A New Day Coming
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Isaiah 2: 1-4 (NRSVA)
1 The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
2 In days to come
the mountain of the Lord’s house
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and shall be raised above the hills;
all the nations shall stream to it.
3 Many peoples shall come and say,
‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob;
that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths.’
For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
4 He shall judge between the nations,
and shall arbitrate for many peoples;
they shall beat their swords into ploughshares,
and their spears into pruning-hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more.
Isaiah, the prophet, announced a new day was coming when men and women would live together in peace and harmony. God would judge the nations, and "they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more" (Isaiah 2: 4). On that new day, not only shall the problems of humanity be solved, but the physical environment around them shall be made new for, "The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, . . . . and a little child shall lead them" (Isaiah 1:6). Thus, peace, safety, and security are promised in the outworking of the future kingdom.
Later Jesus came announcing: "Repent [or turn around], for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. 4: 17). This theme of the coming of the kingdom of God in its already, but not yet-ness was central to Jesus' mission. His teaching was designed to show people how they may enter God's kingdom (Matthew 5: 20; 7: 21). His miracles were intended to demonstrate the present reality of the kingdom (Matthew 12: 28), and his parables illustrated truths concerning the kingdom (Matthew 13: 11). And when he taught his followers to pray, at the heart of their petition were the words, "Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matt. 6: 10).
On the eve of his death, Jesus assured his disciples that he would yet share the joy and fellowship of the new covenant with them (Luke 22: 22-30). And he promised them that he would come again to earth in glory, bringing with him all the kingdom's blessings (Matthew 25: 31, 34). Thus, our future hope for that new day is in the coming of the King when the kingdom is consummated on the earth, which will then be filled with the glory of God.
PRAYER:
Lord, we long for that day when your kingdom comes in all its fullness. When you will put all things right. Come soon, Lord Jesus, Come soon.
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