Brother and Sisters, the prophet Isaiah declares in Psalmic nature the care of Yahweh for His people. In chapter 43 he writes:
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.[1]
God preserves His own, just as the Warrior/Shepherd preserves and prepares a meal for His sheep in the presence of His enemies. But what is most striking in this passage of Isaiah is that the telos/purpose/end of this preservation according to verse 21 is that “the people Yahweh formed for himself…might declare His praise.” We are created, preserved, and sustained that we might find our greatest end the declaration of Yahweh’s kingship in all places and especially in the midst of the congregation. As Calvin writes:
“This, then, is the end of our calling, that, being consecrated to God, we may praise and honor him during our whole life.”[2]
[1] English Standard Version.
[2] (from Calvin’s Commentaries, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2005 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
