It is the burden of the message the prophet, Isaiah, was called to carry. The words no one wants to say to his people yet were strained from his platform. And, as one commentator puts it, “with dirge-like monotony” the words echo this morning as I read.

The Syrians on the east and the Philistines on the west devour Israel with open mouth. For all this His anger has not turned away, and His hand is stretched out still. . . .

. . . for everyone is godless and an evildoer, and every mouth speaks folly. For all this His anger has not turned away, and His hand is stretched out still. . . .

. . . Manasseh devours Ephraim, and Ephraim devours Manasseh; together they are against Judah. For all this His anger has not turned away, and His hand is stretched out still. . . .

. . . Nothing remains but to crouch among the prisoners or fall among the slain. For all this His anger has not turned away, and His hand is stretched out still.

(Isaiah 9:12, 17b, 21; 10:4 ESV)

Do I dare type it again? For all this His anger has not turned away, and His hand is stretched out still. What heavy, heavy words. What a burden!

His people’s persistent rebellion had invited God’s reluctant retribution. Their stiff-necked determination to pursue sin’s degraded way must finally be addressed with His disciplining wrath. Though repeatedly pled with to repent, they refused. Though beckoned to turn, they would not. Though called to stretch out their hand to their Maker and Deliverer, they instead gave Him their back. And so, holy justice demanded that His anger be not turned away, and that His hand of wrath be stretched out upon them.

And there, but for the grace of God, would I be found, as well.

Yet, because of the grace of God, His anger HAS turned away and His hand is stretched out NO LONGER. Read about that also this morning.

Therefore [Jesus} had to be made like His brothers in every respect, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

(Hebrews 2:17 ESV)

Propitiation . . . the removal of divine wrath. A sacrifice made which satisfies God’s holy anger toward hard-hearted, unholy rebellion. An offering presented that meets the just demand of a holy, holy, holy God. And my Savior was both the Offerer and the once-forever Offering.

Thus, the prophet’s strain is displaced by faith’s salvation. Dirge-like monotony replaced with joy-filled assurance that “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1). Or, as Peterson puts it, that “with the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ’s being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud” (MSG).

Because the work is finished (Jn. 19:30) and sin’s debt has been paid in full, gone is the “continuous, low-lying black cloud” of fear that His anger has not turned away. Because not even an iota of condemnation hangs over the head of those made righteous through union with Christ (2Cor. 5:21), there is no suspicion that His hand is stretched out still.

The burden is lifted. What is left is to believe. The price has been paid. Ours then is to praise. The offering once-forever made to take away our sin. The only fitting response to such overwhelming mercy, hearts that long to walk in obedience.

Only by His grace. Only for His glory.