Where will peace come from? We don’t often see it, at least not all through the world. Why is this? Maybe God is still stopping some of the ongoing results of sin in the world. He is the one working for the redemption of all creation.
Luther, Martin, edited by Jaroslav Pelikan, Hilton C. Oswald, translated by Herbert J.A. Bowman) Luther’s Works, Vol. 16, Lectures on Isaiah Chapters 1-39. St. Louis: Concordia, 1969. Logos Electronic Edition.
“Isaiah Chapter 27” pp. 211-218.
Isaiah 27 speaks of God’s judgment against serpents and a dragon. Luther takes this with a double meaning to refer to earthly rulers as well as spiritual forces. He also suggests that the sword God uses may be Rome, which rose to world domination over the nations which threatened Judah at the time of Isaiah (LW 16,211). With this judgment complete, in verses 2ff, God is the keeper and sustainer of his people. Luther again ties the people of God directly to the Christian Church (LW 16,212). In verse four God has no anger toward his people. On the contrary, he will fight on their behalf (LW 16,213). He is the God of all consolation, who makes peace. Verses 6-7 speak of the reconciling power of the Gospel (LW 16,214). Again, Luther notes that God’s chastisement drives people to trust him and receive his forgiveness (LW 16,215). In his work God crushes our self-reliance and other forms of idolatry. Those idols are all destroyed. God alone remains reliable (LW 16,216).
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