No Wonder
Posted 11/11/2003 9:01:38 AM
It's no wonder the Jews were disappointed at Jesus' lack of military inclinations. They wanted their sweet revenge on years of oppression; they wanted to see God's promised payback time, like He describes in Isaiah 10:12-34. They weren't interested so much in the promise of peace in Is 11:6-10, they loved the idea of getting even, as in Is 11:11-16.
They're missing several things here:
- The people of Israel were being punished - the oppressors were simply being used by God Is 10:5-6. Yes, those wicked nations would be dealt with, but this isn't any grounds for revenge at all. The wages of sin is death, and then judgement, where each person takes responsibility for his actions, whether good or ill.
- Only a remnant would survive the purging to see the other side Is 10:20,21; 11:11. What is it in people that we think that we will be the ones that survive, that win, that have the advantage? Only one can win, only a few can be exceptional (by definition), and a remnant surely isn't very many people. In other words, most of the people would either die or be exiled from their homeland.
- Jesus' reign would be established on the blood of His sacrifice. He offers salvation freely to all people, from any nation, and that is the source of true peace. A militarily-enforced "peace" isn't any such thing, it's just that one side has enough might to subdue the other.
- Thankfulness was hardly a part of the their vocabulary. One thing God loves very much is praise and thanksgiving for what He is and what He has done Is 12:4.
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