Isaiah 25:1-28:13 / Galatians 3:10-22 / Psalm 61 / Proverbs 23:17-18
As a musician and artist, I’m fascinated when scripture is said to have been a song or poem. I’ve been aware of some songs in scripture but not every translation reveals this truth, so some songs may be hidden within scripture. I found such a song in Isaiah 26 today that may span several chapters. It was The Passion Translation that alerted me to this hidden song.
Isaiah 26:1-4, 12 A day is coming when this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “The city is a stronghold for us! The Lord’s salvation, like inner and outer walls, makes it secure. Open the gates and let a righteous, faith-filled people enter in. Perfect, absolute peace surrounds those whose imaginations are consumed with you; they confidently trust in you. Yes, trust in the Lord Yahweh forever and ever! For Yah, the Lord God, is your Rock of Ages! Lord Yahweh, you will establish peace and prosperity for us,
for all we have accomplished is the result of what you work through us.
The city spoken of here is the Kingdom of God, and even as I read the description of the inner and outer walls being made of the Lord’s salvation, a picture began to form in my mind. The gates of salvation (just like the walls, I also assume the gates are made of salvation) open and allow the city to fill with people. There is no other way into God’s Kingdom, except through Jesus Christ.
John 10:7-9 “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures.
Jesus is the gate by which people may enter the city, or Kingdom of God. There is no other way to enter. One may not go over the wall, or under, or around. One may only enter by the gate and that only if he or she has permission of the gatekeeper. The “permission” required to enter is the blood of Jesus Christ.
Once you have entered the gate of Jesus Christ by permission of His blood shed on the cross, you have an opportunity. If you will set your imagination (the things you think and dream about) on Him, absolute peace will surround and consume you. Just as there is no other way into God’s city, there is no other way to obtain peace except through Jesus Christ.
Some believe peace is simple quiet; it is much more than that. The word Shalom means wholeness, wellness, well-being, safe, happy, friendly, favor, completeness, to make peace, peace offering, secure, to prosper, to be victorious, to be content, tranquil, quiet, and restful. So, shalom is used to describe those of us who have been provided all that is needed to be whole and complete and break off all authority that would attempt to bind us to chaos.
I love that last part because in Shalom we have authority to forbid chaos into our lives and into the lives of those we love. Speak Shalom over yourself and those you love and as you do, remind yourself of all that word means. It’s powerful!
