God's Joyous Purpose

There are many verses often quoted from scripture, and the lesser known verses around them can add much to our understanding.  What a profitable practice it is to open your Bible, turn to a quotation from the scripture and read the verses before and after it.  Take Isaiah 55:9-11 as an example:  "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. ¹⁰ "For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, ¹¹ so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."  God through the prophet used falling rain and snow as an illustration:  as rain falling from heaven causes plants to grow and be fruitful, God's word will accomplish what God pleases and will prosper for in God's purposes for sending it.

If we stopped here, we might left wondering what exactly God has in mind.  In many places in the Bible God reveals what pleases Him and what prosperity looks like from a godly perspective.  We could start finishing God's points for Him, inserting what we think is most important as His purpose for sending His word.  But the one who continues reading the chapter to the end will have some of God's purposes revealed plainly in Isaiah 55:12-13:  "For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. ¹³ Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."

The paragraph that began with an exhortation to seek the LORD while He may be found and to call upon Him while He is near in repentance for mercy and pardon could be assured of God's affirming answer.  God's forgiving, restoring response to a lowly sinner according to God's word should result in joy and being led out with peace.  All nature rejoices over the greatness of God and His abundant provision of forgiveness for sinners and rain that causes trees to flourish.  Notice the transformation from thorns to cypress trees and how briers gave way to myrtle trees to the LORD for a name, "for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."  The word that gave life-giving rain to cypress and myrtle trees provides spiritual life by the power of the Holy Spirit who indwells those who trust in Jesus Christ, and by grace we are called by His name.

Jesus spoke to His disciples in John 15:7-11:  "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. ⁸ By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. ⁹ "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. ¹⁰ If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. ¹¹ These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full."  As those flourishing trees were a sign, so the spiritual fruitfulness of believers provides evidence the power of God abides in those who abide in His love.  Joy, a fruit of the Holy Spirit, is experienced in fullness according to God's promise and grace in Christ's disciples.  The connection between the words of God and His purpose and pleasure to provide joy and peace to believers is plain when we press on and read beyond what is commonly quoted.