Today’s Superverse is Isaiah 32:17 – The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.
Warning to careless ones who sustain themselves through shameful niggardliness: they deserve to have all their support stripped from them when God unleashes His crushing judgments upon the earth.
Justice and righteousness encompass more than mere moral decisions; they represent an endeavor to reconcile all things with the beauty of who YHWH is – this final state of “Shalom” still awaits us all.
The Work of Righteousness
Righteousness brings with it peace and confidence in God forever. This can come about by receiving Christ’s righteousness combined with our own new obedience, yielding lasting tranquility.
This verse anticipates the great work of redemption that YHWH will accomplish for His people and for all humanity. Jesus Christ is our true Vine who provides spiritual nourishment so we may bear fruit (John 15:1-6) which leads us down a path toward righteousness; such fruitfulness will be evident among true Christians.
True goodness requires us to heed God’s Law, which no longer offends his conscience. Instead of depending on man-made laws and philosophies full of errors, such as those put forward by human leaders, real righteousness relies on being guided by the Holy Spirit into all truthfulness, leading us to true happiness and lasting holiness – something which only guarantees eternal salvation.
The Effect of Righteousness
Isaiah’s prophecy extends beyond his own time to an age when a righteous King will rule and put an end to all forms of injustice, bringing peace and prosperity to his people.
When the King rules justly, he acts as both judge and protector for his people. His decisions will be fair; those who obey will receive rewards while those who disobey will face punishments from his authority.
When the King rules in righteousness, fields, and wilderness alike will reflect God’s character as perfectly as can be expected; good will be extolled while evil condemned, providing a world where justice prevails without anyone calling evil good or good evil as is sometimes found today; then all will experience peace within their hearts and hopefulness for eternity.
The Peace of Righteousness
Righteousness refers to living a life that is perfectly in line with God’s nature. Living according to His beauty means sharing it with all creation – this ultimate form of peace will eventually reach every corner of space-time.
The peace often comes through chastening which seems painful at the time, but those who live by faith and trust in Christ will soon experience an unshakable peace that “isn’t of this world”.
Peace comes as a result of righteousness at work, bringing calmness and trust forever more. It is vitally important that this peace comes only through righteous action rather than from rebellion against its authority; before the scepter of peace can be held high, righteousness must first reign supreme first – therefore being champions for righteousness should be our foremost objective in service of humanity.
The Rest of Righteousness
“Rest” here refers to peace, quiet, and trust in God – it is the ultimate “Shalom” state, but believers in Jesus Christ can already enjoy its benefits now.
Rest is not earned through hard work or obedience to the law; rather, it is given freely by God as a result of Christ’s merits. Spiritual rest rooted in knowing Him better through Jesus can bring much-needed relief.
Isaiah anticipates the ultimate work of redemption that YHWH will perform for Jerusalem and all His people, foretelling of a day when all Israel will be ruled with righteousness and judgment as seen through Christ’s ministry (cf. Jeremiah 33:25). This day is what God’s people long for (cf. Jeremiah 33:25).
