Scripture:
Isaiah 42:1-7; Matthew 12:17-21
Thu, 26 January 2023

Hope of the Nations

Observation:

In what ways do these verses reveal Jesus as “Hope of the nations”?

Deeper Reflection
Isaiah’s prophecy of Cyrus gave Israel hope of deliverance from exile. But Isaiah also prophesied an even greater hope — the Messiah, who would deliver not just the Jews but all people, and deliver not just from Babylon, but from the Kingdom of Darkness. He would be the Hope of the nations!In the Old Testament, the Lord declares that His Chosen Servant will “bring forth justice to the nations (Hebrew: goy)” and be “a light for the nations (goy)” (vv.1,6). Matthew’s Gospel quotes this prophecy, identifying Jesus as God’s Chosen Servant. “He will proclaim justice to the Gentiles (Greek: ethnos)” and “in His name the Gentiles (ethnos) will have hope” (Matt 12:18,21). In the New Testament, the Greek word ethnos is most often translated as “Gentiles”, describing “all the individuals who do not belong to the chosen people (as distinct from the Jews or Christians).”24 Jesus is the hope of the Gentiles!Jesus is the hope of all nationsboth Jews and Gentiles (Isa 49:6). Luke’s Gospel makes this explicit, identifying Jesus as the Lord’s salvation, that the Lord had prepared in the presence of “all peoples”; He was to be “a light for revelation to the Gentiles (ethnos) and for glory to your people Israel” (Lk 2:30-32, emphasis mine; cf. Acts 26:23).Indeed, ethnos is also frequently translated in the New Testament as “nation(s)”, referring to “the people of the world…divided based on their constitution of a socio-political community”25 (e.g. Matt 24:14; Matt 28:19, Jn 11:50, etc.). Jesus is Hope of the nations, because all nations — all peoples Jews and Gentiles — are held in God’s hand.
24 Georg Bertram and Karl Ludwig Schmidt, “Eθνος, Ἐθνικός,” in Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, ed. Gerhard Kittel, Geoffrey W. Bromiley, and Gerhard Friedrich (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1964), 370 25 Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 129.
Application:

How does Jesus being “Hope of the nations” affect my personal discipleship?

Prayer:
Write a prayer to God as your response from your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.
Prayer Pointers:
  • Give thanks and praise
  • Pray for Outreach/Missions/New Life leaders: To lead the church to boldly proclaim Jesus, the Hope of the nations, to all nations
  • Pray for significant people
  • Pray for those in need
  • Pray for self
 

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Daily Devo
Daily Devotional Journal
Scripture:
Daniel 5:17, 25-31; 6:1-2
Mon, 5 June 2023

Serving from Babylon to Persia

Observation:

What is the significance of Daniel serving in the Babylonian and Persian
courts successively?

Deeper Reflection
God’s word to Belshazzar that He would “put an end” to his kingdom and give it “over to the Medes and Persians” was fulfilled immediately – “that same night” (v.30) – after Daniel’s interpretation of the inscription on the wall (vv.25-31). God can fulfil His Word immediately or after a long time. Whatever time God may take to fulfil His Word, He is “trustworthy in all His promises and faithful in all He does” (Psa 145:13b, NIV).The demise of the Babylonian hegemony was not just a historical event, but primarily a theological one. Nebuchadnezzar was “My servant” whom God raised to judge His unfaithful people in the seventy-year Babylonian exile (Jer 25:8-9, 11). When God had accomplished His purpose through Babylon, “I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation” (Jer 25:12). This is how God deals with arrogant and evil nations: “And Babylon, the beauty of kingdoms, the glory of the Chaldeans’ pride, will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah” (Isa 13:19).The end of Babylon does not mean an insecure future for Daniel. However drastically our circumstances may change, God’s call for our lives remains when we walk with Him faithfully. We are secure in God’s call, because it is God’s call. Daniel became one of “the three commissioners” in Persia (Dan 6:1-2). It wasn’t that having lost his job Daniel applied to serve the Persian king. Daniel couldn’t do that. It was purely by royal appointment. But behind the “It seemed good to Darius to appoint” (Dan 6:1) was God’s call for Daniel to serve Him from Babylon to Persia.
Application:

How do I relate God’s call for me in drastic changes of my life situations?

Prayer:
Lord, I believe You have a calling for my life which You have intended to be distinctive for me. I want to live my life with a deep sense of answering Your calling. Help me to walk with You faithfully, knowing that as I do so, You will unfold Your plans for me in that calling. Grant me wisdom and understanding to discern Your calling for my life.
Prayer Pointers:
  • Give thanks and praise
  • Pray for leaders
  • Pray for significant people
  • Pray for those in need
  • Pray for self
 

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