Isaiah 45:8
Author: Steve Amato
Keywords: bible study,bible, isaiah

Translations: 简体中文 繁體中文

## Righteousness Rains

Isaiah 45:8
You heavens above, rain down righteousness; let the clouds shower it down.
Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness grow with it;
I, the LORD, have created it.

## Comment

This kind of allegory associating God's bringing righteousness or His Kingdom to the earth with sorts of agricultural illustrations is quite common especially in the New Testament where Jesus often speaks of for example the kingdom being like a field being seeded and which brings forth fruits. Consider the Parable of the growing seed.

> ### The Growing Seed

> From the Parable Series
> Based on Mark 426-29

> This is what the kingdom is like
> A man scattered seed. Then day and night
> Whether he sleeps or wakes the seeds sprout and grow
> How does this happen? He doesn't know
> All by itself grain is produced
> But how that can be he can't deduce.
> It grows to a stalk, then head and kernel
> All by itself by something internal
> As soon as the grain is ripe he reaps
> Though much of the work had been done while he sleeps
> So lets not take credit for more than our share
> For God does most of the work. That is clear.
> But also this means there's not much that you need
> God causes growth if you just plant the seed

We notice also 10 chapters later in Isaiah these verses:

Isaiah 55:10,11

> As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

What concepts can we gleen from these passages?

> I would infer that a person coming into God's righteousness - which now is through faith in Christ - is a natural process, perhaps also a gradual process. Salvation springing up is first of all the forgiveness of sins. But salvation is also incorporates becoming a righteous person - which involves internal changes of attitudes resulting in changes in one's outward behavior. Christians continue to grow with respect to righteous attitude and behavior as we feed on the word.

> Another concept is that righteousness must come down from above. It cannot be derived from the earth. That is we can't make ourselves righteous. This idea sets Biblical Christianity apart from most - if not all - other religions. For in most other religions ones righteousness comes from one's own "good nature". But as Jesus said, "No one is good— except God alone." Mark 10:18 The Christians their righteousness from above.

> And thirdly that it is God's will that salvation spring up and righteousness to grow. God wants to save people from effects of sin. And having been saved He wants the righteous to live fruitful lives. May it come to pass from generation to generation.

The Berean Christian Bible Study Resources