December 20
He says, “It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also make You a light of the nations So that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 7 Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel and its Holy One, To the despised One, To the One abhorred by the nation, To the Servant of rulers, “Kings will see and arise, Princes will also bow down, Because of the Lord who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel who has chosen You.” (Isaiah 49:6-7)
Isaiah referred to the Messiah as a light to the nations, the One who causes kings to rise and princes to bow, and the light that brings salvation to the people of Israel as well as the people of every nation. Despite the fact that Jesus was the Messiah, the One the people of God had waited for and long anticipated, Isaiah explained that the people of Israel would still reject Him. And that’s exactly what they did. The very people He came to save called Him crazy, a liar, and a blasphemer. Jesus was innocent, but He endured mockery, abuse, and eventually death. The day is coming, though, when every knee will bow before Him and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord.
Jesus shed light on our trespasses and our sinful condition. His light, though, is not a condemning spotlight that simply highlights our sins. Rather, it is a guiding light that leads us to the truth, grace, and salvation of the Lord. He was despised and abhorred, but He was vindicated. He was proven right and true when He rose from the dead and He will be proven right and true once and for all when He returns.
- Have you ever spoken to someone who despised God? What was the reason behind their emotion?
- Jesus’ light reveals sin, no matter how small it may seem, even the things we do in secret. What is God shedding his light on right now?