LESSON 11   Isaiah 12

My Strength, My Song, and My Salvation

Our theme: We are signs and symbols…an oak of righteousness a planting of the Lord to display His splendor.

As we look for the signs and symbols as we study Isaiah, this chapter is a clearly a resource for us. We see the character of our God displayed to us in this song of praise. Isaiah’s name literally means the “Lord is salvation.”  Salvation is the theme of this chapter. As we read this look and listen for the symbols of who God is and listen for the praise that is filling Isaiah’s heart as he speaks the word of prophecy to his people.

Read Isaiah 12

This has the semblance of a Psalm. It is a prophecy of the praise of God’s people under the reign of Christ. The day of sin is over. The day of salvation has come and there is great reason to rejoice! The nation of Judah is far from shouting this praise at this time. They are still living in sin and God will judge them with the nation of Assyria and Babylon, This gives them a sign of hope, of promise, when God will re-gather Israel and establish the reign of Christ on earth. As we look as this song of praise, I would like you to consider if this is the day for you to praise your God for salvation through Jesus Christ. Could this be an expression of your praise to your God today?

In that day you will say: “I will praise you, O LORD.”

What do we see here as the reason to praise God?

1. He is our Redeemer: God’s anger is turned away…and his comfort has come. God has a purpose for his anger and a time for his anger. God’s anger is stirred when sin is a part of our lives. Have you experienced the turning away of God’s anger as you have repented of your sin and by faith have accepted the cleansing work of Christ for the forgiveness of sin.

Romans 10:10 “But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “’Lord, who has believed our message?’ Consequently faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.” You may have heard the message, but have you believed it?

Hebrews 4:1-2 says that we can fall short of God’s intended rest for us if we only hear the message and don’t combine it with faith. Have you heard and believed the word of the Lord? When you experience the forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ, it is reason to rejoice.

2. He is our Salvation: Surely – no doubt left! God is my salvation. He is my deliverer from all evil and my restorer and preserver of life. I will trust Him!!! And not be afraid! He doesn’t only save me from sin but saves me to God’s will and blessings. His love and faithfulness can be trusted, never to be doubted again!

Colossians 1: 12-13: giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.”

3. He is our strength: What does it mean that God is your strength? Has God taken you through times in your life that have burned into your heart, your mind, your Spirit that you can’t do anything without him? That he is your physical, emotional and spiritual strength? Have you realized that your every breath that you breathe comes from him and him alone? God is the strength of our life!

4. He is our song:  Does God give you a song to sing in the night, when you wake up worried or frightened. Maybe you should ask him! He gave me a song to sing in light of my son’s surgery this week! It kept me focused on what a great God we have. Our lives can be a song to him as we follow his will in obedience and love. Is Jesus your song?

Psalm 40:3, “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.”

5. He is our joy: Because he has become our salvation,  “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” He is our living water. John 4:14, “…whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water, welling up to eternal life.”

Jeremiah 2:13, “…they have forsaken me the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.”

Psalm 87:7, “…All my fountains are in you.”

Is your joy overflowing because you have found the source of living water?

Is it with joy that you are drawing from his wells of grace?

Surely, God is my strength and my song and has become my salvation!

Can you contain this good news? Hold it inside? Don’t you want others to know? When you have reason to praise, you will call on his name – make his name known and proclaim that his name is exalted! You will sign of the glorious things he has done for you and others and let it be known to all the world. You will shout and sing for joy because you know how great the Holy One of Israel is among you!

I pray that this chapter will be God’s word that you will use to help you focus on this season in which we celebrate our salvation through Jesus! Take one of these phrases and meditate on it, reflecting on how God is your strength, your joy, your song, your salvation. Write it down on a piece of paper, not just to memorize it, but to ponder on it. Remember Mary pondered on the things that the angel spoke to her. You will find the word changing your motives and actions, changing your very mind and heart- your very spirit within you.

Could this be an expression of your praise to your God today?