it is the primary weapon of the Christian and the most powerful we
have in our spiritual armory. The word of God is used as a defensive weapon to
protect us against any false teachings or doctrines which come our way. We can
go right to the Bible and compare what we are being taught to what the Bible
teaches. If they do not match, then the Bible becomes our offensive weapon when
we begin to attack the false teachings and basically rip it apart and destroy
it. Sometimes in sword fighting, it was used to decapitate the opponent. This
is what the spiritual sword is to do, to decapitate the false teaching so the
rest of the teaching will become innocuous. “For the word of God is quick,
and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing
asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of
the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)
Put on the whole
armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Ephesians 6:11
The Christian is to place all spiritual weapons in their arsenal on alert
status. As the physical soldier is always on alert that an attack from the
enemy will come, it is also a warning that all Christians need to be on
alert. We are to be clothed in the full armor of God, this means both defense
(apologetic) and offense (evangelistic) weapons are to be employed. A soldier
knew how to attack as well as defend. When he was engaged in battle, he was
able to give a good fight, but if his enemy was stronger, he may die in battle.
In this verse we are told to dress ourselves in the full spiritual armor so that
we are able to stand firm against any of the methods of Satan. When a Christian
is clothed in spiritual armor, they will stand fast against the attacks of
Satan. Those attacks will come through the false teachings and doctrines that
Satan will engineer to be used by his people to see if they can find a gap in
the armor of the Christian. If we are fully clothed, they we will never have to
worry about there being any crevice where Satan can get through. One thing that
a Christian can count on, our enemy is never stronger than the Christian, and
that is because we are anchored in Christ. We become defeated when we allow the
false teachings to penetrate our spiritual defenses. Would a wise soldier
remove his helmet in battle? I think not and neither should the Christian let
any part of their guard down either.
The cloak is a garment that covers the entire body and
when a true believer has the aforementioned spiritual weapons, they may continue
their life in the zeal of the Lord as he stands behind the spiritual strengths
that he gives the true believer.
For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a
remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts
shall do this. (Isaiah 37:32)
Isa 59:18
According to their deeds, accordingly he will
repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he
will repay recompence.
The LORD guarantees that no one gets away with anything.
He will repay them according to their deeds especially when they
persecuted the righteous or oppressed the poor, no matter what they did they
will receive due reward. Those who
opposed God and his people will receive the furious wrath of God because they
chose to become the adversaries of God.
Then all the enemies of God will be recompensed and anyone who is unsaved
is an enemy of God because they are still in the kingdom of Satan.
God expands his wrath as even those islands which heard the true gospel
and have persecuted those who bring the message and those who were saved through
the message of the gospel will receive recompense for their evil deeds.
Isa 59:19
So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west,
and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a
flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.
Then the time will come when the entire world is going to
fear the name of the LORD from the west to the east.
Then when the enemies of God mount campaigns against him, they will be
met by the Spirit of the LORD which shall raise up a standard and that standard
is the LORD Jesus Christ. As we
read in Isaiah 11:1-4, he will be filled with the Spirit of the LORD and will
destroy all the enemies which take counsel against him and attempt to carry put
those plans.
1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the
stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 2 And the
spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the
LORD; 3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the
LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after
the hearing of his ears: 4 But with righteousness shall he judge the
poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the
earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay
the wicked. (Isaiah 11:1-4)
Isa 59:20
And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that
turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.
Then this verse tells us that the Redeemer will come to
Zion, which is the true body of believers.
He shall come to Bethlehem and will die for his people upon Calvary and
that salvation will be like a fountain.
In that day there shall be a
fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for
sin and for uncleanness. (Zechariah 13:1)
The fountain will be the true gospel as it goes forth throughout the
world and its effect upon those who are predestined for salvation will turn them
from transgressors to true believers in the LORD.
The true body of believers in Christ is also called Jacob in many places
in the Old Testament. They will go
from sinner to Saint.
Isa 59:21
As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith
the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in
thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed,
nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for
ever.