On Disappointment

October 24, 2021

A lot of the hopes and disappointments of Israel revolve around the kings. Take, for instance, Ahaz. God speaks to Ahaz time and again through Isaiah, Hosea, and Micah. God sends him this great sign, Immanuel, “God with us,” so that Ahaz will know he can rely on God (Isa. 7.3-17). But Ahaz ignores God. He relies on himself, making an alliance with Assyria.

So God’s prophets turn their attention to the next king. Perhaps the next king will be better! They look at this child, Hezekiah, and have grand and exalted hopes (Isa. 9.2-7). But Hezekiah, as good as he is, still falls short. He sees his chance to throw off Assyrian rule and grabs at it (Isa. 39; passages like Isa. 28 may also fit here). It ends badly, with Judah being humbled by Assyria (Isa. 1-5; 36-37). Hezekiah repents and humbles himself, but the hopes are already dashed.

Then comes Manassah and Amon, and things can hardly look worse. Judah’s wickedness cannot be undone. But wait, now there’s Josiah, with his reforms and passion for serving God! Assyria is being humbled, maybe now is the moment Judah can live up to the glorious visions of the prophets! But Josiah dies in battle with Egypt. Assyria is replaced by Egypt, who is quickly replaced by Babylon, which leads to the darkest moment in Israel’s history. Not only have their kings failed to lead the people justly, God has failed to protect them. 

With time, Israel seems to gain clarity. God can save, God does hear, but the sin of the people put a barrier between them (Isa. 59). This is why God’s people are having to endure injustice, unrighteousness, and disappointment. They look at their predicament and recognize their own hand in causing it.

But behold! The Lord sees their distress! He searches high and low, but cannot find anyone to intervene, so he takes it upon himself to set things right, to win the victory and bring about righteousness and salvation and vengeance (Isa. 59.15b and following)! Isaiah 59 flows right into 60, about the restoration of Jerusalem, and 61, about the prophet through whom God will bring about renewal and restoration. Yes, Israel is disappointed. They are hurting. They have had their hopes dashed time and again. But in the midst of their pain they look at the promises of God. God hasn’t saved yet, but he said he will, so surely it is yet to come. 

We have grand hopes tied up in Jesus. Jesus was supposed to bring the year of the Lord’s favor. He was supposed to undo the brokenness in the world and set everything right (Isa. 11.1-10; 61), but there’s still an awful lot of brokenness and disappointment around us. That does not mean our hope is in vain. It doesn’t mean we give up the hope we have. The victory has already been won, even if God seems slow in bringing it about. After all, he has already set us right, even if he still has work to do on us. So we have faith that God is at work in us and through us, and we rejoice in the small victories God grants us.

—John Coffey