We were with child, we writhed in labor,
but we gave birth to wind.
We have not brought salvation to the earth,
and the people of the world have not been reborn. (Is 26:18)
I read this verse yesterday. It speaks of Israel's failure, and it also speaks of God's desire and purpose. God's desire was that salvation would come through Israel to the whole world. As we know the Old Testament is in many ways a catalogue of Israel's sins and failure. Salvation did not come to the earth through Israel. But God is not thwarted in His plans, His words do not return empty. In Christ, salvation has come to the world through Israel.
In many ways Israel can be viewed as a microcosm of the whole world and its relation to God. Israel's failure mirrors our failure. Yet in Christ Israel has indeed become the fountain of salvation. We have all sinned and failed, but when we come to Christ a work of transformation begins, we are born again, reborn (there are alternative translations of the end of v18). We start to become the people God always intended us to be.
In the same way, a time will come when Israel will turn to Christ and she will indeed become the nation God always intended her to be.
In Christ all of God's plans are and will be fulfilled.
but we gave birth to wind.
We have not brought salvation to the earth,
and the people of the world have not been reborn. (Is 26:18)
I read this verse yesterday. It speaks of Israel's failure, and it also speaks of God's desire and purpose. God's desire was that salvation would come through Israel to the whole world. As we know the Old Testament is in many ways a catalogue of Israel's sins and failure. Salvation did not come to the earth through Israel. But God is not thwarted in His plans, His words do not return empty. In Christ, salvation has come to the world through Israel.
In many ways Israel can be viewed as a microcosm of the whole world and its relation to God. Israel's failure mirrors our failure. Yet in Christ Israel has indeed become the fountain of salvation. We have all sinned and failed, but when we come to Christ a work of transformation begins, we are born again, reborn (there are alternative translations of the end of v18). We start to become the people God always intended us to be.
In the same way, a time will come when Israel will turn to Christ and she will indeed become the nation God always intended her to be.
In Christ all of God's plans are and will be fulfilled.
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