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HELEN SANDERS
8-6-2021
ISOLATION BRINGS ELEVATION
One of the things that is most common in scripture is that God is not in a hurry. He may give a promise, but it usually doesn’t take place right away. Take Abraham, he was promised that his offspring would be more than all the stars, yet he went childless for several years before the promise would even begin to be fulfilled. God told Abraham that his family would be taken into a strange land, and they would be there over 400 years, but would come out of that land and be prospered. 400 years is a long time to wait, isolated from everything that is familiar.
Zacharias and Elizabeth had longed for a child, and when they were “well stricken in years” (Luke 1:7) then God moved in their lives. During that waiting period it looked in the natural that the desire of their heart would not be fulfilled. Yet God interceded late in life to bless them. Zacharias doubted this would happen when the angel Gabriel announced it to him while he was isolated behind the veil burning incense to the Lord. That incense went up as an offering and God chose that time and that place to speak. Because of Zacharias’ lack of faith, he was struck dumb until the birth took place. He was in an isolated place unable to communicate. Perhaps God did this so the seed planted in Elizabeth would not be miscarried because of his lack of faith. During this isolation period Zacharias had plenty of time to meditate on what God said through the mouth of an angel.
It had been a long time since there had been a prophet come on the scene, but God was bringing John the Baptist to prepare the way for Messiah, Jesus, to come. During Elizabeth’s pregnancy she hid herself. It was her time to be alone with God. It was her time of isolation to consider all that was happening. During this time of isolation Mary, the mother of Jesus came to her, and the baby leaped in Elizabeth’s womb. At that moment she was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied over Mary.
When John was born and a name was to be given, the “friends” assumed the boy would be named after the father. His mother Elizabeth said, “not so; but he shall be called John.” (Luke 1:60.) Zacharias had communicated this to her, and she listened.
With the birth of John, Zacharias didn’t bring John out into the public eye. He didn’t talk about the word that Gabriel said that John would turn the hearts of people towards God. He didn’t talk about John being the voice that would prepare others to receive Messiah. No, in fact John was totally isolated from others. In Luke 2:80 it says, “And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.” John was in isolation before he was elevated.
When the Apostle Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus and got saved, he became isolated from everyone for three years on the back side of the desert, alone with the Lord. You can be sure of this, the higher the call the longer the isolation. It was absolutely necessary for this isolation period in order to prepare him to be able to endure all that he went through.
Often when we seek God’s will for our lives God will bring an isolation period. God wants us to separate ourselves unto him. He often isolates us from everything that will be a distraction so we can focus on Him in the Secret Place. He gets us alone away from the noise and chaos of the world so we can hear His plan and follow it. Is it worth it? Oh yes, ask anyone that has paid the price. There are few that have regret being in isolation, for it is there that the greatest revelations come. Prepare yourself for times like these and don’t resist the isolation. The benefits outweigh the price we pay for it.
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