"The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel."
Isaiah 29:19
Part 1
In this section of Isaiah’s book, Jehovah is pronouncing woes, mostly on the southern kingdom. Here are three of them.
The first woe to Samaria, the capital of Ephraim, the “proud crown of the drunkards.” Her destruction is coming, He will judge drunkards (Isaiah 28:1).[1]
A second woe to Jerusalem, the “Lion of God.” The place where the fire of sacrifice continually burns on the “Hearth of God.” Year after year of heartless sacrifices are offered (Isaiah 29:1).[2]
The third woe is to those who try to hide their plans from the Lord Jehovah (Isaiah 29:15).[3]
And just after these chilling words, neatly tucked into the passage are the words of our verse for today. If we are not careful, it is easy to miss the simple truth here.
“The meek.”
It is not the proud, not the rich, it is not the upper crust of society, but it is the meek He is speaking to.
“The meek …the Hebrew word used here…means properly the oppressed, the afflicted, the unhappy…” (Barnes).
The LORD helps the meek in their distress.
“Have mercy upon me, O LORD; consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death” (Psalm 9:13).
The meek suffer but not because of their own sin.
“…It involves usually the idea of humility or “virtuous suffering…” (Barnes).
“The meek will He guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way” (Psalm 25:9).
“For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth, not His prisoners” (Psalm 69:33).
“… Here it may denote the pious [believers] of the land who were oppressed, and subjected to trials”[4] (Barnes).
The meek are not being oppressed because of their own wrongdoing. These submissive people do not enjoy their suffering. Still, they are willing to endure it because it is “virtuous,” it is suffering for the right reasons. They are coming down on God’s side of life’s issues. God knows, and He will repay them.
God is not a burden, He is their joy. His Word makes all the difference in their lives.
“Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts” (Jeremiah 15:16).
How can joy abide in the same space as suffering? Come back tomorrow as we address this thought.
Quote: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself it’s thinking of yourself less” (C.S. Lewis).
[1] God has not changed His mind about drunkenness. As it was with Ephraim, don’t you believe it will be so in our world today? God will judge the “spirit of drunkenness.”
[2] We, as God’s children understand how easy it is to become complacent and detached in our worship. We need to take great care here.
[3] Evil people still try to hide their plans from God. How foolish, this never works! Believers, we take great comfort in the fact that God knows all and sees all!
[4] Albert Barnes, Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, the electronic version in eSword.