God’s Restoration
November 6, 2022
“But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.” (Hab. 2.20)
“Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.” (Ps. 46.10)
One of the more funny exchanges God has with Moses is on the banks of the Red Sea (Ex. 14.10-18). Moses has just finished telling the Israelites to “do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the LORD will accomplish for you today…The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to keep still.”
God replies to Moses, “Why do you cry out to me? Tell the Israelites to go forward…” What’s with this standing around nonsense! The Egyptians are right on your tail—get a move on!
Or passages like Isa. 1.12-17 and 58.1-7, where I hear echoes of Mic. 6.8—“He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”
Sometimes we aren’t sure what God wants of us. We’re faced with decisions and there is no clear answer. The Red Sea is in front, the Egyptians are behind. We think we’ve been doing the right thing, so we’re confused about why God hasn’t answered. In these times, God says to get a move on. His yoke is easy, his burden is light, it’s quickly summarized in two commandments, three characteristics (justice, kindness, humility), or 4 specific actions in Isa. 58.7.
Then there are the other times. I don’t know what makes them different. Why does God tell Ahaz to be still (Isa. 7.3-9), but Hezekiah to get a move on justice (Isa. 1)? Perhaps it’s a recognition of Ahaz’s weakness and Hezekiah’s faith. Ahaz is grasping after any solution he can get his hands on, and God tells him to quit striving. Hezekiah knows God and is ignoring his commandments, so God gives him a wake-up call (Sennacherib’s invasion).
Sometimes God tells us to just stop. Stop fighting. Stop striving. Stop kicking against the goads. Trust that God is in control. Get out of his way. Sit still and watch the fireworks!
Isaiah 62 is about God’s restoration work. It’s God’s work. Our actions are to remind the LORD of his promises until he fulfills them (vs. 6-7), to enjoy the fruits of God’s blessing (vs. 8-9), and clear the way or follow the way for God to enter Zion (vs. 10-11). We don’t bring about the restoration; we receive it, and prepare ourselves for the receiving of it. In short, be still. Be silent. Watch for God’s work. Demand God’s work. Rejoice in God’s work. Receive God’s work.
—John Coffey
