While preparing a message in the Gospel of Matthew, I was reading through the prophetic words of Isaiah today. I am still amazed at how truthful and accurate the Word of God is in predicting events and...predicting events that have a near and yet future fulfillment. It's hard enough to predict one but to have a double fulfillment....statistical improbability.
It is even more amazing to see how the Scriptures can even predict the human personality.
It did this with the yet-to-be-born Son of God.
Isaiah 42:1-4 is this wonderful passage.
"Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations. 2 He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. 3 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; 4 he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope."
I was standing at the sink doing dishes the other night and I muttered, "God has to be grieved at the wickedness in this world." I don't know why I said it out loud. I'm guessing that it poured forth from a heart that was just overflowing with that particular emotion. I thought about Noah and how God was grieved that he had made mankind. I also thought about how I yearn for a just world (whatever that means).
I clearly am not a perfect person but I am striving to be. I have done my share of ungodly things and thought ungodly thoughts. I have been on the receiving side of swindlers and thieves, abuse and lies. I have prayed for forgiveness, offered forgiveness and...yes...prayed the imprecatory psalms over people with "just" intentions. There is something inside of me that just wants to live in world where things are made right. I long for that hope. Perhaps I'm just tired of the struggle, tired of being inundated with the negative all the time. Sequester would be an option but that didn't work well for the monks nor sleep for Ichabod Crane. You just end up being irrelevant and more depressed at the changing times.
So when I read the description of Jesus given about him 700 years before he entered this world, I found great solace in knowing that the Father planned for him to have a heart for making things right. He has a spirit of justice within him. And the wonderful thing is that, not only does he have the heart, but he has the power to change things.
Come to think of it....so do I.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_RjndG0IX8
