Messiah: Gentiles Come to His Light

“I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth. Sing, O heavens! Be joyful, O earth! And break out in singing, O mountains! For the Lord has comforted His people, And will have mercy on His afflicted.” (Isaiah 49:6b, 13. NKJV. [Read Isaiah 49:1-13]. “For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have set you to be a light to the Gentiles, That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’ Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.” (Acts 13:47-48. NKJV). “For He says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.’ “ (2 Corinthians 6:2, NKJV).

Multiple prophecies of the life and ministry of Jesus were foretold in the Old Testament. This devotional series on prophecies/fulfillments about Jesus Christ are only a few of the rich store we have for our study and spiritual enlightenment. A recent devotional looked at the Wise Men coming from the East to worship the Christ Child. When Christ stood on the Mount of Olives ready to ascend back to God the Father, He told his gathered disciples: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1: 8. NKJV.) The Great Commission given by Christ has been the marching orders for evangelical Christians from that time about 33 A. D. until the present, and, indeed, until the Lord shall return again.

Because Christians were faithful to this Commission of Christ, even we, who are Gentiles, came to the light. Many in the centuries since Christ’s ascension have been martyred for the faith. Because they would not recant their beliefs, they met death at the hands of persecutors. But despite the hard times Christians have endured from then until now (and some are still enduring), the prophecy of Isaiah and others has and is continuing to come true. The Lord’s comfort and mercy—and salvation—are extended to all who will believe and follow. When Jesus saw a man who was blind from birth and healed him, He said in the hearing of His disciples: “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.” (John 9:4, NKJV). Just as Jesus felt an urgency to do the work of God while He walked on the earth as a man, so we, in receiving His Great Commission must work “while it is day”—while we have opportunity. 2 Peter 3:9 makes clear why the Lord delays His second coming: “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (NIV). God wants all to repent and believe. But one day His patience in waiting for people to come to His Light will run out. Let us therefore be faithful to witness and invite others to the Light.

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Tuesday, December 28,2010

Vision Is Necessary to Survival and Growth

“Where there is no vision, the people perish; but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” (Proverbs 29:18, KJV).

I used the King James Version for Proverbs 29:18, the version I memorized. Some of the modern translations give additional insight to this important verse: “If people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what He reveals, they are most blessed.” (The Message Bible by Eugene Peterson). The New International Version reads: “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law.” The Amplified Bible adds even more insight to the verse: “Where there is no vision [no redemptive revelation of God], the people perish; but he who keeps the law [of God, which includes that of man], blessed, happy, fortunate [and enviable] is he.”

Vision, then, is necessary to both survival and growth as a nation and individually, as a church or as a business. On every level of life, without vision (revelation), hope perishes and progress is squelched. This may seem to directly contradict the advice we studied in Proverbs 27:1: “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” Remember the emphasis in that verse is of boasting, bragging about what tomorrow holds. This in no way precludes our having prophetic vision, which means that we plan and work toward goals according to God’s redemptive plan. Vision, in biblical contexts, is God’s visiting His people with concepts that work. The song writer had the right idea: “I know who holds the future, and I know who holds my hand.” With this knowledge and assurance, vision will become reality.

Recall some notable visions from both the Old and New Testaments. Moses saw the burning bush, aflame but not consumed. From that vision, Moses received God’s assignment to deliver the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. On the Mount of Transfiguration, Peter, James and John saw the Lord’s glory. Later, Peter saw in the vision of the clean and unclean animals that the gospel is for every person regardless of race. All learned that such a mountaintop experience as the vision provided was prelude to their going back into the valley to work in the highways and hedges of life. Vision inspires us and equips us. Vision instructs us and motivates us. And, as the writer of Proverbs observes, “Without vision, the people perish.” Let us pray for renewed vision and power to “work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work” (John 9:4).

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Monday, August 2, 2010