Isaiah 45:8 – Rain Down Righteousness
This whole chapter is talking about deliverance, rescue, and salvation. On one level, it’s looking at Cyrus, the king of the Persians, who would come along in a few hundred years. But on another level, it is very much looking to the coming of the Christ and deliverance and delight in Him.
In order to expect deliverance, there must be righteousness. What is righteousness? Righteousness is being innocent before the law of God. When God measures us according to the standard of His Word, righteousness is something that you and I, of ourselves; do not have. We are born in sin. And we have just multiplied things by our own sins. Righteousness cannot come from ourselves. Yet righteousness is what we need for deliverance. Where will we find righteousness? It must come from someplace else. Righteousness must come down from above, given by God Himself in Christ. Our Lord Jesus Christ has come from the heavens. He came to take on the full nature of man, to live righteously, perfectly, in the place of His people. He came, so that to the cross and to the grave He might go, bearing the guilt of our sin. He substituted His righteousness for our guilt. And now He has returned to heaven. But from heaven, even as He promised, He showered down, poured down, blessing; for He sent the Holy Spirit. We, by God’s grace, have Him, the Holy Spirit, indwelling us.
This salvation brought by God will fill the earth. The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God as the waters cover the sea. God, and God alone, has done this. To God, and to God alone, should be given the glory. Has God and His grace rained down upon you? And has His Spirit been poured out upon you because of what Jesus has done for sinners? Well, then rejoice if this has happened. We can pray this, that there will be a great raining down, a great pouring out of God’s spirit on people round about us and throughout our land and all lands. For God has promised that He should bring it. Let us be praying that He will rain down righteousness!
Questions
- Where does righteousness come from?
- What does God promise about the nations?
Prayer Points
- Pray that God would reign down righteousness on the earth.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.