I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering.
The verse declares God's power to darken the heavens and to cover them with sackcloth as part of His demonstration of power when He rebukes. It portrays Christ as having power to redeem and deliver, showing that at His rebuke He dries up the sea and the rivers and clothes the heavens in blackness, revealing His command over nature. In contrast to fluctuating, blustering men who cannot be depended on, Christ does not stand in a negative, waiting attitude but acts positively and firmly with divine power over sea, rivers, fish, and sky.
Those who labor together with God share that character by carefully weighing all sides of a question and stepping firmly forward by faith, following on to know the Lord, and so become steadfast, trustworthy workmen who stand trial instead of leaving the work in uncertainty. The verse belongs to Isaiah 48-52 showing the appointed work to be done now, calling for united and determined effort with no delay, decided work in the cities, an increase of workers to meet city demands, and means brought in to carry forward soul-saving. It places responsibility on lay members who have means to help without delay, and calls brethren and sisters to reconsecrate themselves and do their appointed work in harmony with the Lord God and with Christ His only begotten Son in response to twenty years of messages to proclaim the message worldwide, to gird on the armor and to talk it, pray it, and believe it with no voice raised to hinder the work. It calls to resist Satan's temptation to enter commercial enterprises instead of investing means in the Lord's work, studying these chapters and asking the Lord for willingness to do His bidding.
The verse stands in Isaiah 50-58, which leaders in the cause and those connected with institutions, especially those brought to view in high positions carrying great responsibilities, are charged to study and are in need of studying. Those chapters bring the Lord's reproof to His people for disregard of light and of reproofs given, for accepting only chosen words while failing in thorough consecration and thorough work, and for neglecting after receiving great light the duty to warn the people what is truth and to give the reasons of faith and make them known, with warning of judgment from the Lord for these neglected duties. Those chapters call for stopping complaining and evil working, putting away the evil of works, coming nigh, repenting, and being converted, because their ways are not accepted of God, and for a reformation to go through the congregation.
The chapter is to be read with Isaiah 35 when disappointed because of the spiritual lack seen in the churches and in individuals, holding promising words of inspiration for the encouragement of churches to be claimed in times of emergency. Its rich promises, which are yea and amen in Christ Jesus, are to be repeated instead of taking up discouraging human words when meeting those not willing to be helped and strengthened, when finding halting and disaffection among believers, when evil angels in the form of believers work in the ranks to bring in unbelief, and when powers of evil assemble in meetings to counterwork the Spirit of God. They are to be repeated so as to keep faith strong in God proved true in the past, lean upon His sure promise, renew consecration and come into line in present truth, and carry on the work the Redeemer undertook, seen in the life and death of Christ as heaven's sacrifice that humanity might not perish but have everlasting life.
The verse declares God's power to darken the heavens and to cover them with sackcloth as part of His demonstration of power when He rebukes. It portrays Christ as having power to redeem and deliver, showing that at His rebuke He dries up the sea and the rivers and clothes the heavens in blackness, revealing His command over nature. In contrast to fluctuating, blustering men who cannot be depended on, Christ does not stand in a negative, waiting attitude but acts positively and firmly with divine power over sea, rivers, fish, and sky.
Those who labor together with God share that character by carefully weighing all sides of a question and stepping firmly forward by faith, following on to know the Lord, and so become steadfast, trustworthy workmen who stand trial instead of leaving the work in uncertainty. The verse belongs to Isaiah 48-52 showing the appointed work to be done now, calling for united and determined effort with no delay, decided work in the cities, an increase of workers to meet city demands, and means brought in to carry forward soul-saving. It places responsibility on lay members who have means to help without delay, and calls brethren and sisters to reconsecrate themselves and do their appointed work in harmony with the Lord God and with Christ His only begotten Son in response to twenty years of messages to proclaim the message worldwide, to gird on the armor and to talk it, pray it, and believe it with no voice raised to hinder the work. It calls to resist Satan's temptation to enter commercial enterprises instead of investing means in the Lord's work, studying these chapters and asking the Lord for willingness to do His bidding.
The verse stands in Isaiah 50-58, which leaders in the cause and those connected with institutions, especially those brought to view in high positions carrying great responsibilities, are charged to study and are in need of studying. Those chapters bring the Lord's reproof to His people for disregard of light and of reproofs given, for accepting only chosen words while failing in thorough consecration and thorough work, and for neglecting after receiving great light the duty to warn the people what is truth and to give the reasons of faith and make them known, with warning of judgment from the Lord for these neglected duties. Those chapters call for stopping complaining and evil working, putting away the evil of works, coming nigh, repenting, and being converted, because their ways are not accepted of God, and for a reformation to go through the congregation.
The chapter is to be read with Isaiah 35 when disappointed because of the spiritual lack seen in the churches and in individuals, holding promising words of inspiration for the encouragement of churches to be claimed in times of emergency. Its rich promises, which are yea and amen in Christ Jesus, are to be repeated instead of taking up discouraging human words when meeting those not willing to be helped and strengthened, when finding halting and disaffection among believers, when evil angels in the form of believers work in the ranks to bring in unbelief, and when powers of evil assemble in meetings to counterwork the Spirit of God. They are to be repeated so as to keep faith strong in God proved true in the past, lean upon His sure promise, renew consecration and come into line in present truth, and carry on the work the Redeemer undertook, seen in the life and death of Christ as heaven's sacrifice that humanity might not perish but have everlasting life.