God's Ultimate Purpose for His People (Isaiah 27)

Isaiah 27:2-13

"In days to come, Jacob will take root. Israel will blossom and bloom and fill the whole world with fruit" (Isa 27:6, HCSB).

Isaiah 27 closes this section (ch.24-27--the triumph of God over the nations). It summarizes and illustrates God's sovereignty regarding Israel and the nations. The result of God's sovereignty will be redemption. In contrast to the earlier songs in this section (Isa 24:9; 25:5; 26:1), 27:2-13 is more personal and intimate. It praises God for delivering his people. Isaiah 24 and 25--the first two songs--declare universal judgment and universal salvation. It is hyperbole to emphasize the point regarding God's universal judgment and salvation. In Isaiah 26--the third song--the people proclaim their trust in God, and also confess their inability to deliver themselves and fulfill their ministry in the world. In Isaiah 27, God confirms his promise to deliver them. God himself is the singer of this final song of the apocalypse. His people sing to him (Isa 24:14-16; 25:1-5; 26:1-6), and now he sings over them. The Lord and his people are one, and their joy is complete (Zep 3:17).

The Gospel in Exodus

Redemption. Exodus records the greatest redemption event in the Bible prior to Christ's incarnation. This is good news to captives who labor in bondage to sin and misery. The redemption in Exodus begins with God remembering his covenant promises offered in Genesis (Gen 3:15; 12:1-3; 15:13-14), in particular by remembering his covenant with Abraham (Ex 2:23-25), and coming to redeem his people through Moses the mediator (chs. 3-4). Central to this redemption is judgment and salvation: judgment on Egypt and salvation through the substitutionary death of spotless lambs (chs. 7-13).

As a Bridegroom Rejoices Over His Bride... (Isa 62:1-63:14)

Previous post: Is God's renewal of the world your ultimate hope? (Isa 61:11)

Isa 62:1-12 explains why the future of Zion, of God's redeemed people, is so very bright. God's redemption (of Israel) is through wrath (upon Edom) (Isa 63:1-6). How sweet it is to always recall the mercies of God upon us (Isa 63:7-14).

God will Delight in His Redeemed People of God (Isa 62:1-12) [God Will Not Be Silent For the Sake of Zion]

Everything God does is "for Zion's sake" (Isa 62:1), that is, the redeemed people of God. God will glorify himself through the renewed and increased glory of his people. The world will see God through them, their "new name" (Isa 62:2), their renewed restored relationship with God. God will make them beautiful (Isa 62:3), reverse their situation of being forsaken (Isa 62:4, 60:15, 49:14), and rejoice over them "as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride" (Isa 62:5) as part of God's great plan of salvation. "Watchmen" (Isa 62:6), the prophets, will watch and pray until God "establishes Jerusalem" (Isa 62:7) by his merciful restoration that is not based on the curses of the old covenant (Isa 62:8,9; Lev 26:14-39; Deut 28:15-68; Judg 6:1-6). This blessing of salvation, which is to become a part of Zion and be called "the Holy People" and "the Redeemed of the Lord" (Isa 62:12) is extended to everyone (Isa 62:11). Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem in Matt 5:12, which quotes Zec 9:9, may also have alluded to Isa 62:11.

God, who is Mighty to Save, is also the God of Vengeance, Wrath and Anger (Isa 63:1-6)

Edom (Isa 63:1), the unbelieving nation S-E of Jerusalem, typifies the world in its contempt for the promises of God (Gen 25:29-34,27:41; Isa 34:1-7; Lam 4:21,22; Eze 35:1-15; Joel 3:19; Mal 1:2-4). She will face God's vengeance, anger and wrath, while Israel will be redeemed (Isa 63:1-6). God's redemption always involves wrath.

Recalling God's History of Mercies (Isa 63:7-14)

God is so good to his people and even suffered with them (Isa 63:7-9). "Yet they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit" (Isa 63:10, 1:2, 66:24; Ps 78:1-72; Acts 7:51). {In Eph 4:30 Paul warns against grieving the Holy Spirit.} Yet God was faithful to restore them (Isa 63:11-14).

Practical Application: God's joy over us is our strength for our life.

I Can Only Imagine: Can we ever fathom the delight of a bridegroom over his bride on their honeymoon? Can we imagine that God delights in his people in such a way? (Isa 62:5)

The "Order" of Redemption

This book, Redemption Accomplished and Applied by John Murray, is an excellent book in the area of soteriology. Murray splits the topic into 2 parts: Redemption Accomplished, and Redemption Applied. In Redemption Accomplished, Murray covers the necessity, the nature, the perfection and the extent of the atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Redemption Applied, Murray covers the order of application of redemption's benefits, following which he covers each of the application more or less in their order of application (below).


A review which I agree with says that the best part of the book is part II Redemption Applied, chapter 1 (p. 79-87). The logical arguments for placing the various applications of redemption are impeccable, and done via deriving the order from first principles. Murray starts off with no order present, then slowly from the bottom up derive the logical and temporal order of each component with respects to the others through the teachings of Scripture. Such makes the chapter itself a valuable piece of theological apologetics indeed, which would be very helpful for Christians to see how the Reformed Ordo Salutis is created from scratch through deduction from the Scriptures alone. This section alone is well-worth the read, and mark this work as a classic indeed in Reformed theological works.


The accomplishment of redemption, or the atonement, is central to our Christian faith. It comprises a series of acts and processes. The order in the application of redemption (each with its own distinct meaning, function, and purpose in the action and grace of God) is as follows:

1. Effectual Calling
2. Regeneration
3. Faith and Repentance
4. Justification
5. Adoption
   
6. Sanctification
7. Perseverance
8. Glorification

This is another brief summary from Ligonier.

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