Bourland Family Blog

“Your people also shall all be [uncompromisingly and consistently] righteous; they shall possess the land forever, the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, that I may be glorified. The least one shall become a thousand [a clan], and the small one a strong nation. I, the Lord, will hasten it in its [appointed] time.” Isaiah 60:21-22 ->me: Righteous = right with God, leading to righteousness of character and conduct. When righteousness is perfected tenure becomes secure. Behind righteousness and security lies the careful work of the divine Gardener. God has put us where we are; made us what we are, and done all of this for His own purposes and glory. I like what Habakkuk 2:3 says about the timing of when the Lord acts “For the vision is yet for an appointed time and it hastens to the end [fulfillment]; it will not deceive or disappoint. Though it tarry, wait [earnestly] for it, because it will surely come; it will not be behindhand on its appointed day.” Lord help me wait for your glorious appearing; staying true to my faith, dedicated to the race and course you have set before me, in peace and hope of the glory to come.

“The sun shall no more be your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you, but the Lord shall be to you an everlasting light, and your God your glory and your beauty. Your sun shall no more go down, nor shall your moon withdraw itself, for the Lord shall be your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning shall be ended.” Isaiah 60:21-22 ->me: The Lord will illuminate the beauty of His people, bathe them in His Light and change them into His likeness. When that day comes the only light we will know is the light of the Lord. When my God is my glory and beauty then sorrow and mourning will be no more. A world rolled by man (the earth today) is a world of turmoil, pain, violence, and sorrow. A world ruled by God is perfect and His followers who are already perfected in their spirit now embrace a perfect existence in His physical light and care. I am part way there. A soul sold out to a perfect God, forgiven of sin, has the possibility of living a heavenly internal existence (relationship) in this cursed world (with a mind focused on, trusting in, and dependent on the Almighty God). I can put my hope in the next part where my body and environment are perfected and purged of lawlessness, sin, and temptation.

“Instead of bronze I will bring gold, and instead of iron I will bring silver; and instead of wood, bronze, and instead of stones, iron. [Instead of the tyranny of the present] I will appoint peace as your officers and righteousness as your taskmasters.” Isaiah 60:17 ->me: God talks here of everything being transformed upwards…every additional day that I am spending with the Lord feels like this – Love is grander, days are brighter, sleeps are deeper, contentment is stronger, compassion runs deeper, patience is longer, and comfort is more plentiful. I love ‘peace as your officers’…essentially being calmed and not being allowed to become anxious. ‘Righteousness as taskmasters’…God uses this word [taskmasters] in Exodus 3:7 to describe the oppression the Israelites were under in Egypt and why He needed to rescue them. Here He uses the same word again but to represent the very best the Lord would wish upon us in a world ruled by Him. May righteousness be my taskmaster; may I be kept in line by the officer of peace…then will everything I know continue to be transformed upward, including my mindset and hope.

“For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you [Jerusalem] in that day shall perish; yes, those nations shall be utterly laid waste.” Isaiah 60:12 ->me: Remember, this is the 1000 year reign after Jesus has returned to the earth and everyone has seen His return. Yet they do not come – Nations in this context is the world outside of the people of God. It is not their alien status which condemns them, but their refusal of Zion’s supremacy. The Lord’s light is there but they will not be drawn. His name is there but they will not come to learn. His compassion is there but they are careless of the threat of His wrath. Their self-chosen fate is to perish. The pride and arrogance of these people is baffling but we have these same people around us today. If the Lord came back this instant there will still be people that will refuse Him. My heart is heavy for these people as I see what the Lord is doing in me and those around me; I am saddened that there will be no hope for them. This actually gives me courage to reach out more; to become brave in my witness and evangelism…either those I witness to will be willing to hear or they won’t. I can walk away praying that the Lord would open their ears and eyes to see Him.

“Who are these who fly like a cloud, and like doves to their windows? Surely the isles and distant coastlands shall wait for and expect Me; and the ships of Tarshish [shall come] first, to bring your sons from afar, their silver and gold with them, for the name of the Lord your God, for the Holy One of Israel, because He has beautified and glorified you.” Isaiah 60:8-9 ->me: This passage is talking about those (repentant Jews and believing Gentiles) who will flock to Jerusalem. ‘Wait for and expect Me’ – Consciously or unconsciously, the world’s longings can find fulfillment only in the Holy One of Israel. They don’t come bearing wise insights; they come bearing silver and gold, gifts of submission, homage, and devotion to the name. They come to where the Truth is to be found, to the Lord Whose name encapsulates what He has revealed about Himself. In essence – It is ALL about Him. Today on the way home I was praying that the Lord would help me catch myself before telling a white lie or expanding on the truth…I then started to ask myself why I was asking for that…what makes me lie? I lie to bring better light upon myself…stinking PRIDE is the culprit! Dang it! I have been focusing on the wrong thing in my prayer. This passage reminds me that it is ALL about the One Who gave Himself for me, the One Who wants the best for me, the only One that matters.

“Then you shall see and be radiant, and your heart shall thrill and tremble with joy [at the glorious deliverance] and be enlarged; because the abundant wealth of the [Dead]Sea shall be turned to you, unto you shall the nations come with their treasures.” Isaiah 60:5 ->me: After reading the entire chapter (Isaiah 60) I realize that this is a glimpse into the glory that God will bestow on the remnant of Israel in Jerusalem in the 1000 year reign. I had never realized (or worse, forgot) that this was described here in Isaiah. Today I covered verses 4 through 7 in detail and verse 5 stood out. The Israelites are still be beaming, shocked, overjoyed, and smitten with the glory of the return of Jesus to the earth and their deliverance by Him. I can see them shaking their heads back and forth in amazement and disbelief as wave upon wave of people, camels, and treasure come their way. I wanted to take an introspective look into what God wants me to take away from this passage today and then it came to me…I have already been delivered by Jesus! Do I stand here in amazement of the love He has heaped upon me by sacrificing Himself to pay for all of my sin. Do I gaze at the scriptures in wonder at all that He has provided me in spiritual wealth and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit? Do I sit humbled by the shear grace He has afforded me after the way I have treated Him and disobeyed? This word today has allowed me to reflect on what I have in Him and tomorrow I need to live every moment understanding what He has given me and work there is yet to do in His name before He returns.

“​ARISE [from the depression and prostration in which circumstances have kept you—rise to a new life]! Shine (be radiant with the glory of the Lord), for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you!” Isaiah 60:1 ->me: As a grafted member into the vine, I need to let the light of God in me shine through. Although this is a prophesy about Jerusalem rising to the glory the Lord has for those Israelites who repent of their transgressions, I see it as a call to those gentiles who have been brought into the fold as well. When I was ‘born again’, God called me to rise with His Son out of the grave, that was my life before, and to allow His light in me to shine through. My light has come and because of all that He has done, His glory now shines on me. When I seek Him and am obedient to His calling, His work is done in me…the light cannot be contained…it bursts out!

“As for Me, this is My covenant or league with them, says the Lord: My Spirit, Who is upon you [and Who writes the law of God inwardly on the heart], and My words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouths of your [true, spiritual] children, or out of the mouths of your children’s children, says the Lord, from henceforth and forever.” Isaiah 59:21 ->me: This verse packs a couple of punches for me today. 1) The Holy Spirit writes truth on the inner places of my heart. 2) When I consume His word He says that it will not depart from me, my biological children, my spiritual children (those whom I shepherd), and all of their children. God’s word does not return void. So, when I combine the Holy Spirit being upon me and His word not departing from my mouth…ever, then I have everything I need to do His work and it will stay with me henceforth, and forever. Lord God in heaven, I so humbly come before you seeking your mercy and grace. I am not worth what this passage promises and I deserver none of it. You, O God, alone are my way; I am nothing and You are everything. As I continue forward in my sanctification, help me to stay focused on you, for you are my strength.

“For [the Lord] put on righteousness as a breastplate or coat of mail, and salvation as a helmet upon His head; He put on garments of vengeance for clothing and was clad with zeal [and furious divine jealousy] as a cloak. According as their deeds deserve, so will He repay wrath to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies; on the foreign islands and coastlands He will make compensation.” Isaiah 59:17-18 ->me: I had never read about the breastplate of righteousness and helmet of salvation being first worn by Jesus our Messiah. In my written notes I wrote out all of the pieces of clothing (Breastplate of Righteousness, Helmet of Salvation, Shoes of Peace/Gospel, and Belt of Truth) as well as the Shield of Faith and the Sword of the Spirit/Word noted in Ephesians 6:14-17. It came to me that the Helmet and Breastplate we get from our Savior – Because we are IN Him we have access to these two pieces – we just need to put them on. The Belt of Truth and the Shoes of the Gospel must be put on daily to keep our clothes in order and our walk in the will and purposes of God. The Shield of Faith and Sword of the Spirit are drawn and wielded in the face of battle. I am still sitting here mesmerized by the fact that I get to wear the Helmet and Breastplate of my King…overwhelming.