Peter Barnes: Perfect Peace in the LORD, Isaiah 26:3 (29 March 2020)
The Bible speaks of peace in its many facets:
(a) peace with God won through the work of Christ (Col.1:20);
(b) peace between Christians, whether Jew or Gentile (Eph.2:14);
(c) peace with unbelievers so far as that is possible (Rom.12:18);
(d) peace within the individual Christian (John 14:27; 16:33).
1. God’s promise of peace.
– Isa.26:3a. Literally, ‘You will keep him in peace peace.’ – Joni Eareckson Tada called contentment ‘an internal quietness of heart, supernaturally given, that gladly submits to God in all circumstances.’ – Isaiah is not writing from an ivory tower. He lived through the Assyrian threats, culminating in the crushing of the ten northern tribes in 722 B.C. and Sennacherib’s attack on Jerusalem in 701 B.C. Isaiah was probably sawn in two (Hebrews 11:37). – John 17:6, 12.
2. The believer’s faith.
– Isa.26:3b. See the contrast in Eph.4:13-15. There is no peace in sin –
Isa.57:19-21. Dietrich Bonhoeffer: ‘Peace is the opposite of security.’
3. The ground of this peace. – Isa.26:3c. Edward Bickersteth:
Peace, perfect peace, our future all unknown? Jesus we know, and he is on the throne. Augustine: ‘Lord God, grant us peace, for all that we have is Your gift. Grant us the peace of repose, the peace of the Sabbath, the peace which has no evening. For this worldly order in all its beauty will pass away.’