God’s overflowing presence
You will be a new threshing instrument with many sharp teeth. You will tear your enemies apart, making chaff of mountains. You will toss them into the air, and the wind will blow them all away; a whirlwind will scatter them. Then you will rejoice in the Lord. You will glory in the Holy One of Israel. “When the poor and needy search for water and there is none, and their tongues are parched from thirst, then I, the Lord, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will never abandon them. I will open up rivers for them on the high plateaus. I will give them fountains of water in the valleys. I will fill the desert with pools of water. Rivers fed by springs will flow across the parched ground. Isaiah 41:15-18 NLT
Back in Isaiah 40:3-5, the moral landscape of the world would be changed to make way for the glory of the Lord. Then, Isaiah is describing from the text how God will do the reordering. The change will happen through the lives of those who are faithfully following God. The transformation will not take place by sheer political power wielded by believers but through the power of the transformed lives. Isaiah is talking about the changed lives manifested by the followers of God. It is about the gospel of God spreading in the lives of people changing the lives of those trusting in God. It is about the faith that overcomes the world. As Paul said, “We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves” (2 Corinthians 4:7). This is how God prepares the world for the appearance of His glory; manifesting His power working in the lives of His followers. It is in the power of God and in His strength alone that “the wind will blow them all away; a whirlwind will scatter them. Then you will rejoice in the Lord. You will glory in the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 41:16). God is a life-giving person where He satisfies us so that we will not long for anything else outside of Him. He is the one who will refresh us so that in our overflow others will be refreshed. “Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart’” (John 7:37-38). This is God’s ultimate purpose for believers; lavishing our lives with His presence so that others will be benefited.
Blessings,
