Unless The Lord Builds a House

A day of redemption is at hand for those who have followed hard after the Lord. The Lord promises to ruin the fortified city from which war was launched against His people. The terrible people had composed songs to mock God and hurt His people, but a day is coming, and they will fear Him, and glorify Him.

“O Lord, You are my God. I will exalt You, I will praise Your Name, for You have done wonderful things; Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth. For You have made a city a ruin, a fortified city a ruin, a palace of foreigners to be a city no more; it will never be rebuilt. Therefore the strong people will glorify You; the city of the terrible nations will fear You. For You have been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat; for the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall. You will reduce the noise of aliens, as heat in a dry place; as heat in the shadow of a cloud, the song of the terrible ones will be diminished.” [1]

The Lord has a feast for His people who previously experienced a covering of darkness and a veil of despair. He replaces death with eternal life. He wipes tears from their faces. He delivers them from the devil’s disdaining insults.

“In this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all people a feast of choice pieces, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of well-refined wines on the lees. And He will destroy on this mountain the surface of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces; the rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; for the Lord has spoken.” [2]

God’s faithful people have waited for this day. “It will be said in that day: ‘Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.’” [3]

Enemies will be trampled underfoot. God will bring down their pride together with the trickery of their hands. Their war machine will be reduced to dust. [4]

In that day, God’s people will sing, “We have a strong city. God has given us salvation for walls.” The righteous nation (consisting of God’s faithful people from the earth) will enter this city. God keeps them in perfect peace because their minds have been stayed on Him. They have trusted in God. In the Lord is everlasting strength. The Lord brought down the city of arrogant oppressors and placed them under the feet of the poor and the steps of the needy.” [5]

Those who trusted in the Lord proclaim their victory with these words, “O Lord, we have waited for You; the desire of our soul is for Your Name and for the remembrance of You. With my soul I have desired You in the night, yes, by my spirit within me I will seek You early; for when Your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.” [6]

God’s people have waited for this day as a pregnant woman waits for the day of birth. “As a woman with child is in pain and cries out in her pangs, when she draws near the time of her delivery, so have we been in Your sight, O Lord. We have been with child we have been in pain; we have, as it were, brought forth wind; we have not accomplished any deliverance in the earth, nor have the inhabitants of the world fallen.” [7] They wanted to bring forth this new community for the Lord but were unable to do so. The Lord saw their dilemma and brought it forth.

God tells His people to find safety. He’s going to deal with evil doers. He’s going to expose the blood that they have shed and reward them accordingly. “Come, My people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, until the indignation is past. For behold, the Lord comes out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; the earth will also disclose her blood and will no more cover her slain.” [8]

During some of the darkest days on earth, the Lamb, Jesus Christ, has a 144,000 loyal followers. They abstain from participation in sexual sins. They follow the Lamb. They are the redeemed of the Lord. There is no deceit in their mouths. They live to please God. [9]

The message of the last days is to heed the Gospel. Trust in Jesus Christ for redemption. Fear God and give Him glory. Babylon – the devil’s kingdom of sin is falling. All who participated in it shall drink from God’s cup of wrath. They shall experience the torment of fire and brimstone. [10]

God says to His people, “Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.” [11]

The Lord speaks of two harvests: a harvest of the righteous which is the Lord gathering His people to Himself, and a harvest of those who are thrown into the winepress of God’s wrath. [12] The key to be included in the first harvest is faith in Christ and obedience to His Word by the power of His indwelling Holy Spirit.

Though there are powerful people in high places living contrary to the Lord and blaspheming His Name, beware! “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.” [13]

[1] Isaiah 25:1-5
[2] Isaiah 25:6-8
[3] Isaiah 25:9
[4] Isaiah 25:10-12
[5] Isaiah 26:1-6
[6] Isaiah 26:8-9
[7] Isaiah 26:17-18
[8] Isaiah 26:20-21
[9] Revelation 14:1-5
[10] Revelation 14:6-11
[11] Revelation 14:12-13
[12] Revelation 14:14-20
[13] Psalm 127:1