Isaiah 33  Every glimpse that  I get of the kingdom of God stirs my heart and strengthens my desire to know Him more!

 When the judgements of God have finished.. the Lord says, "Now I will arise.. Now I will be exalted, now I will be lifted up." 

All the "chaff" will be consumed by the fire of God.  The sinners and the godless cannot live in the presence of the "consuming fire".   But, " He who walks righteously, and speaks with sincerity, He who rejects unjust gain, and shakes his hands so that they hold no bribe; He who stops his ears from hearing about bloodshed, and shuts his eyes from looking upon evil.. "  are the ones who will be blessed. These are the remnant who will be saved.  

"He will dwell on the heights; His refuge will be an impregnable rock; His bread will be given him; His water is sure. Your eyes will see the King in His beauty." 

They will see Jerusalem, "an undisturbed habitation, a tent which shall not be folded, its stakes shall never be pulled up, nor its cords be torn apart.. " 

And they will see the Lord.. "But there the majestic One, the Lord, shall be for us, a place of rivers and  wide canals, on which no boat with oars shall go, and on which no mighty ship shall pass - For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is our King; He will save us....and no resident will say, 'I am sick'; The people who dwell there will be forgiven their iniquity."

The Lord desires a holy people, who will trust in Him and walk in His ways. Our only hope to live this way.. is for the life of Jesus to live in us.  Jesus said, "Because I live, you also will live. When the day comes, you will know that I am united with my Father, and you with me, and I with you." John 14:19-20 Paul wrote to the Colossians, "For you have died, and your life is hidden with the Messiah in God."(3:3)

In Christ our Messiah, we are able to "see the King in His beauty" and not be consumed.  In Christ, we can live in righteousness and truth. In Christ, we can live on the "heights".  In Christ we find provision and safety.  In Christ, we can have the proper relationship with our Heavenly Father, knowing Him as our Judge, Lawgiver, and King. In Christ we can have "perfect peace" for we keep our minds on Him and trust in Him fully. 

Father, lead us by Your Spirit into the truth of Your Word, that we might begin to grasp what it means to be hidden "with the Messiah" in You. Teach us Your ways and help us to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus. Amen.