God’s Guiding Word: Hope
Introduction
Isaiah 26:1–19: Today’s reading describes the city of Jerusalem and the land of Judah as it will be when the exiled people have returned home, obeying the laws of the LORD. Those who oppressed them will be punished and the people will enjoy prosperity.
Today’s Key Verse: Isaiah 26:3
You, LORD, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in you.
Reading
26 A day is coming when the people will sing this song in the land of Judah:
Our city is strong!
God himself defends its walls!
2 Open the city gates
and let the faithful nation enter,
the nation whose people do what is right.
3 You, LORD, give perfect peace
to those who keep their purpose firm
and put their trust in you.
4 Trust in the LORD forever;
he will always protect us.
5 He has humbled those who were proud;
he destroyed the strong city they lived in,
and sent its walls crashing into the dust.
6 Those who were oppressed walk over it now
and trample it under their feet.
7 LORD, you make the path smooth for good people;
the road they travel is level.
8 We follow your will and put our hope in you;
you are all that we desire.
9 At night I long for you with all my heart;
when you judge the earth and its people,
they will all learn what justice is.
10 Even though you are kind to the wicked,
they never learn to do what is right.
Even here in a land of righteous people
they still do wrong;
they refuse to recognize your greatness.
11 Your enemies do not know that you will punish them.
LORD, put them to shame and let them suffer;
let them suffer the punishment you have prepared.
Show them how much you love your people.
12 You will give us prosperity, LORD;
everything that we achieve
is the result of what you do.
13 LORD our God, we have been ruled by others,
but you alone are our LORD.
14 Now they are dead and will not live again;
their ghosts will not rise,
for you have punished them and destroyed them.
No one remembers them any more.
15 LORD, you have made our nation grow,
enlarging its territory on every side;
and this has brought you honor.
16 You punished your people, LORD,
and in anguish they prayed to you.
17 You, LORD, have made us cry out,
as a woman in labor cries out in pain.
18 We were in pain and agony,
but we gave birth to nothing.
We have won no victory for our land;
we have accomplished nothing.
19 Those of our people who have died will live again!
Their bodies will come back to life.
All those sleeping in their graves
will wake up and sing for joy.
As the sparkling dew refreshes the earth,
so the LORD will revive those who have long been dead.
Reflect
What song will the people sing when they return to their land (verses 1–6)? Based on verse 3, how would you describe the “perfect peace” that the LORD gives? What verses speak of God’s justice? According to verse 12, what do the people acknowledge about God? In what ways do you connect achievements in your life with what God has done for you?
Pray
Lord God, you are the giver of perfect peace, and I put my trust in you. Teach me to follow your will. My hope is in you, and I thank and praise you for your steadfast love and care. In your holy name, I pray. Amen.
And now, join us in praising God that nearly one million Echuwabo people in Mozambique now have access to the New Testament. Gracious God, after many years of faithful prayer, the Echuwabo-speaking people of Mozambique are overjoyed to have the entire New Testament in their heart language. Last year, this long-awaited translation was received with great celebration by waiting hands and hearts. Thanks to the faithfulness of Bible-A-Month Partners, your Word, dear God, is being shared in southern Africa. Amen.
Tomorrow’s Reading
Isaiah 33:17–24: A restored and redeemed Jerusalem is described.