Resting in Righteousness, Not Complacency | Isaiah 32:9–20 | Dwell in the Word

Watch This Episode on Isaiah 32:9-20

Isaiah 32:9–20 delivers a sobering message about the dangers of complacency. In this episode of Dwell in the Word, Pastor Mark unpacks how we often rely on our own strength and comfort, only to discover how fragile those foundations really are. Lasting peace, quietness, and trust come not from self-discovery but from the righteousness God gives in Christ. May this passage call you to rest in what only God can provide.

📖 Let this passage shake you from complacency and remind you that Christ alone is your quiet resting place.

📖 Click to Show the Transcript of Teaching from the Episode

As we continue through the prophetic words of Isaiah and the story that is being told here, we come to a passage that I think is maybe one of the most convicting ones that we have come to. I think the greatest temptation for us, while we are guilty of idolatry, don't get me wrong, as I've mentioned many times, just because we don't craft a wood, images, and bow down before them, doesn't mean we're not idolatrous. We struggle with this. This is a real thing for us. But I think what we see here is truly a message that resonates with us, isn't it? This idea of complacency. That is where we are at. We live in an age of affluence. We live with unbelievable freedoms, and it's easy for us to be complacent. And we see here, as Isaiah is speaking this prophetic word, he's calling out to them and saying, You need to listen. You are at ease. You think that your plan to go down to Egypt is wonderful, and you are safe, but you are far too complacent. You need to listen. Bad things are going to happen. We see in verse 11, Tremble you women who are at ease shudder you complacent ones, and strip and make yourselves bare and tie sackcloth around your waist.

All of this, he's saying you are in desperate need of being saved, and these people from Egypt aren't going to do it for you. You need God. You need what comes from Him. You're going to be at a point of panic. You're going to be a point of need before you know it. Isaiah lets them know that a time is coming when God will provide these things for them. And this is what is going to give them the opportunity to truly be at peace in their complacency, in their trusting in men. They're never really going to be at peace, but there will come a time when God will bring that. We see, verses 16 through 19, Then justice will dwell in the wilderness and righteousness abide in the fruitful field, and the effect of righteousness will be peace. And the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever. This seeking after God instead of going after our own things and our sin, that is what will bring peace. We'll never find peace on our own in trusting in the strength of men. It is righteousness. This righteousness we get from God, that is what gives us peace.

And we see that God causes people to abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings and in quiet resting places. And in verse 19, we read, And it will hail when the forest falls down and the city will be utterly laid low. In other words, all the things that you find your strength in, they will be leveled if you don't find your strength in God. And so he's calling to them to seek justice, to do righteousness, to do all these things. That is where you will truly find your peace. And as I said, this is really a message that I think resonates with us. We're looking for peace. We're looking for satisfaction. We're looking for quietness and trust forever. But in our complacency, we think that we can find that within ourselves. We think that we can maybe turn within ourselves, maybe more of a path of self-discovery than in seeking after God and discovering Him and trusting in what He has for us. That's what happens in our complacency. But when we understand our lack of righteousness, when we understand our sinfulness, it's going to make us realize that our cities, the things that we build to protect ourselves, and I'm not talking about our cultural cities here, but the things that we build for ourselves and that we trust in our complacency, those things don't last. So, we need to look to the things that God provides. The most important things that He has provided for us is his grace, his mercy. He has provided that for us in Christ. He is our shelter. He is our righteousness. We are in him, and so we have his perfect righteousness given to us as a gift. And so may we go to him daily and understand him to be our secure dwelling because he is unshakable, because he is the one who holds us. We have been united to Him. May we rest in that. May Christ be our quiet resting place.

Looking for more from Dwell in the Word?

→ Watch the previous episode on Isaiah 32:1–8 »

→ Browse all Dwell in the Word episodes »

If this teaching helped you reflect more deeply on your walk with Christ, share it with someone who might be feeling the pull of complacency today.