“For you shall not go out in haste, and you shall not go in flight, for the LORD will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard” (Isaiah 52:12 ESV).
Isaiah had prophesied that Judah would one day be taken captive by Babylon, but now he speaks of a time when they would return again to Jerusalem. When they are taken captive, they will be forcibly marched away with only the clothes on their backs. Yet when the time comes for them to return, they will not be hurriedly running away, but joyfully packing their belongings and happily heading home. For instead of hateful Chaldean solders urging them forward, the LORD Himself will go before them and be their rear guard.
This was a wonderful prophecy for Israel and it was fulfilled just as God had said. Yet, how might we apply this word today? One way is to consider how this word might help us leave a tragic or difficult situation behind and move forward into an unknown, but hopefully better future. Consider these three takeaways for how to leave and move forward.
First, we can leave yesterday in God’s care. He is our “rear guard.” We don’t have to leave in “haste,” nor go in “flight.” For God has our backs. We can view past events from His perspective. With God’s guidance, all things should be considered and then some things forgotten and some things faithfully remembered.
Second, we can trust tomorrow to God’s good plan for us. For He goes “before” us. We can rest in His promises and protection. As the Lord told the prophet Jeremiah, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jer. 29:11).
Finally, we can be fully at rest today in God’s presence. Knowing He is the rear guard for our past and the one who goes before us for our future, we can rest in His presence today.
PRAYER: Dear Father, there are some things in our past that cause us pain and some that we remember with joy. Some things cause shame that we’d like to forget. Some things we’ve bottled up that still trouble us. Would you be our Rear Guard? Show us what to leave behind. And Lord, we trust You with tomorrow. Help us to fully rest in Your presence today. In Jesus’ name, amen.