“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but your would have none of it….
Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion.
For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!”
Isaiah 30: 15,18
AS THE NEW PRIME MINISTER OF THE KINGDOM, I HURRIED DOWN THE HALLWAY. MY THOUGHTS WERE IN TURMOIL. THINGS WERE NOT RIGHT IN THE KINGDOM. FOR YEARS THE OUTLYING PROVINCE REBELLED AGAINST THE KING. CRIME AND CORRUPTION REIGNED IN THAT PROVINCE. THE REBELS IGNORED THE KING’S JUST LAWS AND REFUSED TO PAY HIS TAXES. THESE USURPERS ENSLAVED THE KING’S SUBJECTS. THEY BEAT AND RAN OFF THE KING’S AGENTS . THE KING EVEN SENT THE CROWN PRINCE TO CALL THE REBELS BACK, BUT THEY KILLED HIM. I COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE KING DID NOT ACT TO END THE REBELLION. NOW THAT I WAS PRIME MINISTER, I COULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS SORRY STATE OF AFFAIRS.
I WAS USHERED INTO THE KING’S STUDY. I BOWED LOW, WAITING FOR THE KING TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY PRESENCE. HOW BLESSED TO SERVE SUCH A WISE AND GRACIOUS KING. A FLOOD OF GRATITUDE WASHED OVER ME. HOW FAR I HAD COME FROM THAT ORPHAN THE KING HAD CALLED FROM THE STREETS. A SMILE CROSSED MY FACE; SO MANY LIVES AFFECTED FOR GOOD. NOTHING COULD BE MORE NOBEL THAN TO SERVE THIS KING.
THE KING LOOKED UP FROM THE PAPERS ON HIS DESK. “ARISE, MY FRIEND AND TAKE A SEAT,” HE SAID. “NOW, WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU?” .
“MY LORD, “I BEGAN, “I WANT TO DISCUSS THE REBELLION. IT IS ABOUT TIME WE CRUSHED THESE REBELS AND REESTABLISHED YOUR RIGHTFUL RULE. YOUR ARMY IS READY TO BEGIN A CAMPAIGN OF RECONQUEST. ALL WE NEED IS FOR YOU TO APPROVE THE PLAN I HAVE BROUGHT WITH ME.”
“LET ME SEE THE PLAN,” THE KING ASKED. HE TOOK IT FROM ME, SETTLED BACK AND LOOKED IT OVER FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. HE FINALLY COMMENTED, “THIS IS AN EXCELLENT PLAN. GIVEN THE SUPERIOR STRENGTH OF MY ARMY, IT CANNOT FAIL.” THE KING SET THE PAPERS DOWN. “WE WILL USE IT, BUT NOT YET. MANY YEARS MUST PASS BEFORE THE ARMY GOES FORTH.”
“BUT MY LORD, THE REBELS CONTINUE TO DEFY YOU,” I PROTESTED. GENUINELY CONFUSED AND FRUSTRATED, I WENT ON, “REPORTS REACH MY OFFICE DAILY OF THE OPPRESSION AND MISERY YOUR PEOPLE SUFFER. WE CAN PUT AND END TO IT. WHY NOT NOW?”
“YES, MY PEOPLE ARE OPPRESSED. I AM KEENLY AWARE OF THEIR SUFFERING,” THE KING ANSWERED. “BUT THEY HAVE PUT THEMSELVES BEYOND MY RULE. IT BREAKS MY HEART THAT I CANNOT RESPOND TO THEIR CRIES. IT GRIEVES ME TO SEE THEM MAKING HARMFUL DECISIONS. IT ANGERS ME THAT ANY OF MY PEOPLE ARE ENSLAVED. WOULD THAT THIS VERY MOMENT I COULD HEAL ALL THEIR WOUNDS!” THE VEHEMENCE IN THE KING’S VOICE STARTLED ME. MY HEART MOVED BY THE ANGUISH I SAW IN THE KING’S FACE.
THE KING COLLECTED HIMSELF. “COME WITH ME. LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT I HAVE DONE.” IN A FEW MOMENTS I FOUND MYSELF SITTING BESIDE THE KING AS HIS CARRIAGE MADE ITS WAY TOWARD THE CITY GATE. AS WE RODE ALONG, I RECALLED AFRESH THE BEAUTY OF THE KING’S CITY. WE TRAVELED DOWN BROAD AVENUES LINED WITH GRACEFUL TREES AND FLOWERING SHRUBS. WE PASSED PROUD BUILDINGS AND WELL KEPT HOMES. WE CAME UPON LOVELY PARKS FILLED WITH HAPPY FAMILIES ON OUTINGS. “HOW PLEASANT IT IS TO LIVE IN SUCH A PEACEFUL AND PROSPEROUS CITY,” I REFLECTED. HOW DIFFERENT LIFE WAS IN THE REBELLIOUS PROVINCE. FINALLY ,WE REACHED THE CITY GATE.
THE GATE’S MASSIVE TIMBERS AND IRON BARS TESTIFIED TO THE SECURITY OF THE CITY. LEFT AND RIGHT ROSE STRONG WALLS AND HIGH TOWERS. “NO ENEMY COULD EVER HOPE TO BREACH THESE WALLS OR BREAK DOWN THIS GATE,” I THOUGHT.
“LOOK AT THE GATE.” THE KING INTERRUPTED MY MUSING. I NOTICED THERE WAS A SMALL DOOR IN THE GATE. IT OPENED AND A MAN PASSED THROUGH. TATTERED CLOTHES HUNG ON HIM. BRUISES AND INFLAMED WOUNDS MARKED HIS PALLID FLESH, VISIBLE THROUGH THE HOLES IN HIS CLOTHING. FATIGUE COVERED HIM LIKE A GARMENT, YET DETERMINATION ETCHED ITSELF ACROSS HIS FACE.
HE REMOVED A KEY FROM THE LOCK, DROPPED IT IN HIS POCKET AND CLOSED THE DOOR. HE TURNED AND SAW THE KING. WITH A SMILE OF RELIEF, HE LIMPED OVER AND FELL PROSTRATE AT THE KING’S FEET.
“MY LORD AND KING,” THE MAN CRIED. “FORGIVE ME. I AM FROM THE OUTLYING PROVINCE. TOO LONG I HAVE GONE ALONG WITH THE REBELLION, BUT I HAVE TURNED MY BACK ON MY FORMER LIFE. I HAVE COME HERE TO SERVE YOU,… IF YOU WILL HAVE ME. I WANT TO BE YOUR LOYAL SUBJECT. O MY LORD, DO WITH ME WHAT YOU WILL.” THE WRETCHED MAN LAY THERE DISSOLVED IN TEARS.
“STAND UP, MY SON,” THE KING GENTLY REPLIED. “I AM SO GLAD TO SEE YOU. I HAVE WAITED SO LONG FOR YOU TO COME BACK. WELCOME HOME.” WITH THAT THE KING RAISED THE MAN UP AND HELD HIM CLOSE. TEARS WERE NOW STREAMING DOWN THREE SETS OF CHEEKS.
THE KING TURNED TO ME. “THIS IS MY SOLUTION. I WILL END THE REBELLION! IF I SENT MY ARMY NOW, HOWEVER, IT WOULD ONLY BE IN JUDGEMENT. ALL THE REBELS WOULD PERISH. NO ONE WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO AS THIS MAN HAS DONE.
WHAT YOU WITNESSED HERE AT THE GATE HAPPENS EVERY DAY,” THE KING WENT ON. “ONE BY ONE MY PEOPLE ARE RETURNING TO ME. ONE BY ONE THEY LEAVE THE OPPRESSION AND SUFFERING OF THE REBELLION FOR THE HEALING AND SECURITY OF MY CITY.”
“BUT WHERE DO THEY GET THE KEY THAT UNLOCKS THE GATE?” I ASKED.
“THEY HAVE IT ALL ALONG, EVERY ONE OF THEM,” THE KING ANSWERED. “EVER SINCE MY SON DIED, EACH HAS THIS KEY. MOST REFUSE TO ADMIT THEY HAVE IT. HOWEVER, ONCE THEY REALIZE HOW GRIEVOUS THEIR REBELLION IS, THEY TAKE THE KEY IN HAND. ONCE THEY ADMIT THAT THEY ARE REBELS AGAINST THEIR RIGHTFUL KING, THEY LEAVE AND COME HERE. THEY COME TO THE GATE, TAKE THE KEY AND UNLOCK THE DOOR.”
“DOES THE KEY HAVE A NAME?” ` I CRIED.
“YES, OLD FRIEND.” THE KING SMILED. “THE NAME OF THE KEY IS REPENTANCE. ONLY THE KEY OF REPENTANCE UNLOCKS THE GATE TO GOD.”
IN ISAIAH 30.15 WE READ: “IN REPENTANCE AND REST IS YOUR SALVATION, ON QUIETNESS AND TRUST IS YOUR STRENGTH, BUT YOU WOULD HAVE NONE OF IT.” GOD HERE SPEAKS TO HIS PEOPLE DWELLING, AS IT WERE, IN THE REBELLIOUS PROVINCE. IT IS A TIME OF NATIONAL CRISIS. JUDAH FACES INVASION FROM THE MOST POWERFUL NATION OF THAT DAY, ASSYRIA. ISAIAH CALLS THEM TO REPENT OF HUMAN SOLUTIONS TO THIS THREAT. RATHER THAN AN ALLIANCE WITH EGYPT, HE CALLS THEM TO WAIT FOR GOD’S DELIVERANCE; TO TRUST THEIR GOD.
THE TEXT GOES ON TO DESCRIBE THEIR FATE IF THEY DON’T REPENT. (READ VERSES 16, 17). THIS IS LIFE IN THE REBELLION. NO PEACE. NO SECURITY. ONLY PANIC AND DEATH. IN THE END ALL HUMAN MIGHT IS REDUCED TO ONE FLAG BEARER, ALONE ON THE HILL TOP SURROUNDED BY THE BODIES OF HIS FALLEN COMRADES, ENCIRCLED BY HIS ENEMIES. THERE IS NO SECURITY BEYOND THE KING’S RULE.
LIKE THE KING IN OUR PARABLE, GOD GOES ON TO SHARE HIS HEART. (VERSE 18). “YET THE LORD LONGS TO BE GRACIOUS TO YOU; HE RISES TO SHOW YOU COMPASSION. FOR THE LORD IS A GOD OF JUSTICE. BLESSED ARE ALL WHO WAIT FOR HIM.” BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO TAKE THE KEY, JOURNEY TO THE KING’S CITY, USE THE KEY OF REPENTANCE AND GO IN.
VERSE 18 DESCRIBES GOD’S DILEMMA. HE LONGS TO BE FORGIVING AND COMPASSIONATE TO ALL HIS WAYWARD CHILDREN. BUT HE IS EQUALLY A GOD OF JUSTICE. WITHOUT THE KEY OF REPENTANCE, HE CANNOT BLESS.
THAT REBELLIOUS PROVINCE IS IN THE HEART OF EVERY MAN WHO REJECTS GOD’S SOVEREIGN RULE OVER HIS LIFE. REPENTANCE HAPPENS WHEN WE ADMIT THAT REBELLION AND TURN OUR BACK ON ALL SELF-WILLED LIFE. IT INVOLVES A SHIFT OF ALLEGIANCE. IT IS AS RADICAL A TURN ABOUT AS THE JOURNEY OUR REPENTANT REBEL MADE FROM THE PROVINCE OF REBELLION TO THE CITY OF GOD.
TURN THE KEY. UNLOCK THE DOOR. PASS INTO THE CITY AND UNDER THE BENEVOLENT RULE OF GOD, AND HE CAN BLESS. THE BLESSING IS WITHIN THE CITY. THOSE WHO DISTANCE THEMSELVES FROM THE KING, IN ORDER TO RUN THEIR LIVES THEMSELVES, CANNOT BE BLESSED.
THERE ARE EVEN SOME WHO SEEMINGLY REJECT THE REBELLION, BUT FAIL TO COME INTO THE CITY. THEY LIVE OUTSIDE THE WALL, IN THE SHADOW OF THE KING’S PALACE. THEY OCCASIONALLY SEE THE KING. ONCE IN AWHILE THEY COME NEAR THE GATE; WHEN THEY HAVE AN OBVIOUS NEED FOR THE KING. BUT MOSTLY, THEY LIVE OUTSIDE THE KING’S RULE. IT IS IRONIC. THEY THINK THEY ARE CITIZENS OF THE CITY. HOWEVER, THEY ARE SQUATTERS. BY CONTRAST TO THE GLORIES OF THE CITY, THEY LIVE ON TOP OF THE CITY DUMP, SUBSISTING ON THE LEFT OVERS OF THE KING’S GRACE. THEY LIVE OUTSIDE THE CITY BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT USE THE KEY. THEY DECEIVE THEMSELVES THAT THEY ARE LOYAL SUBJECTS, RESPONSIVE TO THE KING’S COMMANDS, BUT THEY HAVE NEVER REPENTED. THEY SAY ALL THE RIGHT WORDS, DO ALL THE RIGHT THINGS, BUT THEY SIT ON THE THRONE OF THEIR LIVES, NOT JESUS. YOU WILL FIND THEM FILLING THE PEWS IN EVERY CHURCH.
NOTICE WHAT GOD PROMISES HE WILL DO FOR THOSE WHO NOW LIVE IN HIS CITY.
- HE WILL ANSWER QUICKLY. (VERSE 19). LACK OF PEACE, ANXIETY, TEARS OFTEN FILL OUR DAYS BECAUSE WE PRAY AND GOD DOESN’T QUICKLY ANSWER. TO THOSE WITH A REPENTANT HEART GOD PROMISES AS SOON AS I HEAR I WILL ANSWER YOU. IT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIVING CUT OFF FROM THE KING IN THAT OUTLYING PROVINCE, OR LIVING DAY BY DAY WITHIN THE WALLS OF HIS CITY.
- HE WILL GUIDE CLEARLY. (VERSE 20, 21). UNCERTAINTY STRESSES US EVERY TIME WE MAKE A CRITICAL DECISION. IS IT THE RIGHT DECISION? WILL IT WORK OUT LIKE WE HOPE? TOO OFTEN WE CHOOSE A COURSE OF ACTION AND FIND OURSELVES MILES FROM WHERE WE HOPED WE WOULD BE. THE PRODIGAL SON GRABBED HIS INHERITANCE, SAW A LUXURY CONDO IN HIS FUTURE, BUT ENDED UP IN THE PIG STY. HOW MUCH BETTER TO HEAR GOD SPEAK, “THIS IS THE WAY; WALK IN IT.” THAT IS THE PRIVILEGE OF THOSE WHO LIVE WITHIN THE VOICE OF THE KING.
- HE WILL FREE COMPLETELY. (VERSE 22). THE IDOLS OF THIS WORLD PROMISE THE GOOD LIFE. MANKIND OBSESSIVELY PURSUES THEIR PROMISED TREASURES. TO SUCH THE KING SAID: “DO NOT STORE UP FOR YOURSELF TREASURES ON EARTH, WHERE MOTH AND RUST DESTROY, AND WHERE THIEVES BREAK IN AND STEAL. BUT STORE UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES IN HEAVEN, WHERE MOTH AND RUST DO NOT DESTROY, AND WHERE THIEVES DO NOT BREAK IN AND STEAL. FOR WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE YOUR HEART WILL BE ALSO.” PURSUE THE WORLD’S TREASURES AND YOUR HEART WILL BE ENSLAVED TO THEM. PURSUE THE KING’S TREASURES OF LOVE, RIGHTEOUSNESS AND PEACE AND YOU WILL BE SET FREE. YOU WILL SEE THE FALSE GODS OF THIS WORLD FOR WHAT THEY ARE AND REJECT THEM. THE CONTRAST IS AS CLEAR AS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TURMOIL OF THE REBELLION AND TRANQUILITY OF THE KING’S CITY.
- HE WILL PROVIDE ABUNDANTLY. (VERSES 23, 24). THIS VISION OF AGRICULTURAL ABUNDANCE DESCRIBES A TIME WHERE NO ONE LACKED ANY GOOD THING. IT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIVING IN THE PEACE AND PROSPERITY OF THE CITY OR IN THE CHAOS OF THE PROVINCE. THOSE WHO SERVE THE KING CAN COUNT ON HAVING EVERYTHING THEY NEED TO DO ALL HE WILLS AND TO BECOME ALL HE DESIRES.
- HE WILL HEAL FULLY. (VERSES 25, 26). OUR FRIEND AT THE GATE, BRUISED AND WOUNDED, IS TAKEN TO THE KING’S HOSPITAL WHERE HE FULLY RECOVERS. THESE WOUNDS ARE IN HIS HEART AND SPIRIT, BUT OH THE BALM FOUND IN THE LOVE AND FORGIVENESS OF THE KING! HIS WOUNDED SPIRIT IS FULLY RESTORED. THIS PROCESS COMPLETES ITSELF WHEN HE SEES THAT NO INJUSTICE AGAINST HIM WILL GO UNPUNISHED..
THESE VERSES SPEAK OF THE DAY WHEN THE KING SENDS HIS ARMY FORTH IN JUDGEMENT. THE REBELLION WILL BE UTTERLY OVERTHROWN. EVERY CRIME WILL BE PUNISHED. EVERY UNREPENTANT REBEL TRIED AND CONVICTED. THE KING’S JUSTICE WILL PREVAIL. JUSTICE IS EXECUTED AND HEALING OCCURS.
TO REPENTANT REBELS, YOU AND ME, GOD PROMISES I WILL ANSWER QUICKLY, GUIDE CLEARLY, FREE COMPLETELY, PROVIDE ABUNDANTLY AND HEAL FULLY…. ARE YOU DAILY EXPERIENCING THIS ACTIVE RULE OF THE KING? IS YOUR LIFE’S STORY FILLED WITH ANSWERED PRAYER, CLEAR PURPOSE, JOYOUS FREEDOM, RICH PROVISIONS, AND WONDROUS HEALINGS? CAN YOU DESCRIBE RECENT EXPERIENCES THAT TESTIFY THAT YOU ARE LIVING IN THE CITY OF THE KING? IF NOT, PERHAPS YOU’RE STILL IN THE OUTLYING PROVINCE. MORE SUBTLY AND MORE DANGEROUSLY, YOU MAY BE IN THE SHADOW OF THE PALACE. YOU THINK YOU KNOW THE KING, BUT THERE IS A WALL BETWEEN THE TWO OF YOU. DON’T BE CONTENT TO LIVE ON THE DUMP WHEN YOU CAN WALK WITH HIM ALONG THE AVENUES OF THE CITY.
HERE STANDS THE GATE. THE KEY IS IN YOUR POCKET. WILL YOU USE IT?
Copyright 1996 G. Brenton Mock