How to Overcome Discouragement
Isaiah 60
Let’s turn to Isaiah chapter 60. If you need a Bible, go ahead and raise your hand and we will bring one to you. Isaiah 60 is on page 619 in the Bibles we are passing out.
While you are turning there, let me remind you of the story of Joseph. Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery in Egypt where he ended up in a dungeon. Imagine how Joseph would have felt – in a foreign land, locked up in a dark, filthy, rat-infested dungeon, day after day, month after month, year after year. Think of how hopeless he could have felt; how discouraged.
Now imagine what a difference it would have made if he could have seen his future. Imagine hearing that he would not only be freed from the dungeon, but would become the number two official over the entire Egyptian empire. If he would have known that –he would have been transformed – full of hope, free from discouragement, full of strength.
Some of you are in a dungeon of discouragement. Maybe it has to do with employment or health. Maybe it involves a relationship or failure. But whatever it is you are feeling discouraged and hopeless. But if you are trusting Jesus Christ as your Savior, Lord, and Treasure then your future is glorious. And by reading God’s Word you can see that future now. That’s the point of Isaiah 60.
To unpack this passage let’s start with this first question -- what is God calling Israel to do? Isaiah 40-66 is written to encourage Israel during the time that she’s in exile in Babylon. God knew that she would be discouraged and hopeless during that time. And these chapters were written to encourage her.
And that’s the point of Isaiah 60. Look at the first two words in this chapter –
“Arise, shine.”
So during the time when she is in slavery, in exile in Babylon, during this time when she felt hopeless and discouraged, Isaiah calls Israel to arise – arise up emotionally from her discouragement; he calls Israel to shine – shine with joy in God.
But how do we do that? Think about times when you have felt discouraged and hopeless. You knew that you were supposed to arise and shine – so how did you go about doing that? By not thinking about the problem? By trying to look on the bright side of your circumstances? By trying real hard to feel hopeful? By pasting on a smile and pretending? How are we supposed to go about doing that?
Let’s ask Isaiah that question -- how can Israel arise and shine when she is discouraged?
The answer is found in the rest of the chapter – but it’s all summed up in one word – the third word in v.1. It’s the word “for.” The word “for” can also be translated “because.” So when Israel is discouraged she can arise and shine because of some reason found in this chapter.
What’s the reason? The rest of this chapter is full of God’s promises of what God will do for Israel in her future. So when we are discouraged the way we can arise and shine is by setting our hope on God’s promises.
So what does God promise to do for His people? As I studied this chapter I saw Isaiah giving Israel four main promises. These would have been deeply encouraging to Israel during her time of discouragement – and I am praying that they will be deeply encouraging to those of you who are in a time of discouragement.
So, first, God will invade the world’s darkness with the light of His glory. To see that read vv.1-2 –
1 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.
That sounds like the light and glory has already come. But sometimes Old Testament prophets wanted to stress how certain it was that something would happen in the future, so they put it in the past tense as if it had already happened. We can see how that’s what Isaiah is doing, because in v.2 he describes the same event as still in the future --
2 For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you.
So Israel is in exile, enslaved in dark Babylon, surrounded by the darkness of idolatry and materialism and greed. But here God promises that He is going to invade the world’s darkness by the light of His glory.
So when does God do that? Isaiah has told us throughout this book. God does this in the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
See, ever since Adam and Eve rebelled against God darkness had ruled over the earth. God had saved individuals here and there and given them glimmers of his light -- but mostly the world was filled with darkness.
Picture a football stadium at night full of people. The lights are off, so it’s pitch black except for a smattering of cell phones lit up around the stadium. That’s the world before Jesus came. But when Jesus came – it was like the floodlights were turned on. God came to earth in the person of Jesus – and God’s people saw His glory like never before.
He met a man blind from birth and healed him – glory!
He commanded demons to stop enslaving people and the demons flee – glory!
He multiplied five loaves and two fish into food for thousands – glory!
He willingly died on the Cross to pay for our sins so we could be forgiven and brought into relationship with Him – glory!
He rose from the dead – conquering our biggest enemy – declaring that death is not the end – glory!
So picture God’s people living in dark Babylon -- discouraged by the darkness in Babylon and the whole earth. But Isaiah tells them to arise from discouragement and shine with joy – because God will invade the world’s darkness by the light of His glory in the coming of Jesus.
And Isaiah would say the same to us. If you have turned from sin and are trusting Jesus Christ then you can arise from discouragement and shine with joy – because God has invaded the world’s darkness by the light of His glory in the coming of Jesus.
Here’s my challenge to you who are discouraged. Every day this next week take 10 minutes and read about Jesus in the gospels. Read about Jesus – the light of God’s glory. And watch how that helps you arise from discouragement and shine with joy.
Second, because God will fulfill His promise to have Israel bring salvation to the whole world. Imagine that you are an Israelite. Thousands of years before, God had promised your forefather Abraham that through his seed people from every ethnic group in the world would be saved from the curse of sin and brought into relationship with God. Through you – Israel! Amazing promise.
But that was thousands of years ago. Now Jerusalem is destroyed. The temple is demolished. Thousands of Israelites had been killed. And the rest are slaves in Babylon. So there’s no way that promise can be fulfilled. Look at us!
But look at v.3 – start with v.2 to get the flow of thought --
2 For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you.
3 And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.
God will fulfill His promise. Nations and kings will come to Israel’s light and brightness. When does that happen? It started on the day of Pentecost. Jesus had come, died on the Cross, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven. And 120 Jewish believers were praying together – and Jesus poured His Spirit out upon them. And all 120 Jewish believers were filled with the Spirit of the Living God.
And they went out into the streets proclaiming all that God had done in Jesus – and starting that day nations and kings joined Gods’ people – the new people of God – Jew and Gentile – and by trusting Jesus Christ they were forgiven for their sins and brought into relationship with God.
So – exiled Israel – rise and shine – because no matter how bad things look, God will fulfill His promise. So let’s apply that to you who are discouraged. The reason you can arise from discouragement and shine with joy is because no matter how bleak things look God will fulfill His promise. If you trust Him He will provide all you need (Mat 6:33), He will strengthen you (Phil 4:13), He will give you wisdom (James 1:5), He will comfort you (2Cor 1:4), He will change your heart (John 6:35).
Third, because every loss will be overwhelmingly restored to you in God Himself. That’s the point of vv.4-14. Here’s the context: if you were an Israelite in exile in Babylon, you would have suffered terrible loss. Children. Homes. Flocks. Gold. Let’s focus on vv.4-6 --
4 Lift up your eyes all around, and see; they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be carried on the hip.
5 Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and exult, because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
6 A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall bring good news, the praises of the LORD.
Israel had lost sons and daughters and wealth and gold and camels and flocks. But in the future the nations would bring Israel sons and daughters and wealth and gold and camels and flocks. The point is – God is telling Israel that every loss will be restored.
But all through vv.4-14 we see that there is a specific point of this restoration. It’s not that in heaven I’m going to get a big house or nice car or flock of camels. Notice the point of this restoration in v.13 --
13 The glory of Lebanon shall come to you, the cypress, the plane, and the pine, to beautify the place of my sanctuary, and I will make the place of my feet glorious.
The point of this restoration is that God’s sanctuary is beautified and glorified.
So what does that mean? I think it means that whatever loss believing Israelites incurred in the Old Testament will be more than restored in eternity -- not as cattle or houses or gold – but in even greater joy in God forever.
And the same is true for you who trust Christ. Whatever losses you have faced in the path of following Jesus – they will be more than restored in eternity – in even greater joy in God forever. So arise from your discouragement, and shine with joy in God.
Fourth -- because forever you will enjoy God as your light and glory. That’s the point of vv.15-22. Focus on vv.19-22 --
19 The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give you light; but the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. [The apostle John quotes this verse in Rev 21 as a description of heaven.]
20 Your sun shall no more go down, nor your moon withdraw itself; for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your days of mourning shall be ended.
21 Your people shall all be righteous; they shall possess the land [the new heavens and earth] forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I might be glorified.
22 The least one shall become a clan, and the smallest one a mighty nation [everything will be quantum leaps better]; I am the LORD; in its time I will hasten it [nothing will stop this from happening].
One of the most crucial truths to understand about yourself is that you are wired to find your highest joy in seeing and beholding and enjoying the greatness of God. No other joy comes close -- not music, not sex, not achievement. Your highest joy is beholding God.
And because you are trusting Jesus Christ then you have times when you taste this joy of beholding God. But in this life we just see through a mirror dimly. In the new heavens and earth we will see face to face.
You will see God as clearly as you can see the sun. Everything you see will reflect His light and fill you with joy as you see new dimensions of His glory. And because He is infinite, you will never be bored. Every moment will be “whoa!” “awesome!” “look at that!” about God and His Holy Son Jesus.
But what does that have to do with Israel’s discouragement? She’s in exile in Babylon. Isn’t that just pie in the sky bye and bye? No. She is in darkness now – but in the new heavens and earth the light of God’s glory will be everlasting. That is her certain and sure destiny. And lifting her eyes from her present circumstances, and focusing on what she will experience in eternity – changes everything. It enabled her to rise up and shine with joy in God – because of her certain destiny.
The same is true with you. If you are trusting Jesus Christ – then you can be certain that your certain and sure destiny will be every-increasing joy in God forever.
12-year old Victor Watters was diagnosed with cancer. That would be devastating. But through a remarkable set of circumstances his cancer brought him to be adopted by a Christian family who shared the gospel with him. And through this time of cancer Victor arose from discouragement and shone with joy in God.
Here’s what he said:
I believe God gave me cancer for a reason -- and that reason was to become a Christian so that I can be with him forever!I truly believe that God sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to this earth to die on the cross for all of our sins, and to save us from eternal fire. I am trusting that God is sovereign over everything, including cancer, and that he has a wonderful plan laid ahead for my life, and he will never let Satan take me from his hands.Jesus is the hero of this story. Jesus had saved Victor and given him that faith and grace. As a result, Victor knew that forever he would enjoy God as His light and glory. That’s what enabled him to rise from discouragement and shine with joy in God.
So – trust Jesus. Rise from your discouragement. And shine with joy in God.