Welcome to Isaiah
0 comments | Posted by Steven Layson on 27 Sep 2009 in From Steve's Study ::
Last week we started a new series looking at the book of Isaiah. But why look at a book that was written more than 2500 years ago? Isaiah writes to a very different people and a very different time to our own. Can he have anything useful to tell us?
Well, as we saw last week, the answer is a resounding “Yes”! It is true that Isaiah wrote a long time ago, but people have actually changed very little from his time.
Our world is still full of people who refuse to acknowledge God’s existence. Instead they easily follow after the latest trendy lifestyle program, whether it be the power of crystals or the power of positive thinking. Even God’s people are not immune as we very easily allow God’s rightful place in our lives to be taken up work, family & the many trappings of modern life.
And although it is not a very popular message, our world needs to realize that there are consequences for turning away from God… rejecting the one who gives life, means rejecting life itself. We too can become all too complacent about our sin and about those who do not know Jesus.
Finally, just as God held out a message of hope for the people of Isaiah’s time, we also hold the greatest message of hope for our world – the gospel. The Israelites awaited the coming Messiah to rescue them from exile, but the Messiah has now come and opens the way for us to return from our own exile from God.
Jesus is the “Christ”. This title is merely the Greek translation of the Hebrew word “Messiah”… it is not Jesus’ second name. It reminds us that he is our king, our rescuer, but not ours only, he is also king and rescuer of the whole world. Jesus is the one who brings life – eternal life.
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