God’s desire is peace.  And being the Creator of the world, he knows how it works.  He knows how humans work.  He designed us and knows what is right, good and brings happiness and joy.

He calls all men to follow His ways and obey Him.  It would be simple if we weren’t so selfish and rebellious.  And EVERY single sin hurts someone else.  Since it doesn’t hurt us we don’t feel it the same way.

To deal with those who sin he has set in place judges and justices of the land.  They are God’s people to punish evil and reward what is righteous (Rom 13:4).  In the world when whole nations sin, he sets in place a leading nation(s) to act as enforcers of righteousness and justice.  But when those nations turn to intense moral corruption, then he himself intervenes and shuffles the world power.

These things are true for the Gentile nations and true for Israel.  Israel was called to be the ones carrying the law, pointing to the Messiah and being a light to what was to come.  But their deeds had become so evil, God intervened and sent them into captivity.  The north were captive to Assyria and the south to Babylon.

But now Isaiah was predicting the return of Israel to the land and its restoration as a people.  This is a type in that Judah has this restoration but in the same way so will the whole world at the Second Coming of Christ.

Here are some really great verses in this chapter:

“Open the gates so a righteous nation can come in—one that remains faithful” (v. 2)

“You will keep the mind that is depend on You in perfect peace, for it is trusting in You” (v. 3).

“…if the wicked man is shown favor, he does not learn righteousness” (v. 9)

Some really great words to dwell on there.  And also in this chapter is a reminder that God punishes evil.  If he doesn’t, he wouldn’t be good.  A good judge does something about evil.  He is very, very patient.  But he will act.