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The apostle Paul exclaimed in his concluding remarks about God's incredible work of salvation, "Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!" (Rm. 11:33) I am chewing on a thought - God's dealings with Israel are a picture of God's dealings with the nations.
We often wonder in amazement how God's chosen people could have rejected their Messiah. We not only marvel that God's own people did not receive their Messiah, but also are puzzled with the multitudinous times Israel disobeyed and rejected their God in the centuries prior to Messiah's arrival.
As I contemplate Israel's treatment of their God, the true and living God, I am struck with the thought that Israel is but a microcosm of how the nations have treated God. Prior to Israel's existence God made himself known to the nations. As the descendents of Adam and Eve populated the earth and organized into nations they progressively turned from and rejected their God. This resulted in God's judgment upon humanity because of their unbelievable depravity and violence. (Gn. 6 - 9)
Eight people emerged from the Ark and began to populate the earth once again. Not too many decades after the Ark had settled upon the mountains of Ararat God had to judge the human population for rebellion at the Tower of Babel. The people dispersed and the birth of the modern nations ensued.
The nations had knowledge of God but, again, progressively repressed and suppressed the knowledge of God in order to make their own gods. (Rm 1:18 - 32) Due to the stubbornness, and increasingly hard hearts of the nations God raised up another nation through whom to make Himself known to the nations, yet again. Prior to Israel's existence the nations had totally rejected their God, the true and living God. (To be continued in my next post)
It is a fact that football games are won on the line. Whichever line, the offensive or defensive, asserts itself determines the success of the team. On defense the line must develop the ability to stand firm in goal line game situations. The offensive line must be able to stand firm and protect their quarterback in obvious passing situations. The ability to stand firm is absolutely necessary for offensive and defensive lines.
Likewise the believer must develop the ability to stand firm in the faith. That is precisely what Isaiah emphasized to his people during his lifetime. Isaiah was a prophet in Judah during the reign of King Ahaz. During his reign the king of Assyria allied with the northern kingdom, Israel to wage war against Judah. Ahaz and the people of Judah were exceedingly afraid.
God instructed Isaiah to give King Ahaz a very clear message. "Be careful, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint because of these two smoldering stumps of firebrands, at the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria and the son of Remaliah. Because Syria, with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has devised evil against you, saying, 'Let us go up against Judah and terrify it, and let us conquer it for ourselves, and set up the son of Tabeel as king in the midst of it,' thus says the Lord: It shall not stand, and it shall not come to pass." This very clear message from God was clearly understood by King Ahaz. God concluded his message to King Ahaz with these words, "If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all." (Is. 7:9b)
The last portion of this message to King Ahaz is as relevant to us today as it was to Ahaz, who reigned from 735 - 715 B.C. Standing firm in faith means standing firm upon God's clearly communicated message. It was a matter of King Ahaz putting his trust and confidence in God, but standing upon what God said or if he would distrust God and not stand upon God's word to him.
We too must stand firm upon God's clearly revealed message. God's message at this point in human history is found solely in His Word. We must stand firm in faith - stand firm upon God's Word - or not be firm at all. Where weakness is present among God's people perhaps it is due to our unwillingness to stand firm on particular portions of God's Word. Let us stand firm in faith by being firm in our trust in God's Word.
