thus says the LORD; “in a time of favor i have answered you. in a day of salvation i have helped you; i will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages, saying to the prisoners, ‘come out’, to those who are in darkness, ‘appear’. they shall feed along the ways; on all bare heights shall be their pasture;” [isaiah 49:8-9]
God’s people were given so many promises in the old testament, that to me, would have seemed very confusing. there were so many mysteries of God that required blind faith, patiently waiting, trusting in his goodness. not that our salvation doesn’t require the same faith, but i’m so thankful for the whole of scripture, and how God reveals so much of himself and his plan to reconcile the world. here, the LORD is promising an answer to all of the mystery. help for the helpless. a day of salvation. a day when prisoners will be free from their bondage, and a day when the darkness will be lifted from blind eyes. there will be life, joy, total satisfaction and pleasure.
what an amazing old testament promise that we see fulfilled in Christ Jesus. Jesus is the answer God had promised to his people. Jesus is the help God promised to save them. Jesus is the new covenant through which the world was to be reconciled with its Creator. he would establish a kingdom, bringing those enslaved to sin into adoption as sons, bringing those blinded to God’s glory by a veil of darkness into his marvelous light.
church, behold! now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation! (2 cor 6:2) for all the promises of God find their yes in him (Jesus). that is why it is through him that we utter our amen to God for his glory. (2 cor 1:20)
so don’t wait.
unbeliever:
today, sit in the presence of a good and faithful Father, and ask that this be your favorable time. ask that today be the day of your salvation. lay your life down and choose life in Jesus.
believer:
today, sit in the presence of a good and faithful Father, and ask that this be _____________’s favorable time. ask that today be the day of _____________’s salvation. then with this same sense of urgency, go. share with them his message of hope.
~ arwen eastman