Isaiah 59:14-21--Judgment and Redemption

Isaiah 59:14-21
English Standard Version

Judgment and Redemption
14 Justice is turned back,
    and righteousness stands far away;
for truth has stumbled in the public squares,
    and uprightness cannot enter.
15 Truth is lacking,
    and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey.

The LORD saw it, and it displeased him
    that there was no justice.
16 He saw that there was no man,
    and wondered that there was no one to intercede;
then his own arm brought him salvation,
    and his righteousness upheld him.
17 He put on righteousness as a breastplate,
    and a helmet of salvation on his head;
he put on garments of vengeance for clothing,
    and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.
18 According to their deeds, so will he repay,
    wrath to his adversaries, repayment to his enemies;
    to the coastlands he will render repayment.
19 So they shall fear the name of the LORD from the west,
    and his glory from the rising of the sun;
for he will come like a rushing stream,
    which the wind of the LORD drives.

20 “And a Redeemer will come to Zion,
    to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares the LORD.

21 “And as for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the LORD: “My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children's offspring,” says the LORD, “from this time forth and forevermore.”

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The people have abandoned both justice and truth, so, now, judgment is upon them.  The evil man will be the prey for those that that God will send to judge His people.

The LORD sees and hates injustice.  He looked for a righteous man like one of the judges that might be raised up among His people to restore them to righteousness, but there was no one to be found.  The LORD would have to bring about His people's salvation by His own mighty hand and outstretched arm.  He put on the armor of God--we see the breastplate of righteousness and helmet of salvation mentioned.   He put on His robes that were dipped in blood for the day of vengeance, and cloaked Himself in His zeal.  He would be both the Judge to execute righteous judgment against the wicked and the savior of those He had made righteous.  Because of His fierce justice, even against His own people, all nations will learn to fear and obey Him so that they will not experience His vengeance and wrath (well, at least they did for a moment, but we know that in the end, all the nations will rebel against Him again and dare Him to do something about it, and His fierce wrath will be poured out on the world, but no wrath will be poured out on those who belong to Him).

In His time, Salvation and Redemption would come to Zion (that is Jerusalem and the Jewish people) in the form of Jesus and His penal substitutionary atonement on behalf of His people and all the people of the world that would believe in Him by faith.  Those who would be redeemed by the LORD would have His Spirit poured out upon them and He would put His words in their mouths (like He did with the prophets, only we now have the Word of God, the Bible to memorize and speak to others).  This generation may have missed the chance to have that blessing, but it would be something that would belong to the future generations.  They would once again know the LORD and have a personal relationship with Him.