Isaiah 32:15–18

All the sorrow is to last until the Spirit is poured down upon them. Then comes the great change in Israel. Of course the Spirit will not dwell in the believer then in the same way as now. Today He plainly has a special dwelling in the church as well. But there will be a fitting and large outpouring of the Spirit in that day. It is a mistake to think that the Lord's reigning leaves no room for the Spirit to be poured out like this. He will be poured out very richly then. His work now goes deeper rather than wider; then will come the day of a wide spread over all people.

In Isaiah 32 the Messiah reigns in righteousness and sets everything morally in order. Zion would in fact be a wilderness until the Spirit was poured out from on high. Then it would become a Carmel. And what had passed for a Carmel before would now count as little more than a wilderness.

That is the change in the outward appearance of the world at that moment. The wilderness becomes a fruitful field. And what people had counted a fruitful field until then will in that day be thought a forest. The character of things will be so changed.

Isaiah foretells national desolation "until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is deemed a forest." This is not the baptism of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The reason is that it ends the desolation of Jerusalem, and the blessings of the thousand-year reign follow it.

Christians may apply the spirit of this passage to the outpouring at Pentecost. For an undeniable use of a similar prophecy, they can appeal to the apostle Peter in Acts 2. But few will dispute that both predictions are to have a far more detailed and complete fulfilment. That will come when judgment falls on the nations, and when God's favour, hidden from Abraham's descendants through long hours of thick darkness, shines out at last.

The nations have always wanted the peace and fruitfulness, the prosperity, the quietness and assurance for ever, that Isaiah 32:15-18 predicts. These very desirable things will only come, and only be enjoyed, when the Lord Jesus comes again. When He comes, He will bring these blessings to men, and glory to the house of God.

After the Lord returns in power and glory, the Spirit is poured out afresh, like the late-season rain. The world starts again as something quite new. "Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness abide in the fruitful field. And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever. My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places."

Then, in Isaiah 32, the Messiah would reign in righteousness and set everything morally in order. Zion would in fact be a wilderness until the Spirit was poured out from on high, and then it would become a Carmel; and what had before passed for a Carmel would be counted, by comparison, only a wilderness. Righteousness would be established everywhere, and peace, the fruit of righteousness…

"Then judgement will inhabit the wilderness": instead of being the haunt of robbers, judgement will live there. Instead of covetousness grasping after the fruitful field, righteousness is to remain there… Ends and ways alike will be righteous; everything is governed with blessing.

I must direct attention to chapter 32 of the same prophet. It was in this chapter that the Lord was pleased, without any man's teaching, first to open my eyes on this subject. Not by the first blessed truths stated in it, but by the latter part. There will be a complete change in the way God deals with the world. The wilderness will become the fruitful field of God's fruit and glory, and what had been so will be counted a forest. This comes at a time when the Lord's judgments come down, even great hail, upon this forest, and the city of pride is utterly abased.

Isaiah foretells national desolation "until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is deemed a forest" (Isa. 32:15). This is not the baptism of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The reason is that it is to put an end to the desolation of Jerusalem, and millennial blessings are to follow it.

Christians may perhaps apply the spirit of this passage to the outpouring at Pentecost… But few will dispute that both predictions are to have a far fuller and more detailed fulfilment later. That will be when judgment falls on the Gentiles, and when God's favour, no longer hidden from the seed of Abraham, shines out after long hours of thick darkness.

There are three spheres where righteousness is found. At the present moment I look at God's dealings with men, and I learn this: grace reigns through righteousness. It is divine grace on a righteous basis that saves men today. But from another point of view, now is the day when righteousness suffers… In the millennial day righteousness reigns. As for eternity, we read of "new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells" (2 Peter 3:13). There it is perfectly at home.

All that concerns the earth and the Jews is now in confusion and misrule; but the Spirit will be poured on them from on high, and then what a change! So, besides the removal of Satan, two things are needed to bring in this time of blessing. One is the King reigning in righteousness. The other is the outpouring of spiritual power, especially among the Jews but also on the Gentiles. In nothing will God fail.

He was King of righteousness (compare Isaiah 32); for where righteousness is, there is blessing. He was king of Salem, which is king of Peace; for the fruit of righteousness is peace; the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance for ever.

So this chapter brings two things together. One is what Christ as King and Saviour will set up on the outside. The other is what the poured-out Spirit will work on the inside. Then peace, quietness and assurance for ever will indeed come as the work and effect of righteousness. People are seeking these things today, but they have no secure basis for them. They will come in the future age. While we wait, we who believe enjoy them in a spiritual and individual way, through faith in the work of Christ and by the power of the indwelling Spirit of God.

Both the aims and the ways will be righteous: all is governed with blessing… In that day the proud structure of human order, cleverness, and power will be brought completely low. It is not the peaceful influence of grace that will do it, but solemn judgement by the Righteous One.

In the Old Testament this word means something different from what it means in the New Testament. In the Old Testament it means 'confidence or trust.' It matches the hopes of God's earthly people. It points to the security in which Israel will dwell when God restores them to their land and puts down all their enemies by His power. Then the effect of righteousness will be "quietness and assurance for ever" (Isaiah 32:17). In their disobedience, though, they would fear day and night and have no assurance of their life (Deuteronomy 28:66).

Men talk of a new order, by which they hope to end war and bring about a universal peace. But the peace of which men dream ignores both the holiness of God and the wickedness of men. It is a peace without righteousness. All the efforts of men will be in vain, for it is the LORD who "makes wars to cease."

One more remark: the stability of the universe will depend on the establishment of righteousness. Nothing could be secure where God had not His rights.

This will be fulfilled in the day of Christ's kingdom, yet the Gospel today brings us peace on exactly the same principle. Romans 3 speaks of righteousness manifested, and established in the death of Christ. Romans 4 speaks of righteousness imputed, or reckoned, to the believer. So Romans 5 opens with, "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

It is not a question of our feeling at peace, I hardly need to say. It is the blessed result of Christ's finished work: "Having made peace by the blood of His cross." So, "Righteousness and peace have kissed each other." That is the order.

"The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and confidence for ever" (v. 17). Both the ends and the ways will be righteous: everything is governed with blessing. "My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places. And it will hail, coming down on the forest; and the city will be laid low" (vv. 18, 19). The proud structure of human order, cleverness and power will be brought down completely in that day. It is not the peaceful influence of grace that will do this, but solemn judgement by the Righteous One… God's people will be sheltered and will prosper in peace, whatever happens to His enemies. For them, assured blessing takes the place of fear and evil.

Every cause of fear, whether from man or beast, will be gone. People will live in wonderful confidence, security and peace. "And I will make a covenant of peace with them, and I will rid the land of wild animals. They will live safely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods." (Ezek. 34:25)

This word is used differently in the Old Testament from the way it is used in the New. In the Old Testament it means 'confidence or trust.' It fits the hopes of God's earthly people, and the security Israel will enjoy when God restores them to their land and His power has put down all their enemies. The effect of righteousness will be "quietness and assurance for ever" (Isa. 32:17). In their disobedience, by contrast, they would fear day and night and have no assurance of their life (Deut. 28:66).

When the church is caught up to meet the Lord, the Holy Spirit goes with it. But after the Lord returns in power and glory, God pours out the Spirit again like the rain of the late season, and the world starts over as something entirely new. "Then judgment will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field… My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places," and so on (vv. 16-18). But it is the moment of the world's judgment (v. 19), followed by the blessedness of peace on earth (v. 20).

Just as Solomon built cities and fortified them with walls and bars, so that "all Judah and Israel lived in safety, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon," so the King says through His prophet, "My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places." (1 Kings 4:25; 2 Chron. 8:4; Isa. 32:18.)

This chapter brings two things together: what Christ as King and Saviour will set up outwardly, and what the poured-out Spirit will work inwardly. People are looking for these things today, but they have no secure basis to build them on. They will come in the future age. While we wait, we who believe enjoy them in a spiritual and personal way, through faith in the work of Christ and by the power of the Spirit of God living in us.

It is not a question of whether we feel at peace. It is the blessed result of Christ's finished work: "Having made peace by the blood of His cross." So, "Righteousness and peace have kissed each other." That is the order.