Peter Misselbrook's Blog

Oct 15 2019 - Isaiah 48 – The Lord has redeemed his servant Jacob

God declared he was about to overthrow the power of Babylon so that his people may be released from captivity and return home. But his people must not forget that their captivity was God's act of judgment for their unfaithfulness. They had often spoken the name of the Lord and used his name in making their oaths and promises, but they had failed to honour God's name (v. 1) – they were using it as if it were a magic charm. How often is that true of people around us today? They were boasting that they were citizens of the holy city and that they were protected by the God of Israel who had made his home among them. But they had forgotten the almighty power of the Lord their God (v. 2) – it is not always safe to live in the presence of such a God.

Their stubbornness and unfaithfulness had led to their captivity. The Lord had told them what would happen. He had warned them long ago through Moses in the Book of Deuteronomy that if they turned away from the Lord who had rescued them from slavery in Egypt and began to worship other gods and ignore God's laws they would lose their land and be sent away into captivity. Again and again the Lord warned them by his prophets that they were heading for judgment but they had been stiff-necked and had taken no notice. Their captivity should have come as no surprise (vv. 3-5).

Now the Lord is going to reveal something new to them (vv. 6b-8). He had been slow to execute his wrath against his people for he did not want to destroy them but only to discipline them (v. 9). His purpose in their exile and captivity was to refine them through the trouble they had brought on themselves – teaching them the cost of disobedience (v. 10).

The Lord has not punished his people as they deserved but displays his glory in showing compassion. So now the Lord demonstrates that he, the maker of heaven and earth, is in sovereign control of human history and will steer its course to ensure the blessing of his people; he will strike down the power of Babylon and set his people free (vv. 12-15).

An enigmatic new figure is introduced in verse 16, sent by the Lord and endowed with his Spirit. We shall hear more of this character in chapter 49 tomorrow. But this is the message he brings:

This is what the LORD says – your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
‘I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you,
    who directs you in the way you should go. (v. 17)

The Lord is going to save his undeserving people from Babylon as he redeemed them from Egypt. He calls them to take advantage of the victory of Cyrus and to "Leave Babylon" (v.  20). Nor are they to leave quietly or secretly but with shouts of joy they are to proclaim what God has done for them "to the ends of the earth".

We also have been the recipients of God's undeserved mercy and salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle Peter reminds Gentile Christians that we, like Israel of old have been chosen and redeemed by God. He writes:

You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)

We whom God has saved from captivity to sin and death should proclaim to the ends of the earth what God has done for us with shouts of joy. We want others to hear about it and to recognise that the God who has revealed himself in the Lord Jesus is the sovereign Creator and Redeemer. We want them also to discover the freedom and joy that can be found through trusting in him.

Father God, help us to declare your praises to the ends of the earth. May many more come to hear of and experience your saving goodness and join us in our song of praise.

Oct 15 2020 - Hebrews 9:11-28 – Salvation in three tenses

The reading this morning continues to elaborate on the same great theme: By his death, Jesus has offered a single sacrifice which is sufficient to cover all our sins, past, present and future. The price is paid: paid in full, paid for ever.

The structure of this section parallels the great Christian affirmation, "Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again." "Christ has died" – "Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many" (Hebrews 9:28). "Christ is risen" – "Christ ... entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence" (9:24). "Christ will come again" – "he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him" (9:28).

These three affirmations reflect the past, present and future tenses of our salvation; we have been saved, we are being saved and we shall be saved. We have been saved for Christ had died for our sins and they can never again be brought up before God to condemn us. We need not fear death or judgment for God’s judgment upon us has become history with Christ’s death upon the cross. We are being saved, for Christ our Saviour is risen from the dead and lives now in the presence of God for us. He is our Advocate in the heavens and his continuing ministry of intercession ensures that his atoning work shall not prove to be in vain; nothing can separate us from the love of God. We shall be saved for the day will come when Christ shall return from heaven to complete his work of making all things new. He will return for us, and we will then reign with him in the glory of the new creation – he will “bring salvation to those who are waiting for him”

What should the present tense of our salvation look like for us? Our "waiting for him" is not to be passive – like waiting at the bus stop for the bus to arrive. We read that "Christ ... through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, [to] cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God" (9:14). By the power of the Spirit, we are to follow Christ in offering ourselves to God, body and spirit. We are to put behind us those “acts that lead to death”. We who follow Christ have died with him to a life of rebellion; we have been raised with him to a life of obedience. We are to devote our lives to the glad service of him who loved us and gave himself for us, so that we may not be ashamed on the day of his appearing. We have been "saved to serve". Ours in an active waiting, preparing ourselves for the day of his coming and busying ourselves in the work of the kingdom – calling all creation to be ready for that great and glorious day.

“Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.” Let this affirmation ring through believing hearts today. And let it shape our lives as he lives in us so that we may live as those who have died to sin, who have been raised to new life that we might serve the living God and as those who live towards the day of his appearing.

Crucified, risen and returning Saviour, by your Spirit enable us to follow you closely this day. Help us to live the glad and confident lives of those who have been ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven. Help us offer ourselves wholly to the living God this day and to live to the glory of the coming king.

Peter Misselbrook