Monday, December 27, 2010
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Ezekiel 34-36 and 1 Peter 5
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Ezekiel 34-36 and 1 Peter 5
SCRIPTURE READING
Isaiah 9:6 (NIV); And he will be called… Mighty God…
What a statement! That a child born in the future would be called Mighty God must have been an inconceivable idea for the Jews who believed that Yahweh was the one true God. They already referred to Yahweh as Mighty God, and yet they took this prophecy as a word about the Redeemer who would bring light and freedom to Zion. Interesting, then, that the Pharisees – those who knew the Messianic prophesies well – were so offended that Jesus claimed to be God.
The Lord God is mighty and can do the impossible; The Israelites saw His marvelous deeds firsthand during the days of Moses and Joshua, they experienced the certainty of His word as they were exiled from Jerusalem and Samaria in chains, they stood in the power of His deliverance as they rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem, and they waited expectantly for the promise of eternal redemption.
Mighty God is the One that we serve. The almighty God who constantly revealed Himself to the nation of Israel is Jesus who was born unto us to deliver us from sin and death.
God took one man – Abraham – to be the father of a great nation. By the time of Abraham’s grandson Jacob, the “nation” had grown to 70. Over a relatively short period of time, these children of Israel grew exponentially, even presenting a threat to the Egyptians! This little nation under heaven, which has endured intense persecution since its founding is still remarkably still alive. Many great nations of their day are dead and gone, yet Israel remains. The Lord our God is Mighty God.
PRAYER and MEDIATION
1. Read the words of Isaiah 9:6 a few times over and spend some time soaking them up. “He is called Mighty God.” Allow this to sink in. What does it mean to you today, right now?
2. Meditate on what this prophesy meant to the world at large. It was not spoken just for us as individuals, but the entire human race!
3. Read Deuteronomy 10:17-22 and ask God to speak to you about the might of His name and the power of His deliverance.
4. Ask the Holy Spirit how you can share this news with someone today. Who needs to know that the Lord is Mighty God and how can you communicate this to them? Be specific.
