Isaiah 12

In that day you will say:

“I will praise you, Lord.  Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away     and you have comforted me.  Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid.  The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.”

 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

In that day you will say:  “Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted. Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world.  Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.”

The Prophet Isaiah had to deliver a stern message to Israel. Like the parable of the vineyard where everything that could possibly be done to make it yield good fruit, but, alas, it produced bad fruit!

We need to listen to gracious message of the Prophet as well, as so beautifully portrayed in this amazing Chapter 15.  “Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me.  Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid.  The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.”

The Gospel shines through the gloom!  When all becomes clear, surely God’s mercy shines like the noon-day sun. So tell all the world, shout aloud, sing for joy!  I love that.  As we behold Jesus Christ, suffering the consequences of our sin on the Cross and raised to life to intercede for us forever, our hope is renewed, our joy returns and we sing our hearts out, for all to hear, to the ends of the earth.

Praise his holy name, now and always.  “That day” has come.