Isaiah 48:12-52:12
We continued in the book of Isaiah, a prophet of God who lived decades before the
fall of Judah; yet, Isaiah not only foretold the fall of the nation but also of
its deliverance by Cyrus the Great, as well as its physical and spiritual
restoration. Of course, all of these prophecies were fulfilled, though the full
restoration of Israel will not occur until Jesus returns.
This Promised Messiah, Jesus Christ, was the main character in today’s
passage. Much of the second half of Isaiah’s book is consumed with who Jesus
is, the Lord’s Servant, and what He will accomplish in both His first and
second advents. Consider these prophecies:
“You will do more than restore the people of Israel to Me. I will make
you a light to the Gentiles (non-Jews), and you will bring My
salvation to the ends of the earth” (49:6).
“Through you I am saying to the prisoners of darkness, ‘Come out! I am
giving you your freedom!” (49:9).
“The Sovereign Lord has spoken to me, and I have listened. I do not
rebel or turn away. I give my back to those who beat me and my cheeks to those
who pull out my beard. I do not hide from shame, for they mock me and spit in
my face. Because the Lord helps me, I will not be dismayed. Therefore, I have
set my face like a stone, determined to do his will” (50:6, 7).
It is amazing that these prophecies followed the tragedy of Israel’s
rebellion to God. His people were destroyed for their rejection of Him. “Had
you listened to My commands,” He said, “there would have been no need for your
destruction... You went away as captives because of your sins... Yet even
now, be free from your captivity!” (48:18-20; 50:1).
“Yet even now...” are those not some of the sweetest words in the
English language? In our fallen flesh, we despised God and His Word. In our
sins, we rebelled against His commands. In our self worship, we betrayed Him
and attempted to take His throne. Yet even now, He loves us, He
has redeemed us, and He has made a way for us to be right with Him, all a
gift to us,
at the expense of His Servant, the Lord Jesus.
Daily Reflection
I’m sure that if you gave it much consideration, you would admit that
you have thought, said, or done things for which you are ashamed. If you are
ashamed of them, imagine what a Holy God thinks of them. Yet even now, He loves you and
wants to remove that shame and guilt far from your mind and renew a right
spirit within you.
“All of us have strayed away like sheep. We have left God’s paths to
follow our own. [Yet even now] the Lord laid on him the guilt and sins of us
all” (Isaiah
53:6).
“The wages of sin is death, [yet even now] the free gift of
God is eternal life through Jesus Christ your Lord” (Romans 6:23).
“But God showed His great love for you [yet even now], by sending Christ
to die for you while you were still a sinner” (Romans 5:8).
What has the Lord saved you from? What has the Lord saved you for?
After all that He has done for you, how will you live yet even now?
BiAY.org | Day 206 — 159 Days to Go
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