“The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.” (Isaiah 32:17)
The back half of Isaiah 32 tells an interesting story. The writer warns the women of Jerusalem that they’re living with false peace. They’re not worried about doing what God wants because everything is going so well. They’re fat and happy, rich and partying.
But in about a year, he tells them, God’s judgement will fall. And it did. The Assyrians invaded and brought an end to the false peace. All the money was gone, and all the unrighteous celebrations turned into pity parties.
But the writer also reported good news. True good times would return when God’s Spirit poured out on them. The people would finally have God’s power to live God’s way and then – today’s verse – that righteousness would bring a genuine peace, a real and lasting “quiet confidence.”
Every genuine Christian’s story is the same: We could never be righteous enough on our own to have real peace with God. We were willing to settle for the fake peace that comes with pleasure, possessions, and status. But then God gave Jesus’ righteousness to us, along with the Spirit to power our right choices. And that brought a peace that mattered, one that will last forever.
Think: Does it sometimes seem to you that unrighteous people are doing just fine without God? Does that seem unfair? Do you think they have a true peace or a false confidence in a moment that will soon end?
Pray: As a Christian, thank God for putting Jesus’ righteousness on you and allowing you to have peace with him. Ask him to help you to do right things and to find confidence in living for him.
Do: Read Isaiah 32:9-20.