THE PREDICTION OF THE REJECTION OF CHRIST

PROCLAMATION

“This is what The Lord says, The Redeemer and The Holy One of Israel, to Him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the servant of rulers: ‘Kings will see You and stand up, princes will see and bow down, because The Lord, who is faithful, The Holy One of Israel, who has chosen You.’”  Isaiah 49:7 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

Most Bible scholars believe that here in this forty-ninth chapter that the prophet Isaiah is presenting the words from God, The Father, and the words from God, The Son.  It begins with The Son referring to being called by The Father before his earthly birth. (Isaiah 49:1-3)  Then The Son said to God, The Father, that His earthly ministry was a labor in vain. (Isaiah 49:4)  God, The Father, said that He was to gather the chosen ones, the children of Israel, to Himself. (Israel 49:5)  God, The Father, also said that He would make The Son a light unto the Gentiles so that the offer of salvation would reach all around the world. (Isaiah 49:6)  Then God, The Father, said that The Son would be despised and abhorred by His own nation, but that kings and princes would later acknowledge and respect Him.

APPLICATION

This prophecy by Isaiah was spoken to the people of Israel some 600 to 700 years before the birth of Jesus, The Christ.  To them this was just a prediction which many of them did not believe and they continued in their sinful ways.  Today, we have the benefit of the hindsight of history in our favor and yet many people still do not believe and continue in their sinful ways.  We should pray, as the father of the young boy who was possessed by an evil spirit prayed, “Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief.” (Mark 9:17-24)  We need to ask Him to remove all of our doubts so that we may believe wholeheartedly and that all of our prayers will be fervent and effective. (James 5:16)