Reflecting God’s Devotions for Holy Living – Friday, 10 January 2014 “The Redeemer Will Return” Scripture Isaiah 59

Reflecting God’s Devotions for Holy Living – Friday, 10 January 2014 “The Redeemer Will Return” Scripture Isaiah 59: 12 For our transgressions before you are many,

    and our sins testify against us.

Our transgressions indeed are with us,

    and we know our iniquities:

13 transgressing, and denying the Lord,

    and turning away from following our God,

talking oppression and revolt,

    conceiving lying words and uttering them from the heart.

14 Justice is turned back,

    and righteousness stands at a distance;

for truth stumbles in the public square,

    and uprightness cannot enter.

15 Truth is lacking,

    and whoever turns from evil is despoiled.

The Lord saw it, and it displeased him

    that there was no justice.

16 He saw that there was no one,

    and was appalled that there was no one to intervene;

so his own arm brought him victory,

    and his righteousness upheld him.

17 He put on righteousness like a breastplate,

    and a helmet of salvation on his head;

he put on garments of vengeance for clothing,

    and wrapped himself in fury as in a mantle.

18 According to their deeds, so will he repay;

    wrath to his adversaries, requital to his enemies;

    to the coastlands he will render requital.

19 So those in the west shall fear the name of the Lord,

    and those in the east, his glory;

for he will come like a pent-up stream

    that the wind of the Lord drives on.

20 And he will come to Zion as Redeemer,

    to those in Jacob who turn from transgression, says the Lord.

21 And as for me, this is my covenant with them, says the Lord: my spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouths of your children, or out of the mouths of your children’s children, says the Lord, from now on and forever.

“The Redeemer Will Return” by H. Ray Dunning

Ezekiel saw the glory of God depart from the temple because of the persistent sinfulness of the people of Israel (Ezekiel 10). But he predicted that in the future the glory would return. Such promises became a part of Israel’s hope that God would return to His people when they repented and kept the law. Malachi also proclaimed this hope: “. . . suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple” (3:1).

By the time Jesus was born the Jews were still aware that God had not as yet returned to His temple. The whole of Jesus’ ministry was designed to announce that God was now fulfilling His promise and returning to His people. That is why His message was first to Israel, calling them to repentance. But there was a major difference! When the chosen ones failed to recognize His coming and rejected His call, His church became the new temple in which and to which God returned. The climactic moment came on the day of Pentecost when all the Old Testament hopes of the Redeemer’s return were realized. Whenever His people are open to the Spirit’s indwelling, the promise is fulfilled.

Hymn for Today:

“Come, Thou Long-expected Jesus” by Charles Wesley

1. Come, thou long expected Jesus,

born to set thy people free;

from our fears and sins release us,

let us find our rest in thee.

Israel's strength and consolation,

hope of all the earth thou art;

dear desire of every nation,

joy of every longing heart.

2. Born thy people to deliver,

born a child and yet a King,

born to reign in us forever,

now thy gracious kingdom bring.

By thine own eternal spirit

rule in all our hearts alone;

by thine all sufficient merit,

raise us to thy glorious throne.

Thought for Today:

“Prayer and fasting bear fruit when our actions, desires, and thoughts are more like God’s” (Rhonda Carrim).

Prayer Needs:

Many people in Kazakhstan will come to know Jesus the Christ (Yeshua the Messiah) and receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

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