Isaiah 12

CHAPTER 12THEME: The worship of the Lord in the Millennium; the Kingdom AgeWe have been following a series of prophecies beginning with chapter 7 and concluding with chapter 12. The series began with the judgment of God upon His people. In Isaiah 11 we saw that the Kingdom would be established on earth and that the Lord Jesus would reign personally. Here in chapter 12 we reach a high note. The Tribulation is past, and the storms of life are all over. Now Israel has entered the Kingdom, and we find them worshiping and singing praises to God. And we find Israel at the temple, not at the wailing wall. Israel is at the wailing wall today, which is one of the proofs that Israel’s return to the land at the present time does not fulfill prophecy. This brief chapter reads like a psalmfor that is what it is. It is a jewel of beauty. Here is set before us the praise of a people under the direct and personal reign of Christ. It is pure praise from redeemed hearts to God because of His salvation and creation. The curse has been removed from the earth, which is an occasion for praise to God for His display of goodness in creation. You and I have not seen anything like this in nature because of the curse that rests upon it. Today nature has a sharp fang and a bloody claw. During the Kingdom Age that will change entirely.

Isaiah 12:1

PRAISE OF JEHOVAH FOR HIS SALVATIONOnce again we have the expression “in that day,” which marks the beginning of the Great Tribulation period and goes through the coming of the Kingdom that Christ is going to establish upon the earth. This verse expresses the thought that the night of sin is over and the day of salvation is come. Israel has gone through the terrible night of the Tribulation, and now the light has come. The Tribulation is over, and they enter the peace and joy of the Kingdom. This is an occasion for praise! The thing that will characterize the Kingdom Age is pure joy.

Isaiah 12:2

Note that they will not say that God provided salvation but that He is salvation. Salvation is a Person, not a program or a system or a ritual or a liturgy. Salvation is a Person, and that Person is the Lord Jehovah, the Lord Jesus Christ. They are praising Him for His salvation.

Isaiah 12:3

The “wells” speak of abundance. His salvation gives satisfaction and joy to the heart. During the Kingdom period there will be a time of great joy, which is what the Lord wants for His own. He wants us to be happy now. Our salvation should cause us to rejoice and sing praises to the Lord. I do not think we are ever witnesses to Him until we have that joy.

Isaiah 12:4

PRAISE OF JEHOVAH FOR HIS CREATION"In that day," of course, refers to the Millennium, the light part of the day. The “Day of the Lord” opened with the night of sin. Our day begins with sunrise, but the day in the Old Testament began with sundown. “…Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Psa_30:5). The time of the Millennium is the morning of joy and the time of thanksgiving to God for salvationbut not only that, it is to thank Him for the fact that He is the Creator. His mighty and expansive “doings” are to be declared among the people and His name exalted. The “doings” of God include not only His work in creation, but everything He does. “In that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD"hallelujah is the word.

Isaiah 12:5

God has done great things. When the six days of renovation and creation came to an end, God looked upon His work and said that it was good. When God says it is good, it is good! I think it would be well for us to thank Him for a perfect salvation and thank Him for creation, even though sin has marred it. In my backyard I notice that the gophers have been burrowing under the fence, and ants get into the house, but in spite of these annoyances there is the singing of the birds and the beauty of the flowers and trees. Even though the earth has been cursed with sin, it is still beautiful. Just think how beautiful it will be when the curse is removed. We will have an occasion to sing praises to God in that day as well as today.

Isaiah 12:6

This is one great throbbing and pulsating outburst of a redeemed soul who is giving to God all that a poor creature canhis hallelujah! We talk of our dedication to God, but we don’t even know what dedication means. In that glorious day Israel will know its meaning, and we will too.