Christianity

Preaching Easter (Podcast Post – Episode 6)

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In the latest Biblical Preaching Bitesize, I share ten pointers for preaching Easter effectively.  The Easter story is the heart of the Christian faith, and a key moment in our church calendar.  So why might we struggle with preaching at Easter?

1. The story is so familiar.  The Easter story comes up repeatedly throughout the year as we present the gospel in various situations.  Sadly, the most wondrous news of all can become stale and predictable.  We can end up saying the same things about the cross and the same things about the empty tomb.  Listeners can bring assumptions from artistic images they have seen, or from presentations they have heard before. 

2. The wondrous truth can get buried.  Each passage that we might choose to preach is saying something about Easter.  But sometimes, that theological and potentially life-changing truth can get buried in the story’s recounting.  Or it can be lost because listeners get the sense they are listening to a famous old myth rather than the central moment of human history. When stories feel like a myth, listeners listen differently.

3. The preacher can feel flat.  Familiar material, a busy time of year, and a preacher recounting history rather than feasting on the Word of God can lead to a flattened heart at the front of the church.  We don’t want that, for our sake and theirs.

So, ponder the ten pointers in this Biblical Preaching Bitesize! To watch the Bitesize, click here.

And don’t miss the encouragement at the end.  What could be more powerful than a vivid image projected on the screen in a church using the best contemporary software?

To follow the Podcast, click here for Apple, or here for Spotify.

Thank you for helping to get this podcast to others by sharing it with people who care about preaching, as well as for any positive reviews, comments, etc. All good interaction with this material helps the algorithm put it in front of more people.

Jonathan Thomas on Revival (Podcast Post – Episode 5)

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“A reawakening of religious fervour” – that is a dictionary definition of revival. But in our latest podcast episode, Jonathan Thomas says we shouldn’t want revival. Jonathan has studied revival and produced documentaries on the subject. It was so good to interview him recently.

I remember reading Walter Kaiser’s book on the sixteen biblical revivals. Psalm 85:6 says, “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?” It is thrilling to read of seasons of God’s work being so tangible and imminent. Think of the revival under Josiah and Jeremiah or in the book of Acts. Kaiser finishes his book with these words, “I conclude that there can be no revival without the Lord initiating it and carrying it out. But I also conclude that no one can hide behind the doctrine of God as the explanation for why we have not had a revival in our day.”

So, how should we, as preachers, think about revival? After all, while we might assume we are unlikely to experience a revival, we cannot ignore the fact that revivals tend to involve preachers. I encourage you to watch these two podcast episodes, be encouraged by Jonathan’s thoughts, and join the conversation via the comments under the episode. (As always, please subscribe to the Cor Deo YouTube channel to easily find more content like this as it is released!)

And to find out why we shouldn’t want revival, here is part 2:

Transitions Matter! (Podcast Post – Episode 4)

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Is there a small detail in your preaching that would yield disproportionate fruit if you gave it some attention?  Maybe even a “non-content” element of preaching that would make your biblical content land with more precision and penetration?  The answer is, yes, absolutely.  Give some thought to your transitions!

As I listen to sermons in the classes I teach, it is often the transitions between points that either let a sermon down or help a sermon land with force.  Each transition is an opportunity to give breathing space (for fast-paced preachers), or assurance of progress (for more ponderous presenters), as well as a re-entry point for distracted listeners, and an opportunity to restate the main idea at a key moment in the sermon.  Then, of course, there is the main function of a good transition: to set up the next point in the sermon!

Transitions are small moments with big impact. In sporting terms, transitions provide assists so that the sermon points can score goals. Every coach knows the person giving the assist will get less glory but is critical to the team’s success.

So, hopefully, I have convinced you that transitions matter.  Feel free to go to your next sermon and think through how each transition could be most effective.  Or, if you want five specific suggestions on how to transition well, please check out this Bitesize episode on The Biblical Preaching Podcast!

Please do follow the podcast on your preferred podcast directory, or subscribe to the YouTube channel. Thank you for helping get the word out about the podcast!

Imitate Who?

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There are some strange stories of people imitating other people.  For instance, in 1951, the Canadian Naval Ship the Cayuga was engaged in the Korean War.  It took onboard three Korean fighters who needed immediate surgery.  The ship’s surgeon, Dr Joseph Cyr, went ahead and removed a bullet from the chest of one man, amputated the foot of another, etc.  He performed sixteen operations onboard and surgeries on shore in Korea.  But that man was not Dr Joseph Cyr.  With no training in surgery, Fred Demara had “borrowed” Cyr’s credentials to get into the Canadian Navy.  He had also imitated his way into being a Psychology Professor, a university administrator, a prison warden, and a Trappist monk.  It truly is a bizarre story.

And yet, perhaps it is even more bizarre that the Apostle Paul instructed the Ephesian believers to “be imitators of God” (See Ephesians 5:1).  There are a handful of places where believers are urged to imitate Paul or even to imitate Christ (e.g. 1 Corinthians 11:1).  Still, the instruction to “imitate God” is unique to this verse.  Let’s probe Paul’s point.

What is Paul’s instruction?  “Therefore, be imitators of God” (Ephesians 5:1).  Paul is not suggesting that we pretend to be God or that we in any way usurp God’s position.  For humans to invite worship, to function as if they are the central character in the universe, or to give the impression of being all-knowing, and so on, would be spiritual treason.  God is God, and I am not. 

On the other hand, we are very much expected to reflect the good character of God in every area of life.  For instance, in the verses before and after Ephesians 5:1, we see instruction as honest, gracious, self-controlled, generous, kind, forgiving, loving, self-sacrificing, holy, and pure – all beautiful aspects of God’s perfections.  (See Ephesians 4:25-5:4).

It would be fair to say that whatever is good about God’s character would be good to emulate and imitate, as long as we never blur the Creator and creature distinction.  It would also be fair to notice that since the Fall of Genesis 3, humans have been much more inclined to get these categories reversed.  How many people act as if they are the centre of the universe, worthy of worship, all-knowing, and in control, but lack the kind of goodness we have just described?  The Fall absolutely messed us up!

Why should we imitate God?  Because we are “children” (Ephesians 5:1).  Whether it is fair or not, people observe children and evaluate the parents.  Sometimes, a critical evaluation may be justified; other times, an outsider will have no idea of how much the parent is achieving considering the child’s circumstances.  For those of us who are parents, we know how much we feel the watching eyes of others, so we hope our children will behave well in public situations. 

As unfair as it may feel to us to have people evaluating us based on our children, how much more unfair is that for God?  Imagine having your reputation and perception determined by representatives like you and me.  After all, we are all flawed and broken people.  Image bearers of God, of course, but so far from divine perfection!

And yet, the watching continues.  People who never think about theological matters are watching you and me and assuming things about our God.  This watching is not only from those outside the church but also from inside.  Believers watch and learn from one another.  I can think of people I have watched and from whom I learned something of God’s forgiveness, or God’s generosity, or God’s humility, or God’s redemptive power.  The church is a living theological case study!

But how can we imitate God?  The idea that we can and should imitate God’s character can feel overwhelming.  How is it possible?  Are we supposed to self-generate a super-human effort and achieve the impossible by sheer willpower?  Notice the other word in the verse: “as beloved children” (Ephesians 5:1).  This imitation instruction is not based on the burden of striving effort.  Instead, it is to be fueled by the joy of a loving relationship.  Being saved and brought into God’s family means we are beloved children.

The word “beloved” makes it clear that we are not “tolerated” children, or “technically” children, or even “one of millions of children.”  The word “beloved” gives a sense of the lavishing of all the parental love poured out on a uniquely favoured, even an only, child.   More significantly, it is the same idea used of God’s unique Son, Jesus.  Remember the baptism declaration, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased!” (Matthew 3:17).

There are multiple layers in the idea of being a child of God.  Just as we have three types of paternity tests used among humans, the same idea works for us as believers.  There is the legal reality of being lovingly adopted into God’s family (e.g. Ephesians 1:5-6).  An adopted child has the paper evidence of the adoption certificate.  Then there is the DNA test proving something of a parent in a child.  For believers, we have the Spirit of God living within us (e.g. Ephesians 1:13-14).  And thirdly, there is the resemblance test.  When we see a baby, some people will immediately pronounce that the baby has his father’s nose, eyes, or whatever.  That is the DNA showing through immediately.  But Ephesians 5:1 is calling us to a more developed character likeness.  Just as a child in a loving relationship will grow to resemble the character of the loving parent, so it can be with us.

As we seek to lead other believers into greater God-likeness, we would do well to pause and reflect on this one word.  Do I believe I am “beloved” of God?  It is easy to say it, but then live as if I am merely tolerated.  And yet, what rocket fuel for transformation there is in being loved by God, even as He loves the Son (see John 17:23, for instance). 

In response to Ephesians 5:1, let us pray a simple prayer that has massive implications in our lives and those we influence.  “My loving Father, what do you want to work on in me so I may look more like you?”

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The Biblical Preaching Podcast is your conversation about preaching that shares God’s heart! Please find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, other podcast directories, and on YouTube. We would love to have your help in spreading the word – thank you in advance for every like, comment, share, follow and positive review!

Compelling Conclusions: 5 Ineffective Ingredients (Podcast Post – Episode 2)

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A compelling conclusion contains three ingredients: a look back, a look forward, and a definite finish.  However, many sermon conclusions are harmed by extra ingredients.  Here are a few to watch out for and avoid when bringing your sermon down to its landing.

1. The conclusion is not the place for new information.  Do not go deeper into the text, nor bring in extra scholarship at this point in the sermon.  A helpful story or quote could be helpful, but remember that you are trying to finish, not trying to add more to the message.

2. The conclusion is not the place for emotional manipulation.  Do not try to ramp up the emotion at the end of the message.  Let the affective force of the text do its work in the body of the message.  While there is scope for enthusiasm and encouragement, listeners are rightly wary of added emotion designed only to stir response at the end of a message.  It feels manipulative, so don’t do it.

3. The conclusion is not the place for an untrusting final effort.  You have prayerfully prepared and presented God’s Word.  Trust the Word and trust the Spirit.  Do not think that if you just give one last push, then you will be able to push people into a response.  Sometimes a brief message review can become one last try to drive the truth home to the listeners.  This final and added push, often generated by the apparent lack of responsiveness in the listeners, is not faith-filled but is a fleshly effort to achieve a goal that is not ours to achieve.  The Lord brings the growth.

4. The conclusion is not the place for a discouraging, downbeat fade towards the finish.  A sea of apparently unresponsive faces can be pretty disheartening.  But the conclusion is not the time to show your discouragement.  If the listeners sense it in your tone, or see it in your face, then your conclusion will undo the good that may be present but invisible.  Again, trust God to change lives, even if it feels like a failure in this moment.

5. The conclusion is not the place for disconnected applications.  Some preachers feel the conclusion is a special moment to throw extra applications at their listeners.  Don’t do it.  After a message on prayer, don’t add in an extra “Oh, and also be sure to tell someone about Jesus this week and invite them to next Sunday’s special event.” 

For a fuller explanation of the three ingredients for compelling conclusions and Peter’s acronym to remember them, please watch the video or listen to the podcast.  We appreciate any help getting the word out about this new resource – thank you in advance for any likes, comments, reviews, follows, shares, and prayers!

To follow the Podcast, click here for Apple, or here for Spotify.

Why Biblical Preaching? (Podcast Post for Episode 1)

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The Biblical Preaching Podcast is live!  My plan is to build on episodes with blog posts here so that you can get extra content on the blog, but also hopefully want to check out either the podcast or the related videos on YouTube.

In Episode 1, we discuss “Why Biblical Preaching?” 

People often raise the issue of a changing society.  The logic is simple – our world is changing at a rapid rate.  Technology is advancing faster than ever; people are bombarded with highly stimulating, rapidly moving content, and consumers access information differently than they did even a few years ago.  Therefore, many say that a verbal monologue delivered to a gathered congregation must be a mode of communication that should be consigned to history.  Spurgeon’s Victorian England may have needed preachers, and maybe Lloyd-Jones’ twentieth-century London required preachers, but surely we now live in a different world?

In the first part of the podcast, we discuss the question, “why preaching?”  We mention three reasons:

1. Because of the Biblical example – From Moses and Joshua, through the times of the Old Testament prophets, to the ministry of Jesus and the apostles in the early church, the consistent example is that of spoken messages pointing people to God’s person and purpose in this world.

Note: The world of the Bible is not monolithic.  There were vast shifts and changes between the preaching of Moses in Sinai, and the message of Joshua in the Promised Land, to the proclamation of Paul in Athens or Miletus.  And yet, through all the rising and falling of great empires, the shifting of cultures, the progression in God’s plan of history, still the pattern is consistent.  God’s messengers spoke a word that changed lives and shifted history.  It could be considered arrogant to think that our brief period of change should override millennia of shifting contexts in which preaching was a primary means of God working in the world.

2. Because of Biblical instruction – Paul’s final letter, written to Timothy, closes with the instruction to preach the Word.  It is fascinating that he does not focus on spectacular spiritual gifts or any other possible emphases for continuing ministry beyond his own time.  Instead, he urges Timothy to prioritize reading God’s Word and preaching it!  In other places, we can see instruction that would lead us to consider preaching as a critical component of gospel ministry.

3. Because of theological reality – What is God like?  He is a revealing, speaking and incarnational God.  In preaching, we see all persons of the Trinity in action – the Father’s loving initiative driving the whole mission of God in this world; the Son’s revealing of his Father and rescuing of humanity is the focus of both Scriptural and biblical preaching; and the Spirit woos, convicts and changes hearts through preaching.  In the podcast, I note how preaching (in this case, including spoken testimony), plays a key role in the story of salvation.  Where humanity fell into sin by doubting the word of an apparently absent God, so God wins a redeemed people back based not on a great show of power but based on the apparent weakness of words spoken in the kingdom of darkness.

In the second part of the podcast, we get into why we use the label “Biblical Preaching” and whether that is the same as “Expository Preaching.”  I will let you listen to the podcast to find out more!  Please check out the podcast, follow it on your podcast platform of choice, and thank you in advance for every interaction with the podcast or YouTube clip, as it helps the algorithm spread the content to more people.  Positive reviews are invaluable as we get the podcast going – thank you!

Click here to find the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and click here to find it on Spotify, or search for The Biblical Preaching Podcast on whatever app you use to find podcasts. And here is the YouTube video if you like to watch:

Introducing the Biblical Preaching Podcast!

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I’m excited to announce the launch of our brand-new podcast: The Biblical Preaching Podcast! Unlike the many great sermon podcasts, this podcast is designed for those who preach, those who are learning to preach, and anyone who cares deeply about the ministry of preaching.

My Cor Deo colleague, Mike Chalmers, will join me as we discuss all things preaching. Together, we’ll explore this ministry’s joys, challenges, and complexities.

Here’s what you can expect:

  • Engaging Discussions: Insights into various aspects of biblical preaching.
  • Special Guests: We’ll feature some amazing voices from the world of preaching—our first guest joins us next week!
  • Encouragement for Preachers: Each full episode concludes with a segment designed to encourage those in preaching ministry.
  • Bitesize Episodes: Shorter episodes focusing on one specific aspect of preaching.
  • Related Blog Posts: From time to time, I’ll share blog posts that dive deeper into themes we discuss in an episode. These posts won’t be mere transcripts but will provide additional perspectives, practical tips, or reflections to help you take the conversation further.

Our hope and prayer for this podcast is simple: that it will strengthen and encourage biblical preaching in churches around the world. Where biblical preaching thrives, the church grows healthier, and healthy churches reach their communities.

We want this podcast to be a gathering point—a place where preachers can connect, reflect, and grow together. This is your conversation! We’ll celebrate the goodness of God, explore the transformative power of rightly handled Scripture, tackle the complex realities of ministry, and share the joy of seeing lives changed through the preached Word.

How to Listen & Connect:
🎙️ Listen to the Podcast on Your Favorite Platform:

📺 Watch Episodes on YouTube:
Subscribe to our channel for video versions of the podcast and exclusive content: YouTube Channel.

🖋️ Read the Blog
Continue to visit BiblicalPreaching.net for posts related to specific episodes, offering fresh insights and practical takeaways.

Can You Help Spread the Word?
We’d love your help in making this podcast a resource for as many people as possible! Here’s how you can support us:

  • Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and/or to the YouTube channel.
  • Like and Comment to share your thoughts and join the conversation.
  • Follow Us for updates on new episodes and blog posts.
  • Share with your friends, fellow preachers, and anyone who might find this helpful.
  • Review the podcast on your favourite podcast platform – apparently, positive reviews are the most helpful thing!

Thank you for your prayers and support. We’re excited to see how God uses this podcast to encourage and equip preachers worldwide!

New Book Released in the USA

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I am very pleased to announce that my new book, The New Birth, has now also been released in the USA.

If you would like a copy of the book and will see me in person during January/February, please ask. (I will be in Oregon, St Louis and Chicago.) To order the book from my affiliate link in the USA – click here. (To order the book from my affiliate link in the UK/Europe – click here.)

Thanks so much! I hope you enjoy the book! (Please comment on this post if you’ve read the book already, but I would also greatly appreciate any positive reviews on 10ofthose, Amazon, GoodReads, etc.)

Endorsements

“Peter Mead presents this essential doctrine in a way that warm, clear, rich, and readable. The book is accessible and engaging, and the addition of stories and reflection questions at the end of each chapter enables us to consider and imagine the way that the truth of the gospel can and should shape our lives. This is a lovely and helpful book—a great introduction to those new to or exploring faith, and a refreshing encouragement to those who have been Christians for a while.”

Ellidh Cook, Student Worker at All Souls Langham Place, London

“This tiny book conveys a huge reality: that Jesus came to raise spiritually dead people into abundant life! Peter Mead’s insights into the new birth that Jesus offers are both pastorally wise and profoundly helpful.”

Philip Miller, Senior Pastor, The Moody Church, Chicago

“When I became a Christian, I didn’t really grasp what had happened. It was an infinitely bigger deal than I realised-it was (and is) beyond my wildest dreams. Peter has given us an excellent primer into this huge adventure. This lovely, heart-warming book opens up the foundational truth of the new birth. As with the rest of the Essentials series, it is short and simple, yet full of deep and delightful teaching.”

Jonathan Thomas, pastor, author & broadcaster

“I found Peter Mead’s The New Birth contribution to the Essentials’ series most helpful, because it weaves together our story with the big story of Scripture through the lens of the work of the Holy Spirit. Taking as its anchor point Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus, it wonderfully explains the theology and the felt experience of Christian conversion, and all along there are thrilling stories of how the Spirit transformed the likes of Spurgeon, Whitefield, C.S. Lewis, and modern men and women.”

Rico Tice, Co-Founder of Christianity Explored

We Must Not Lose Christ at Christmas

/ Peter Mead / 1 Comment

As Christmas approaches, plans are coming together—not only for family gatherings but also for church events.  Last year, our church put on a Christmas musical, which involved lots of cast, support crew, set building, costume making, songwriting, etc.  This year, we are keeping it simple with just a couple of carol services.  Whether we “go big” or “keep it simple,” there is one important ingredient that must not be forgotten.

It is so easy to have everyone frantically pulling together a Christmas production and then have nobody remembering to bring the baby for the manger.  In the same way, it is easy to be busy with Christmas plans, even Christmas preaching, and fail to keep the focus on the baby at the centre of the story.

If Jesus is forgotten for a nativity scene, then someone will be quickly despatched to go and pick up a baby doll before anyone notices.  But what happens if we lose Jesus from our Christmas, and even from our Christianity?

If the theme is Christmas, but Christ is missing, then there will be lots of peace on earth and goodwill to all men, but no basis for such a message of hope.  And if the focus is more general, then a Christianity without Jesus will descend into moral tirades and an attempt to police either church or society.  There can be no real Christianity without Christ.

And yet, it keeps on happening.  How often is the gospel presented as a moral and legal logical presentation?  “You have been bad, judgment is coming, God can help you get fixed, and there are some other benefits too…”  It might involve some presentation of truth, but the heart of the message is missing.

John Piper wrote these words in God is the Gospel:

“The critical question for our generation – and for every generation – is this: If you could have Heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with Heaven, if Christ was not there?”

We have briefly considered Christmas, and Christianity in general, as well as our evangelism.  But what about on a personal level?  When Jesus is missing, we will tend to see God as distant and become increasingly self-focused.  This does not necessarily mean we will become rebellious and overtly sinful.  We might just become religious and self-righteous.  Whether in compliance or rebellion, we will become much more behavioural in our focus.

Without Jesus, we will start to see our Bibles as instruction manuals, more than God’s self-revelation.  For instance, in John 5, Jesus is rebuking the religious leaders for diligently studying their Bibles and yet missing him completely.  They would study and recite the Hebrew Scriptures, but they were blind to the self-revelation of God that should have had them excited at the arrival of Jesus.  Sadly, their study spectacles only allowed them to see the dazzling lights of self-glorification, and they missed the main focus of the Scriptures who now stood in front of them.

When we let Jesus drift out of the spotlight in our Christianity, we will lose that vital sense of the relationship with God that Jesus came to establish.  Instead of gazing on Jesus and being transformed (2 Corinthians 3:18), we will see only ourselves and drift toward self-glorifying, or self-loathing, or we will become self-appointed evaluators of others and start to inflict unhelpful pressure on others. 

There is a world of difference between Christianity with Jesus at the centre, and religion with me at the centre.  Actually, there is an eternity of difference.

As we come to another Christmas, let’s be sure to pause and allow our hearts to be wowed by the wonder of it all.  Charles Wesley’s hymn says this: “In vain the first-born seraph tries, to sound the depths of love divine!”  If angels are amazed, surely we should slow down and make sure we are too.  Can we ever fully grasp the wonder of Christmas?  Wesley’s words again, “Veiled in flesh, the godhead see, hail the incarnate deity, pleased as man with man to dwell, Jesus our Immanuel!”

Before the year is done, take a moment to stop and take stock.  Jesus has to be the centre of everything, not only at Christmas, but in all of Christianity.  He is much too precious to lose!

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As we enter the month of December, click below for the advent series of videos in Pleased to Dwell – Peter’s book about the Incarnation . . .

The Strongest Arm

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Where do we turn when we are troubled?  Whether that is a personal struggle, a complicated situation at church, or a concerning development in the world, we should turn to the Bible.  Sometimes, we find a specific verse that resonates and lingers within us.  Other times, the treasure we need will come from a more purposeful digging into a theme or concept.  As more people realise that our world is teetering on the edge of political and societal collapse, let’s find help by mining the blessing of just one word in one Bible book.

The Hebrew term translated as “arm” is found in Isaiah more than any other Old Testament book.  Fourteen times, it refers to the arm of the LORD.  Could it be what we need to lift our spirits in troubling times?

The Image Introduced: The Two Functions of the Arm

The term is only found twice in Isaiah 1-39.  The first time, in Isaiah 30:30, it is used to describe lightning crashing down on the mountain of the LORD.  Just as thunder is God’s majestic voice, lightning is the descent of “God’s arm.” The enemies of God should fear because the LORD himself is guaranteed to win in battle.  In Isaiah 33:2, the second use comes in the cry of God’s people as they ask him to be gracious, to “be our arm every morning, our salvation in the time of trouble.” God’s arm is indeed his strength as he steps in to fight against the enemies of his people, but for his people, his arm is their salvation, a symbol of their hope. 

At the start of Isaiah 40-66, we again meet this double image of the LORD’s arm.  In chapter 40, as the Babylonian exile is anticipated, the prophet looks forward to the hope of returning to Zion, where God himself will dwell.  They hope to look to him, to “Behold your God!” (Isa. 40:9)  What are they looking at?  The Lord GOD comes with might, his arm ruling for him (an image of strength and an instrument of justice); this is their God (Isa. 40:10).  But this strong arm is also secure.  He gathers his flock like a shepherd, holding the lambs in his arms close to his chest (Isa. 40:11).  The arm of the LORD is an instrument of justice to be feared by all nations and yet the means of deliverance for his people.

There are two clusters of references to the arm of the LORD in the later chapters of Isaiah.  The two themes of salvation and justice remain paired throughout the book; however, the first cluster of references focuses on God’s saving work, and the second cluster focuses on God’s judging work.

Cluster One: The Surprising Arm of Salvation (chapters 49-53)

Isaiah 40-66 consists of three sets of nine chapters, each ending with a promise of judgment for the wicked (see 48:22; 57:21; 66:24).  At the end of the first set of nine chapters, which offers a strong contrast between the living and speaking God of Judah and the dead and dumb idols of Babylon, we find another reference to the arm of the LORD.  God has indeed called his people, loving them and simultaneously judging the Chaldeans with his arm outstretched against them (Isa. 48:14). That arm becomes very evident in the following chapters.

With the focus on the Servant of the LORD (see Isa. 49:1-6), the contrast shifts onto the sin of God’s people versus the obedience of the LORD’s Servant.  Repeatedly, God is shown to be a God of justice and salvation.  Thus, “my arms will judge the peoples,” and the far-off nations wait for “my arm” (Isa. 51:5).  While creation itself may wear out, God’s salvation and righteousness will be forever.  And so the cry rings out for the arm of the LORD to “awake” and “put on strength” (Isa. 51:9).  It was the arm of the LORD that delivered Israel from Egypt in the past. It will deliver them again in that future return from exile.

As the oracle continues into chapter 52, the good news of salvation reaches Jerusalem, and the watchmen sing for joy.  The LORD has comforted Zion (Isa. 52:9, cf. 40:1); all the ends of the earth will see his salvation.  Why?  Because “The LORD has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations.” (Isa. 52:10).  He has rolled up his sleeves to act before the eyes of the whole world.  The following reference must be climactic.  What will God do?  The last reference in this cluster comes, poignantly, in the final servant song, in Isaiah 52:13-53:12.  At the start of the second stanza, Isaiah asks, “Who has believed what he has heard from us?  And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” (Isa. 53:1). Surprisingly, the powerful saving arm of God has been revealed in the unimpressive Servant, despised and rejected by men, the man of sorrows.  We know the arm of the LORD can bring salvation; we need only remember the cross of Christ to see that reality revealed to all who have eyes to see.

Cluster Two: The Powerful Arm of Righteousness (chapters 59-63)

Of course, the story of human sin persists, and the later chapters of Isaiah reinforce that the Servant’s saving work does not mean that sin’s effects are already finished.  When we come to Isaiah 59, we find a litany of evils persisting, and human nature is still set against God’s holiness.  In Isaiah 59:15-16, the LORD sees the sin, the lack of justice, and the absence of righteousness, and he is displeased.  So, while no humans would do the right thing, God himself, by his own arm, brought salvation and righteousness.  The same pair of goals, established by the same strong arm, yet again.  Could this refer back to the same events described in chapters 51-53?  Perhaps, but there is a hint of vengeance now, a tone of final judgment.  This eschatological focus becomes more evident as the chapters progress.

By chapter 62, it is clear that the LORD is seeing the return of the people to the land in final and complete terms. Jerusalem’s righteousness and salvation must ultimately shine forth (Isa. 62:1).  The nations will finally see that Israel is God’s delight, a nation married to him (Isa. 62:4).  The establishment of Jerusalem is the great eschatological goal of Isaiah, with the nations praising what God has done (Isa. 62:7).  And this plan is guaranteed by the LORD’s oath, which is made by his right hand and mighty arm (Isa. 62:8).

The celebration of the city feels like the end of the story. But then, Isaiah introduces a warrior riding in from Edom, his garments stained blood red (Isa. 63:1).  Here is the one who has made it all possible by treading the winepress alone.  This Warrior is the Servant of Isaiah 53, now having returned to conquer and judge, to fight God’s great battle, and to establish righteousness and salvation on the earth.  He had looked for others to join in, but again, he fought that battle alone, and his “own arm” brought him salvation (Isa. 63:5).  The Servant had returned, now a Warrior: a different role, but the same mighty arm.  This was the same “glorious arm” that had formerly fought for Israel in the wilderness in the days of Moses, dividing the waters and going before his people.  (Isa. 63:12)

Conclusion

Isaiah paints a powerful portrait of the LORD of Israel.  One feature of this God is his arm, awakening and going forth in power to establish righteousness and achieve salvation for his people.  The arm of the LORD is a symbol of might and power, a glorious arm that the nations should fear, and yet a symbol of tender strength that God’s people should trust.  In the first cluster of references, in Isaiah 48-53, we find the arm revealed surprisingly in the suffering Servant, despised and rejected, yet achieving God’s great salvation plan.  In the second cluster of references, in Isaiah 59-63, we find the arm revealed again, now in the conquering Warrior-King, judging the enemies of God and establishing God’s great eschatological plan for his people. 

In the past, the arm of the LORD went forth for Israel in the wilderness.  Then the arm of the LORD was revealed in the suffering Servant at the cross.  Ultimately, the arm of the LORD will conquer and establish God’s purposes in the future. 

Righteousness and salvation are ever God’s dual concerns.  The nations are ever his sphere of influence.  His people are ever his beloved focus.  And his arm is never too short to save.

So what about today?  With sin ramping up to apparently unprecedented levels in abject rebellion against God’s rule and the world seemingly teetering on the edge of human-led disaster, let us again look for the arm of our LORD.  He is mighty to judge, and he is tender to save.  His plans will be established, the nations will be judged, and we will be safely in his arms.

Let us dig into the Scriptures to find truths about our God that will assure us that his embrace is secure, whatever may be happening in the world around us.