Psalm 16:2

My Shepherd met me in His green pastures and laid me down in Isaiah 32. One of my favorite verses is in this chapter: “The vile person shall be no more called liberal, nor the churl said to be bountiful” (Isaiah 32:5). Today, the Mind of the Spirit captured the attention of the spirit of my mind in verse 1:

Isaiah 32:1 ¶ Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.

The indefinite article might have been used to avoid confusing the king, who is promised by the Spirit in verse 1, with the king who was reigning at the time Isaiah penned this prophecy (Isaiah 1:1).* The saints in that day might have read “the king” as a reference to the king ruling at the time. We see Jesus in the prophecy of a King who rules in righteousness. In this case, he is the King, and we are his princes.

One of the strongest witnesses in this passage to the intended identity of the king mentioned in verse 1 is in verse 3:  “And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken” (Isaiah 32:3). Jesus referred to His healing of the blind as proof He is the Messiah (Luke 7:22). In fact, He quoted Isaiah 35:5-6 in His response to John the Baptist’s question whether He was the Messiah (Luke 7:22). Jesus also commented on the blessedness of those eyes that see and ears that hear (Matthew 13:16).

The Bible says, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn” (Proverbs 29:2). So, in any case, Isaiah 32:1-8 tells us what the blessedness of having righteous rulers is.

Along the still waters, I reflected on the blessings of righteous leadership: Men will take their role as protectors (Isaiah 32:2; 1 Corinthians 11:1-3); 2. There will be clarity in judgment (Isaiah 32:3). 3. The hasty in words and spirit (Proverbs 29:20; Ecclesiastes 7:9) will understand knowledge, and the stutterer will speak plainly (Isaiah 32:4). 4. The vile will no longer be called liberal, and the selfish will no longer be called bountiful (Isaiah 32:5). Instead, these vile (Nabal—means stupid, foolish, wicked, and impious: see 2 Samuel 25:25) and churlish (stingy, selfish) people will be exposed (Isaiah 32:6-8).

We should seek to put righteous men in authority and avoid giving power to the wicked. Like our first Chief Justice of our Supreme Court, John Jay, said, Christian people should desire Christians to rule over them. I’ll add, not humanist secularist Marxists, or Jihad-headed Muslims. The ideological framework of Christianity is the only one compatible with freedom and liberty, premised on endowed, inalienable rights from our Creator identified as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God and Father of our LORD Jesus Christ. He is the Truth (John 14:6), and declared the Scriptures to be “the truth” (John 17:17), and it is the “Truth” that makes us free (John 8:32). His Spirit has been given, and where the Spirit of the LORD is, there is liberty (2 Corinthians 3:17).

Jesus said, “The kingdom” would be given to “a nation” that brings forth its fruit (Matthew 21:43). The Bible speaks of the blessedness that comes upon a people when the righteous are in authority and the curse that comes when the wicked rule (Proverbs 29:2). I expect “a king” that acknowledges Christ and makes every effort to rule righteously will likewise being blessedness to the people. We are “kings and priests unto God” (Revelation 1:6). Be such “a king.” Selah!

In the valley, the Spirit spoke to my heart that what we need are men who will follow Jesus’ pattern of servant leadership. And that calls for men who will heed His call to follow Him: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Interesting! I never noticed before that Jesus extended this call to “any man” who would follow Him.

At the table, He anointed my head with His oil and filled my cup with His grace. Goodness and mercy followed close as we went off into the harvest.

Praying for revival! 🙏

Going live asap:

https://rumble.com/v7001lo-shepherds-pasture.html

[*Because the focus is on trouble from Assyria and a subsequent deliverance, many think it must be Hezekiah (See Isaiah chapters 36-39.]