| “Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.” |
| —Isaiah 25:1 |
One of the hardest jobs that has ever existed is the job of “prophet.” It takes someone with a strong sense of self, wrapped in a tight cloak of humility, and with no little amount of fearlessness to be a prophet.
Isaiah was just such a man. A close relative of the king, he served God for a significantly long period of time in the Southern Kingdom of Judah.
As you may remember, the nation of Israel had divided into two parts. The Northern Kingdom of Israel—rebelling against the Davidic succession of kings—consisted of ten tribes of the original nation, including the half-tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. The Southern Kingdom of Judah—remaining loyal to the Davidic succession of kings—consisted of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.
Each of the 66 chapters of the Book that bears his name contains amazing accounts of the prophetic words of Isaiah. But, none have more impact on him personally than his acknowledgement that he could not effectively serve in his prophetic (forth-telling) role without the faithfulness of God. Notice these words of the Prophet Isaiah recorded in Isaiah 25:1:
Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.
This is how each of us should feel toward the God who loves us with His everlasting love. As we begin this new day, let’s give praise to God for His faithfulness and for the wonderful things that long ago He has planned for us.
Based on a blog originally posted on Monday, June 19, 2017
