Friday, April 29, 2011
We learn a lot from the book of Jonah for here we are: listening to God's Word. Here we see God's discipline, God's miracles, repentance, deliverance, mercy, and both love and forgiveness. We also learn a lot from the book of Jonah in observing Jonah himself, in recognizing the sinfulness and failures of humans. Jonah put himself up on a high place to see what he hoped would be the destruction/damnation of the city of Nineveh. He wanted them to die. The city to which he had just brought the Word of God's judgment was the same city that had heard it, repented, and turned to follow the one true God!
The prophet Isaiah acted quite a bit differently than Jonah did. In fact, Isaiah remained with the Children of Israel many years while he prophesied to them not only of repentance, but of the promised Messiah who would be lifted on high! In chapter 33 of Isaiah it pictures the peace of God's reign. Verse 2-4 bring to mind not only the waiting for the Messiah, whose followers would scatter when He was lead away to be lifted up on high on the cross to bear the sin of the world, but also the glory of His coming at Judgment Day when all the nations will scatter at His return from on high to judge the world.
THE HIGH PLACE OF CHRIST ... FOR THE PURPOSE OF LIFE!
Isaiah 33:5-6 (33:2-6) The LORD is exalted, for He dwells on high; He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness. Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times, And the strength of salvation; The fear of the LORD is His treasure.
Jesus sits on high, not as Jonah did to see the destruction of His people, but as Isaiah did to see the redemption of His people. This has been His purpose since man's fall into sin. This has been His purpose in His coming to this sinful world, to suffer, to die, to rise, to bring life and immortality to light through the Gospel! His life gives us peace and stability in both life and in death! It is as Isaiah said, "the strength of salvation."
Jesus lives! and now is death, But the gate of life immortal;
This shall calm my trembling breath, When I pass its gloomy portal.
Faith shall cry, as fails each sense: Jesus is my confidence!
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 201:5)
