An Invitation (2)

Isaiah continues with a cool prediction that has come true in an interesting way.

Give ear and come to me;

        listen, that you may live.

I will make an everlasting covenant with you,

        my faithful love promised to David.

See, I have made him a witness to the peoples,

        a ruler and commander of the peoples.

Surely you will summon nations you know not,

        and nations you do not know will come running to you,

because of the LORD your God,

        the Holy One of Israel,

        for he has endowed you with splendor.

God promised to renew his covenant, an arrangement with a pathetic broken nation to bring his long awaited promise to humanity. David’s devotion heavily influenced ancient Israel’s faith. He embodied the quintessential ideal of Israel’s hope—the one who united the tribes into a cohesive nation.

Nearly 500 years later Isaiah promised a new “David” who would attract unknown nations to himself. Christians believe Jesus fulfills this promise of the Jewish Messiah. The unknown nations are the peoples from the far flung corners of the world, like Ireland and Indonesia, South Africa and Siberia, who have looked to Jesus as their hope.

Could it be that we can find life’s meaning in him? I’ve spent my life contemplating this. So much wrong still pervades our world, and far too often Christ-followers perpetuate the problem rather than model the solution. But in the end, if we accept God’s terms, as mysterious as they can be, we can find peace, thirst quenching relief for parched souls, an inner peace amid the chaos abounding around us.