Oct 1, 2020
The history of Israel is central to God’s plan of salvation, which we see as early as Genesis 3:15, then moving on to the time of Abraham, the story of Joseph, Moses, Joshua, the giving of the Law and the great kings especially David. The returnees from Babylon hav the focus and the prophet says to them to rejoice and be at peace despite all that has happened. Then the tone changes to speak of a time when God arrives in person and thus the people will sing for joy. The “servant” of God arrives and is “lifted up” and also is terribly disfigured beyond recognition. Yet this one will bring in the nations, meaning Gentiles, who will “see” and “understand.”