Read Isa. 41:1-20
God is challenging the Gentile nations to come to his courtroom. God raised up Cyrus, the Persian, from the east and gave him power to conquer the Babylonian Empire. It is God that empowered him to rule. Anyone who tried to withstand him would be going against God himself. As for Israel, God will remember his covenant with Abraham and he will strengthen Israel and protect it. Isaiah looks forward to the millennial reign when all their enemies will be ashamed and put down. God will come to the aid of his people. God will make Israel strong and powerful again and make them instruments of war that will fight their enemies and win. Israel will once again rejoice in the Lord and glory in the Holy One of Israel. The whole earth will respond to the Lord. The wilderness will blossom, the dry places will be watered with fountains and rivers. Trees will grow and bear fruit where they couldn't before. He lists 7 different kinds of trees that will flourish in the desert. They stand for tenacity, discipline, repentance, , praise, endurance, and steadfastness. God's glory will be evident everywhere. This is what God wants to do in each of us: be strong and powerful, make us bloom and fill us with his Holy Spirit so that we might bear fruit.
Lord, thank you for giving us a hope and a future and the tools we need to bear much fruit.
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