2002-01-01
Good Morning Dear Ones,
As you know we have been looking into the issue of covenants in this series of devotions. In the course of doing the research for it, the Lord has led me to review one of the most important and prophetic chapters of the book of Isaiah, IS 49. As we seek to have a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the Covenant of Grace, we find another place in the OT where Jesus Christ is clearly found. IS 49: 1-7, [the Messiah speaking] “Listen to Me, distant nations, you people who live far away! Before I was born the Lord chose Me to be His appointed Servant. He made My words as sharp as a sword [HE 4: 12]. With His own hand He protected Me. He made Me like an arrow, sharp and ready for use. He said to Me, ‘Israel, You are My Servant; because of You people will praise Me.’ I said, ‘I have worked, but how hopeless it is! I have used up My strength, but have accomplished nothing.’ Yet I can trust the Lord to defend My cause; He will reward Me for what I do. Before I was born, the Lord appointed Me; He made Me His Servant to bring back His people, the scattered people of Israel. The Lord gives Me honor [PS 110: 1]; He is the Source of My strength. The Lord said to Me, ‘I have a greater task for You, My Servant. Not only will You restore to greatness the people of Israel who have survived, but I will also make You a light to the nations-so that all the world may be saved.”
A question comes up that I must address. Verse 3 above uses the name, “Israel,” but it is really Christ, the true “Prince of God.” Since I have often said it was Israel that is given the responsibility to be a “light to the nations,” then is it Israel or is it Christ? This entire passage is directed to that Jewish remnant that will survive the Tribulation, that one third of those who are alive during that time and who survived the God’s refiner’s fire [ZECH 13: 9]. I would also assert that it applies to Messianic Jews today, because we have accepted Christ. The nature of this passage is Christ’s God-given authority is seen as God’s appointed Servant Who tells the truth, Who enjoys God’s protection, has been charged with the responsibility to bring back God’s chosen people to living up to the covenant they made with Him, is honored by the Lord, and will fulfill a greater task [salvation by His death on the cross] for all believers. That is what leads me to believe Christ, the Suffering Servant, is Who is speaking here. In verse 5, the term, “Before I was born,” is used. That gives us some insight into the fact that the One speaking here is aware that all He says is part of the Father’s preconceived plan. He understands God’s attributes and the Father’s supremacy and sovereignty. So, that brings us to the comment in verse 6 about “I will also make you a light to the nations, so that the world may be saved.” Since this passage is directed at the Jewish remnant, they will come to Christ as Messianic Jews like myself have. Because they accept Christ as their Savior, then they will take the message of the Gospel to the nations, thus spreading His light to them. When His light shines, then all people who repent and accept Him will be saved.
It stands to reason that some people might argue with my assertion that this is Christ speaking, but we must look at the facts. Statistically, no one but Jesus Christ fits the description of this Suffering Servant mentioned here or in IS 53 down to the last jot and tittle. There are too many perfect fits for this to be a coincidence! The other question about the omniscience of this second person of the Trinity in knowing that He was selected for this “greater task” is also no accident. Let’s look at the Scriptural proof of His part in the Covenant of Grace. AC 2: 23, “In accordance with His own plan God had already decided that Jesus would be handed over to you; and you killed Him by letting sinful men crucify Him.” AC 4: 27-28, “For indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together in this city with the Gentiles and the people of Israel against Jesus, Your holy Servant, Whom You made the Messiah. They gathered to do everything that You by Your power and will had already decided would happen.” COL 1: 15-20, “Christ is the visible likeness of the invisible God. He is the first-born Son, superior to all created things. For through Him God created everything in heaven and on earth, the seen and the unseen things, including spiritual powers, lords, rulers, and authorities. God created the whole universe through Him and for Him. Christ existed before all things and in union with Him, all things have their proper place. He is the Head of His body, the church; He is the Source of the body’s life. He is the first-born Son, Who was raised from death, in order that He alone might have the first place in all things. For it was by God’s own decision that the Son has in Himself the full nature of God [JN 14: 9, 11]. Through the Son, then, God decided to bring the whole universe back to Himself. God made peace through His Son’s death on the cross and so brought back to Himself all things, both on earth and in heaven.” 1 PET 1: 20-21, “He had been chosen by God before the creation of the world and was revealed in these last days for your sake. Through Him you believe in God, Who raised Him from death and gave Him glory; and so your faith and hope are fixed on God.”
God’s plan is awesome and contains such great blessings for us that we need to examine the remarkable ways that it impacts our individual lives.
PRAYER: O Lord, long ago before the earth was created, You decided that your creation would need salvation. To that end, You made the decision in this “pre-creation council” that You would send Your Son, Jesus Christ, to become incarnate, teach us Your will, set a model of faithfulness and obedience for us, and finally to give up His physical life amidst unparalleled suffering so that we could be saved-forever forgiven for our sins. No doubt that decision was the hardest You have ever had to make, because of the pain of seeing the Son You love so much suffer this way. Yet Your wisdom and love for us was great enough to motivate You to make this enormous sacrifice for us. You have faced additional pain when You saw so many of Your chosen people so disobedient to You. Because You are omniscient, You knew that only a small remnant of the Jews would accept Your Son as their Savior. Yet, You promised over and over that Israel would be restored as a nation. Once that was done, You offered them supernatural protection when they faced their enemies badly outnumbered. Your covenant of grace matters to You and it matters to us. Today, we humbly approach You in deepest gratitude and reverence that You continue to show us that kind of love, even through we hardly deserve it. I personally offer You thanks for allowing me to know exactly Who my Messiah is. For the blessing of Your love and recognition of our need to accept Your supremacy and sovereignty, we come before You today to offer our worship, adoration, loyalty, trust, obedience, glory, honor, praise and thanks. In Christ’s name, amen.
The Lord has led me to some intriguing citations about how Israel fits into His plan of salvation and more evidence that this plan was conceived by God before the creation. I plan to share those with you tomorrow in an effort to see more of what goes into the Covenant of Grace. God’s love for each of us can hardly be missed in everything we examine from His word. Peter and I send you our love too.
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn