Hope of Law Is The Light of Life

“Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people.” (Isa 51:4 AV)

This promise is to Israel and has millennial implications.  This promise is the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who will cause His law to be supreme on the earth.  When He does, there is light for His people.  There is hope.  There is life.  Law and life go hand-in-hand.  Law ensures liberty.  Law does not infringe upon it. In a lawless world, like ours is, this promise of law is a light or hope for our present generation.  Mankind will incrementally reject Biblical principles as a statement of independence and rebellion against the God who created them.  As they do, we will suffer untold misery.  As we see our world degrading into complete chaos, we can be tempted to lose hope that the world will ever be right again.  But it will.  The hope of law and order is what gives us a reason to live.  The hope of perfection in Christ I the hope that points to a better tomorrow and gives cause for today.  The hope of the presence of almighty God in the person of Jesus Christ is what gives us the grace and hope to proclaim liberty in His law and by His blood.

Middle school is not easy for a timid young man.  If he is not an aggressor, he will suffer many cruel and hurtful antics from the bullies among him.  Such was my experience.  There were several boys in my class whose sole purpose for coming to school was to torture me.  The list of antics would fill a page.  There was the usual like the extortion of my mild money.  Then there was the stealing of homework.  The playground was exceptionally cruel.  There was the snatch and grab of the winter hats.  There was the incessant name-calling and from time to time, a beating or two.  There was even an attempt at a swirly after gym class.  These timid boys often suffer in silence because if they rat out the offenders, it only gets worse.  He is outnumbered.  He often stands alone.  Anyone who comes to his aid is seen as the next target.  Of all the torture I had to endure, the worst was the class time heckling.  It was often under the breath or passed on by notes.  The teacher, busy teaching the lesson or doing work at his or her desk, missed most of it.  But I knew if it went on long enough, he or she was likely to catch, it.  I also knew my teacher would assume the moment of observation was more than likely not the first time.  I knew that if I patiently waited it out, someone in authority would see the injustice and the punishment would be swift and harsh.  This hope of law and order is that which gave me the strength to endure much.  Chaos would not reign.  My hero in the form of a teacher would come to my aid and restore a classroom that was a jungle of injustice.  She would make it right.  She would right the wrong.  She would remove the evil from the classroom and order was restored.  I can still remember that feeling when my teacher removed the worst of the bullies.  There was a load that was immediately lifted.  The sun began to shine again.

The same is true with the hope of Christ’s return.  We don’t have to be discouraged by the direction of the world because time is limited.  There is no need for reactionary initiatives because this is not our fight.  Jesus Christ will return and when He does, the world will forever be changed.  Gone is the wickedness that seems to reign uncontrolled and unchallenged.  Gone are the world leaders who defy the very God who made them and gave them the power they now exercise.  Gone are the rebellious nations that want nothing to do with Christ of His law.  It will all be swept away with the sword of His mouth.  We don’t have to do a thing.  He will do it all.  The light of life is the promise of His law!  Praise be to almighty God!