Getting Job-ed
And then there was silence…
400+ years of silence. That’s hard to fathom. We read about the Old Testament and how it’s all pointing to Christ, the One that will come to save mankind from their sins, to rule as the true King, and to make all wrong things right. But where is He? That would have been a difficult time to live. Not only were the Israelites banished to Babylon, but once they returned to Jerusalem and rebuilt the temple, it also lacked the luster it had from before (Ezra 3:12-13). Various wars were extremely harsh on Jerusalem between the Old and New Testaments. Eventually, Rome took over as the dominant power… So once again, Israel was under an ungodly rule without hope for a Savior.
All According to the Plan
“… this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men” (Acts 2:23 ESV).
Jesus coming to earth was not random or ill-timed. It’s so easy to think that Jesus’ birth was just a random time in history: this was a God-planned time that was perfect. This was a part of a plan that was determined before time began (Ephesians 1:3-14). Nothing is random or without purpose- God meticulously controls all of history and the future. Even your death is determined by God (Matthew 10:29). Fight against the urge to see life as random, and rest in a sovereign God for His timing.
Are you in a period of silence?
Check yourself, how are you doing this Christmas season? A lot of folks have a tough time this time of year. How are you doing? Are you in a dry time or a dark time? Now put yourself in the shoes of the Israelites near the first century: Has God forgotten them? That may have been the feeling of a lot of Israelites. However, the message of the prophetic books is that there is a hope to come. In a more immediate sense, that was fulfilled in the coming of Christ coming to earth and inaugurating His kingdom, but there is still a restoration, a hope that is still to come.
We aren’t that much different today. Christ came and inaugurated His kingdom which is continuing to spread today. But we live in a time that may feel silent. Yet His kingdom is still spreading like a mustard seed in a field or yeast in a lump of dough, although it may not be visible.
His promises never fail. Bank on those promises, rest in those promises, hope in those promises. He will bring about all that He has promised: to restore the brokenness in our world and our relationship with Him (Revelation 21-22). Even in times of apparent silence, rest in the Creator to do what He has promised. Push in faith in Christ and His word this Christmas season and for the years to come.
Hold on to verses like this: “…fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 ESV
-Austin
