Tuesday, July 7, 2020 -
“So the ransomed of the Lord will return, and come with joyful shouting to Zion; and everlasting joy will be on their hands. They will obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away“(Isaiah 51:11).
Today as I read this verse in Isaiah I meditated on the promise of everlasting joy. We’ve all experienced joy. We read here that with gladness and joy there is no sorrow and sighing. Think about it. Our joy will never cease, never let up even for a moment, and will be overwhelming. We will be in the presence of Christ who gave Himself up for us so that we may live and enter the throne room of God Almighty, with Jesus at his right hand. This awe and joy is unstoppable, unceasing, and without pause. It is hard to fathom in our human mind. Nothing we experience has ever brought such satisfaction in any manner!
A few chapters later we are given a glimpse of this picture. We read, “For you will go out with joy, and be led forth with peace; the mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you. And all the trees of the field will clap their hands, instead of the thorn bush, the cypress will come up; and instead of the nettle the myrtle will come up. And it will be a memorial to the Lord, for an everlasting sign which will not be cut off” (Isaiah 55:12-13).
And then a few chapters after that we read once again about this everlasting joy, “instead of your shame you will have a double portion and instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion. Therefore they will possess a double portion in their land, everlasting joy will be theirs” (Isaiah 61:7).