God's promise of restoration and protection

Poor Jerusalem, storm tossed, and not comforted, I will set your stones in black mortar, and lay your foundations in sapphires. I will make your fortifications out of rubies, your gates out of sparkling stones, and all your walls out of precious stones. Then all your children will be taught by the Lord, their prosperity will be great, and you will be established on a foundation of righteousness. You will be far from oppression, you certainly will not be afraid; you will be far from terror, it will certainly not come near you. If anyone attacks you, it is not from Me; whoever attacks you will fall before you. Look, I have created the craftsman who blows on the charcoal fire and produces a weapon suitable for its task; and I have created the destroyer to cause havoc. No weapon formed against you will succeed, and you will refute any accusation raised against you in court. This is the heritage of the Lord's servants, and their righteousness is from Me. Isaiah 54:11-17

The Lord brought the Assyrians and Babylonians to teach His people things they refused to learn. It was a hard way to learn. Yet here God is promising a rest from such treatment. We know it did not stop Jerusalem being overrun by futures raiders until the time of restoration, they now have their homeland and are defending it against all enemies that surround them, much to their credit.

What does this scripture say to me, to one who has stepped into a new relationship, one of family? I can take the promises of restoration and trust my God to establish me on a high place, above all enemies that come against me.

The imagery of precious stones being set in black mortar is not appealing. I must say this imagery is offensive to my artistic temperament. Precious stones need settings of silver and gold and other precious metals, not mortar, ug!

What does this mean? My bible footnotes say: antimony, apparently it is a lustrous gray element, not quite pitch black.

Still, it is unusual!. Matthew Henry commentary says it speaks of a future time, post-tribulation. The precious stones speak of a precious bride, holy and pure. Being placed in antimony perhaps indicates immoveability. (Di's rendition)

All good! But what about now? I can place my faith in the One who creates all things and trust him to establish me now. I am sure I am set in place, in antimony, immoveable. Amen!


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