Even as western civilization crumbles, take heart—you're part of Christ's eternal Church.
Isaiah 49:1-7
CONTEXT: This passage is one of four "Servant Songs" in the book of Isaiah that point forward to Christ.
Listen to me, you islands;
hear this, you distant nations:
Before I was born the LORD called me;
from my mother’s womb he has spoken my name.
2 He made my mouth like a sharpened sword,
in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
he made me into a polished arrow
and concealed me in his quiver.
3 He said to me, “You are my servant,
Israel, in whom I will display my splendor.”
4 But I said, “I have labored in vain;
I have spent my strength for nothing at all.
Yet what is due me is in the LORD’s hand,
and my reward is with my God.”
5 And now the LORD says—
he who formed me in the womb to be his servant
to bring Jacob back to him
and gather Israel to himself,
for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD
and my God has been my strength—
6 he 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 my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”
7 This is what the LORD says—
the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel—
to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation,
to the servant of rulers:
“Kings will see you and stand up,
princes will see and bow down,
because of the LORD, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”
Listen to passage & devotional:
Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 27: The Holy Catholic Church
We believe and confess
one single catholic (universal) church—
a holy congregation and gathering
of true Christian believers,
awaiting their entire salvation in Jesus Christ
being washed by his blood,
and sanctified and sealed by the Holy Spirit.
This church has existed from the beginning of the world
and will last until the end,
as appears from the fact
that Christ is eternal King
who cannot be without subjects.
And this holy church is preserved by God
against the rage of the whole world,
even though for a time
it may appear very small
in the eyes of men—
as though it were snuffed out.
For example,
during the very dangerous time of Ahab
the Lord preserved for himself seven thousand men
who did not bend their knees to Baal.
And so this holy church
is not confined,
bound,
or limited to a certain place or certain persons.
But it is spread and dispersed
throughout the entire world,
though still joined and united
in heart and will,
in one and the same Spirit,
by the power of faith.
Summary
Just like in so many other passages, today we read that God's call in our lives precedes the moment we were born. God "forms in the womb" (v1, 5), or as Psalm 139:13 puts it, God knits people together. This is just one of the reasons Christians advocate to protect unborn children: they are God's handiwork! While God carefully constructs all people, the particular person being referred to here in Isaiah is special; He would be God's servant Israel who would display His splendor.
Israel, of course, refers to God's covenant people. He had rescued them from slavery and established them in the promised land, with its flowing milk and honey. They were to be a holy nation, one set apart and distinct from the world around it. But ultimately, as children of Abraham, they had a bigger purpose: they were to be a "a light for the Gentiles, that God's salvation may reach to the ends of the earth” (v6).
But these chosen people, like all people, were stubborn and rebellious and never fulfilled God's intentions for them. And so, through His prophet Isaiah, God speaks of a new servant - a new Israel - who would come to "bring Jacob back to Him and gather Israel to Himself" (v5).
This servant would of course be our Savior, the firstborn amongst many brothers, who would bring salvation to God's covenant people throughout the entire world.
Dig Deeper
Today our Confession speaks of the catholicity of the church, in that it "is not confined, bound, or limited to a certain place or certain persons. But it is spread and dispersed throughout the entire world..." We tend to think of the Church as being a European or North American concept, but the reality is that the Church is currently far bigger and stronger in parts of Asia and Africa than it is in the Americas!
Just as the Church is not geographically bound, neither is it limited to a specific epoch in history. For many decades, many Christians came to a very mistaken conclusion that God has two distinct sets of chosen people: Israel, and the Church. But go back and look at our posts this past week about the Church and you'll notice that nearly every description of the Church that we looked at comes from the Old Testament!
Certainly covenant people look different now than what they did thousands of years ago when they only lived in a small corner of the ancient near east, but all of the people whom God has gathered to Himself, from Adam on up, are members of the Church since they too are saved by God's grace made possible by Christ's atonement.
It may seem disconcerting to see Western Civilization deteriorating so rapidly in our present context, but don't be pessimistic or downcast. You are a member of Christ's eternal Church, so remember the promise that God made to His servant - your Savior - long ago through Isaiah:
This is what the LORD says—
the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel—
to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation,
to the servant of rulers:
“Kings will see you and stand up,
princes will see and bow down,
because of the LORD, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”
ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who gathers His people back to Him (v5);
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the confidence that comes from knowing God has chosen you as part of His eternal covenant people;
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:
Read the New Testament in a year! Today: 2 Corinthians 8
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