The Full Salvation Package

January 9

“The people from the west will fear the Lord and the people from the east will fear His glory. The Lord will come quickly like a fast-flowing river, driven by the breath of the Lord,” Isaiah 59:19.

This verse is replete with prophetic significance. As we view our world today, it seems men of all nations and kindred and tribes stand afar-off from the Holy One. All manner of men seem deaf and blind to the reality of His existence, let alone to His right to authority over them. All manner of men seem intent upon living their lives their own way, without regard for God or His holiness or His ultimate control over all life.

But His holy Word that cannot fail and cannot lie tells us differently. Things are not as they appear. Men from the west who are convinced that science and technology hold the answers to all the needs of all men; men from the west who are certain that there is nothing beyond their ability to control—from the weather to other men—if they but tap the resource of their own intellect, will fear Him.

Men from the east who are immersed in the vitriolic bile of a worldview that spews its ire upon anyone who is not of their persuasion, men who are convinced within the innermost recess of their existence that they must by any means convert the entirety of humanity to their point of view must ultimately fear the glory of the One against whom they have railed, for indeed, “Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father,” Romans 14:11 and Philippians 2:10, 11.

Though it seems slow in its unfolding, the promise of the Lord is sure. Though men say mockingly, “Where is the promise of His coming? Since the fathers fell asleep, things continue as they were from the beginning of creation,” II Peter 3:4, yet the Word of God is unfailing.

Jesus Himself tells us in Matthew 24:35, Luke 21:33, and again in Mark 13:31, “Heaven and earth shall pass away but My Word shall not pass away.” If He considers the matter to be of such import that His chroniclers were inspired to write it several times in the books that apprise us of His life and ministry, certainly we should embrace these words as truth!

There is also a strong indication in this passage that when the Lord does return as He has promised He would, “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing into heaven? This same Jesus who is taken up from you shall return in like manner as you have seen Him go,” Acts 1:11, that there will be no time for reconsideration of one’s perspective regarding the Lord. If a man does not already stand in awe of Him, fear Him, and own Him as Savior and Lord, there will not be the opportunity at His coming to change his mind.

As Isaiah 59:19 says, “The Lord will come quickly like a fast-flowing river, driven by the breath of the Lord,” and everyone who has not embraced the salvation He purchased for him by His death on the cross shall be swept away into the abyss. The breath of the Lord shall drive that river, so there shall be no escape for the errant one who has denied Him as Savior.

Psalm 33:6 says, “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.” The strong implication here is that the mere whisper of the Lord is of such great power as to establish everything that exists. With that truth confronting us, should we not assure ourselves of our place in His realm of glory by accepting Jesus as Savior and Lord! Should we not establish our place with the people of the west and the people of the east who recognize His glory before that fateful and wondrous day of His return! (See I Thessalonians 5:2, II Peter 3:10, and Revelation 3:3.)

“Let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever. Spread Your protection over them, that all who love your name may be filled with joy." Psalm 5:11

It is interesting that the psalmist does not say here, “Spread Your protection over the people who love you so they may rejoice.” No, he states this assurance of protection in such a way that those who take refuge in the name of the Lord should sing songs of joyful praise forever…then he asks that the protection of the Holy One be spread over them that they who love Him may be filled with joy.

It is thus with much of the word of promise that believers have in scripture. The hope, the encouragement, the blessing is proffered, but to those who have signed on with the Lord, to those who have taken the initial step of committing their way to Him. Once the person of faith has ‘thrown his hat into the ring,’ so to speak, then the offers of abiding help become viable in his life.

Jesus observed once that there were some who followed Him “only for the loaves and fishes,” John 6:26. These were people who were more impressed with having their needs supplied than by the fact that One who was obviously who He claimed to be—the Son of God (see Mark 14:61,62)--stood before them. Of course, Jesus did supply the needs of the people (see John 6:1-14) where He fed the 5000, but this was not His primary purpose.

Much more than He desired to supply the daily sustenance of the people who followed Him, Jesus desired to win souls from the kingdom of darkness to His Kingdom of Light. Although He came to minister healing to the sick, (see Isaiah 53:5), His primary intent was to bear the sins of fallen man so he could have fellowship with the Holy One again (see Isaiah 53:6-8, 11-12).

Still today, Jesus is our Healer and our Savior. He wants us to have the full salvation package. He wants us to rejoice no matter what our circumstances may be, for His promise is to spread His covering over us. If we will do that, we who love His Holy Name shall indeed be filled with joy according to the promise, and that joy will abide through trial and temptation and persecution. It will abide forever.