Isaiah 4:5-6, “Then the LORD will create over the whole site of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory there will be a canopy. 6 There will be a booth for shade by day from the heat, and for a refuge and a shelter from the storm and rain.”
I love walking in the rain…as long as I have an umbrella – a good one. Then, no matter what might be falling from the sky, I’m protected, I’m untouchable. Life is like that for the Christian. God promises here to create over Mount Zion, that is over His Church, a covering – a cloud by day, a fire by night. Does that ring a bell? God led Israel through the wilderness and protected them from Pharoah’s army taking the form of a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Isaiah is foretelling how God will entirely and completely protect His church even from rain, even from the beating sun! And He Himself will dwell with them in His glory.
This has it’s ultimate fulfillment in the eternal and supernally bright day of heaven. There God will dwell with us and there will be no rain, no sorrow, no pain. But this prophecy is not just for then. In Jesus who brings us to that eternal joy, this prophecy is now as well. In this world, pain, sorrow, suffering, guilt rain down from the sky like softball sized hail, great bolts of fear thunder all around you…but you have an umbrella, a good one. It’s Jesus. It’s His love. It’s His wounded hands lifted above you in blessing. It’s Him gathering you safe under His wings. It’s Him holding you in His arms safe from every storm. That certainly does not mean that you won’t experience these difficulties, it doesn’t mean you won’t be a sinner. It just means that you will be forgiven, holy through faith and that you for you, surrounded by His love, all the evils that annoy will be used to bless you, used to draw you onward and upward towards that bright future.
Jesus promised that the gates of hell themselves would never be able to prevail against His Church. There’s a reason for that – Jesus, He’s your umbrella so whatever it is, God’s got you covered.
In Christ
Pastor Ude