But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6.
Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you.” John 20:21.
Without faith it is impossible to please Him. Hebrews 11:6. He who has seen Me has seen the Father. John 14:9.
God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Hebrews 1:1-3.
And continuing our 351 Old Testament prophecies, promises of God, fulfilled in Jesus Christ, we come to number 183: To establish an everlasting kingdom. Isaiah 9:7: There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this. And, Luke 1:32-33: “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the LORD God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”
This morning in our Friday Zoom retreat, we read an excerpt from Erica DeWaard’s book Luke, where she pointed out that between the Old Testament and the New Testament was a span of 400 years of silence. No prophets speaking. It reminded us of the 400 years when Israel was captive in Egypt and yet God knew all that was happening, and in His perfect timing, He brought them out of the suffering of slavery. And as one of our group pointed out, maybe the 400 years after Malachi spoke was needed to reset our world for the very way Jesus came, for the incredible new thing He was doing for all of us. As DeWaard wrote, “So God doesn’t send another prophet to shout louder…He sends Himself. Not in power, but in vulnerability. Not with explanations, but with skin and breath and a heartbeat. He enters the world as a baby who has to be held, fed, protected, and loved, placing Himself directly into the generational mess Malachi was talking about.”
The people then knew a Messiah was prophesied to come and we know today that Jesus was that Messiah promised; and that the prophesied promise remains still for His coming again to restore God’s Kingdom on all the earth as it is in heaven. Wasn’t that what ancient Israel was anticipating when the Messiah came, the restoration of Israel itself? And the challenge remains: trust Creator God – for all He is doing. Can you imagine being one of the disciples who had followed Jesus for three years, knowing He was the Messiah, the Son of God, that He was flesh and blood with them? Did they need to pinch themselves to remember that amazing fact of who He was, or did His being with them prove to be so natural as they lived everyday life with Him? And then the miracles and the teaching that was so different from all they knew to be real. And then, Jesus told them He was leaving them – and that too was new and how could they begin to understand what would follow? But, He did not leave them adrift. “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” John 14:16-18. Not just ancient Israel, but all of creation will be restored when Jesus the Son, Creator God, returns. A new thing? Yes! Will we be ready? Are we learning to trust God now for everything? We never truly anticipate the new thing that Creator God does, but thanks be to Him, He knows exactly all that is needed and it is Good!
***Prayers lay down the track on which God’s power comes. Like a mighty locomotive, His power is irresistible, yet it cannot reach us without rails. Watchman Nee (1903-1972).***
