Expectation vs Reality
At times we can struggle to make connections between what God says is real and our experience of life. We may struggle to see how the Lord intends to fulfill his good plans in our lives when nothing seems to make sense. In the midst of spiritual dryness when the heart feels like a desert, in the middle of painful circumstances or as we face temptation and trials daily, running low on strength and even struggling to look up at the One who has promised to sustain us. God’s promises remain solid and unshakeable in the face of our shaky feelings.
Upon spending some time Isaiah 40:1-11, I am struck by the strangeness of the prophet's words. The prophecies sound as though they are all going to take place at once; take a look at verses 3-5:
“A voice of one crying out: Prepare the way for the Lord in the wilderness, make a straight highway for our God in the desert. Every valley will be lifted up, and every mountain and hill will be leveled; the uneven ground will become smooth and thorough places. And the glory of the Lord will appear, and all humanity will see it, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Knowing that this was fulfilled in the New Testament when John the Baptist came to prepare the way for Jesus created some questions; how come all of humanity did not see Jesus as it says in verse 5 if this prophecy was fulfilled? I came to learn two things that were helpful in answering that question:
First, these prophecies were made first for the Israelites, who would be exiled from their home and destroyed by an enemy nation, generations after the actual prophecy was declared by Isaiah. It hadn’t even taken place yet. However, they were given these words to provide them with comfort and hope for the future. If you read the whole of Isaiah 40, you will see this.
Second, these prophecies were not just for them, they speak of what God will do even at the end of time. The way it is said is as if everything will take place at once, when actually there is a significant amount of time, for instance, between verse 3 and verse 5. John appeared and prepared the way for Jesus, the One to come - God in the flesh. But all of humanity is yet to see the glory of Jesus fully when he returns a second time, at the end of time.
God in his kindness, has given us words that comfort and give hope to his people across history; from the time of the old covenant with Israel till now, under the new covenant in Jesus. The coming of Jesus to establish the new covenant in the first place is the fulfillment of some of those very words. But we have more to look forward to at the end of time as God continues to fulfill his promises.
These words are written to comfort and sustain God’s people, no matter what their feelings or circumstances or what society tells them, across the wide span of history and time. They are a source of comfort because they are sure; they reveal God’s very nature as well as his plans and therefore they are certain and can be trusted. The Israelite read them during their time of exile; the Christians during the times of intense persecution in the early church (still taking place today in some parts of the world); and the Christian battling with their own feelings and struggles today, fighting temptation in a fallen world. These are the life-giving promises of the Lord that transcend our feelings and circumstances and will reach complete fulfillment at the return of Jesus.
One day we will look back, as we stand at the feet of Jesus, beholding his glory, and we will see the faithfulness of God in fulfilling every promise, and we will bask in his goodness, exploding with praise all into eternity. All our expectations will be fulfilled and surpassed by our glorious, promise-keeping God.
