Daily Thoughts – December 21st
Prophecy 17: Isaiah 49:6
Prophecy 17: Isaiah 49:6
"He [the Lord] says: "It is too small a thing for you to be my servant, to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth." - Isaiah 49:6
Do we need the Messiah today? Look around and ask yourself if you have
it all under control. As we near the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ,
we should be reflecting on how this significant event; which literally split
the calendar and brought hope to the nation of Israel; is alive in each of us.
So what hope does he provide to the 21st century? We face issues of
divisiveness, political unrest, global warming, perceived injustices, debates
over absolute truth and morality, and a waning interest in the biblical truths.
A recent study was done that showed in the late 1960s that 65% of Americans
were Bible-believing Christians. Looking at the next generation (baby-boomers) it
showed that only 35% of Americans profess themselves as Bible-believing
Christians, and the following generation (busters) only 16%. Looking at the millennial
and the gen-z generations, the predictions are that less than 5% will be
Bible-believing Christians. Many would say that they believe in Jesus Christ,
but that most religions are equally relevant in finding eternal salvation. So we
need to reflect on what has changed in the last 50 years that has driven this
decline in Christian beliefs?
The Messiah came to provide salvation for all man-kind, the tribes of Israel as well as the Gentiles. The prophecies we have observed over the last 3 weeks have all pointed to one individual, God's Messiah as the means to salvation. This foundational truth straight from the scriptures was critical for the people in Israel at the time of Isaiah's writing no more so than it is critical for us today.
All throughout the New Testament, we find examples of Jesus Christ preaching God's message to the masses. He was not segregating the Jewish brethren from the Gentiles. His miracles were upon the lepers, the Romans, the Samaritans as well as the Jewish. He forgave the sins of people from every walk of life and even broke bread with sinners and tax collectors. As prophesied in Isaiah 49 - the Messiah will be a light to the Gentiles and bring salvation to the ends of the earth. Paul the apostle references this once again in Acts 13:47 in his dialogue with the Jewish leaders and converts.
This is our mission as well my brothers and sisters in Christ. We have a generation all around us in need of hearing the truths from the bible. Take this Christmas season to share God's plan of salvation with those around you, and with those in your network. Be blessed as you spread His news.
- Rich
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