Is it Well With Your Soul?
Everywhere we look, people are being divided. We stand for this or for that. We step to the other side or we remain on this side. We stand or we sit. We vocalize truth or we quietly exist, keeping truth hidden and unseen. We stand and walk or we sit and wait. We open our mouths to speak or we stand muted. Divided into two groups based on the preferences we choose and the circumstances we endure. There are times we are given choice and times when no choice is given, causing us to receive the lot we have been given. Nevertheless, everywhere we look, people are being divided, and the Bible speaks, explaining God’s plan for mankind.
The Spirit of God gave the prophet Isaiah these words:
“A highway will be there, a roadway,
(The Book of Isaiah 35: 8-9 NASB)
And it will be called the Highway of Holiness.
The unclean will not travel on it,
But it will be for him who walks that way,
And fools will not wander on it.
No lion will be there,
Nor will any vicious beast go up on it;
These will not be found there.
But the redeemed will walk there,”
Each day, we are afforded choice. We are gifted with opportunities given to us by Almighty God. We ‘choose’ to do this or that. We ‘choose’ to refrain from this or that. & We ‘choose’ to speak or to be silent.
Faith in Jesus determines our eternity.
Lack of faith in Jesus also determines our eternity.
We can trust that Jesus will have the final word, for the Bible tells us so.
We can trust that Jesus will judge righteously, for the Word of God proclaims it so.
“No lion will be there,
(The Book of Isaiah 35: 9 NASB)
Nor will any vicious beast go up on it;
These will not be found there.
But the redeemed will walk there,”
God promises that the land of Israel will be blessed with fertility. The prophet Isaiah encourages us, the redeemed, to be strong, not fearful, for there is coming a day when we shall see the LORD, a day when shouts of joy, songs of praise, all-out worship of the King of kings will resound.
“Say to those with anxious heart,
(The Book of Isaiah 35: 4-6 NASB)
“Take courage, fear not.
Behold, your God will come with vengeance;
The recompense of God will come,
But He will save you.”
Then the eyes of the blind will be opened
And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped.
Then the lame will leap like a deer,
And the tongue of the mute will shout for joy.”
God promises!
Zion will see God’s glory.
The people of Israel will be restored, guided, and protected (by God Himself).
The Way of Holiness is the highway, and upon this roadway, “the unclean will not travel on it, but it will be for him who walks that way, . . .”
Each day, we drive upon roads, highways, and interstates, and that is the image we see when we read Isaiah’s prophecy, but that’s not the point. We are not to see the image we ‘expect’ but rather the ‘image’ of God removing obstacles, clearing the way, smoothing the rough edges, making straight the path that leads His people to His righteousness. That is the blessing. That is the gladness. That is the point.
In The Gospel According to Luke, we read the words given to the physician Luke, describing Jesus’ ministry when the Son of Man walked upon the earth. As we read, we recall the words of Isaiah, and we see with clarity how the Lord Jesus fulfilled the prophecy.
“At that very time He cured many people of diseases and afflictions and evil spirits; and He gave sight to many who were blind.
(The Gospel According to Luke 7: 21-23 NASB)
And He answered and said to them,
[Jesus spoke these words to the disciples of John the Baptist who were sent by John to ask the question: ‘Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?’]
“Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up,
the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM.
Blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.”
Jesus tells us that He is the Way to holiness, and because we believe on Him, we become Christians, followers of Jesus, the Way. His grace redeems us from our sin. His mercy does not grant us the misery we deserve.
One must ‘believe on Jesus’ to walk on His highway of holiness, for this path is reserved for those who have received righteousness through the shed blood of Jesus on the cross. It is a place of reservation, one received, one chosen, one undeserved, but a place offered by God’s Love for us. Those who choose to receive God’s free gift of salvation are righteous in God’s sight BECAUSE OF JESUS’ WORK ON CALVARY’S CROSS.
“And it will be called the Highway of Holiness.” This is a roadway reserved for the redeemed of the Lord, a place of safety and security, and a walk of peace and joy, a place of singing and everlasting joy. Pure Gladness, almost as if we hear the words of the old hymn: “It is Well.”
When peace like a river attendeth my way,/ When sorrows like sea billows roll;/ Whatever my lot, thou has taught me to say,/ It is well, It is well with my soul.”
John the Baptist proclaimed the coming of Jesus. Jesus came!
The prophecy was fulfilled. John, the apostle of Jesus was led by the Spirit to proclaim these words:
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away,
(The Revelation to John 21: 1-4 NASB)
and there is no longer any sea.
And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among me, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,
and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes;
and there will no longer be any death;
there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain;
the first things have passed away.”
The apostle John proclaimed the second coming of Jesus. Jesus is coming!
Start to Finish, the Bible is God’s plan for man’s redemption.
Hell is real.
Heaven is real, a physical place of dwelling for those who have been saved by the Lord Jesus Christ.
In heaven, only the redeemed, the ransomed, will dwell there with the LORD.
In heaven—
The redeemed ones will sing melodies of worship to the King of kings.
Those saved by the blood of Jesus will raise their voices with gladness, for—It is well with their soul.
Friend, Is it Well With Your Soul?
“And the ransomed of the LORD will return
(The Book of Isaiah 35: 10 NASB)
And come with joyful shouting [with singing] to Zion,
With everlasting joy upon their heads.
They will find gladness and joy,
And sorrow and sighing will flee away.”