July 17, 2024: Isaiah 49:6 - God Gave Us Jesus to be His Salvation

“And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.” - Isaiah 49:6

In this verse and in others, God clearly lets us know that Jesus would come to earth first as God’s servant. Jesus would be obedient to the Father, even to death. Jesus would suffer many things and yet, He willingly did what God had Him do, even though knowing that His own people would reject Him.

Let’s consider what a servant does. A servant serves people. Merriam-Webster.com defines a servant as, “one that performs duties about the person or home of a master or personal employer.” When Jesus came to earth, He not only served God, but He also served people. He taught them, healed them, fed them, and He loved them. He showed them things they thought they would never see in their lifetimes, such as the time when Jesus’ apostles saw Him walking on water. Jesus even washed His disciples’ feet before He went to the cross. All of this He did to the glory of His Father and in obedience to Him. Isaiah 42 contains another prophecy of Jesus being God’s servant:

“Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up [raise his voice], nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench [extinguish]: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law. Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein: I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of [to] the people, for a light of the Gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.” (Isaiah 42:1-9)

God told His people, the Jews, in His own words long before it happened that He was going to do a new thing. He told the Jews, whose Old Testament, as authored by God and which we have for ourselves to read, we see how God told us what was going to happen before it happened so that we can know with complete certainty that He IS Almighty God and His word IS truth. Jeremiah, another prophet of God, wrote of this new thing that God would do:

“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: but this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

With this new covenant, they will follow God with their hearts; they will have a desire in them to love Him, and to please and to praise Him with all their being, instead of rebelling against Him, as they had time and time again when they would not follow His law. God wrote of this through Isaiah below:

“Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.” (Isaiah 29:13-14)

Many of the Jews only gave lip service to their worship and love for God and did not worship Him with their heart. We are all like His people, the Jews, and that is why we need Jesus. That is why God sent Jesus. The Jews could never keep God’s law because they are all sinners, just like us. When Jesus came to earth the first time, He told His disciples that He came not to destroy the law but to fulfill it:

“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot [the smallest letter] or one tittle [the smallest stroke in a Hebrew letter] shall in no wise [by no means] pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” (Jesus Christ; Matthew 5:17-18)

God did do a new thing when He sent Jesus because no longer would His people have to offer up sacrifices continually to Him in order to cleanse them of their sins. Instead, Jesus IS the perfect, sacrificial Lamb of God, without spot or blemish, meaning without any sin, who takes away the sin of the world, as proclaimed by John the Baptist:

“The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him [Jesus]. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; and looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.” (John 1:29-37)

When Jesus was crucified and was hanging on that cross, before He gave up His life, He said, “It is finished.” (John 19:30). No longer would sin have to be atoned for by offering up sacrifices to God, for Jesus IS the sacrifice for all who believe in Him. Jesus is the fulfillment of the law.

In writing this devotional, I noticed something interesting. In the Old Testament, in Jeremiah 31:31 where it says that God “will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah,” the word God used is “covenant.” Merriam-webster.com defines “covenant” as “a written agreement or promise usually under seal between two or more parties especially for the performance of some action.” However, the night before Jesus was crucified and broke bread with His disciples and shared wine with them the last time, He said to them:

“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remissions of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” (Matthew 26:26-29)

In Matthew 26:28, Jesus refers to it as a “new testament” instead of “new covenant.” “Testament,” as defined by Merriam-webster.com is: “an act by which a person determines the disposition of his or her property after death.” It is clear that there is a distinct difference between the old covenant and the new covenant that God would have with His people Israel, and that is that Jesus, His only begotten Son, the perfect Lamb of God, had to die in order for the new covenant to be in effect. Without Jesus’ death, there would be no new covenant. Another definition of “testament” is “a tangible proof or tribute.” Jesus Christ is the tangible proof of the remission of sins. When He died and was resurrected, He gave us, those who have put our faith and trust in Him alone for our salvation, our inheritance, which could only come after the sprinkling of His blood and His death:

“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1:1-5)

Notice what it says above about the “sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.” Under the Old Covenant, the high priest would atone for the sins of the people by sacrificing bulls and goats. The priest would take the animals’ blood and sprinkle it on the altar. This would have to be done continually in order to cleanse the people from their sins. However, with Jesus, His sacrifice would happen only once, and it would be done not only for the Jews but for ALL people who choose to put their faith and trust in Him for our salvation:

“Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. As many were astonied at thee; his visage [appearance] was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.” (Isaiah 52:13-15)

The Scriptures above do not say that God’s servant - Jesus - would sprinkle only the nation of Israel but many nations, which includes the Gentile/non-Jewish nations. Those who had not read nor had been told the message of salvation through faith in Him would hear the message, as preached by Jesus when He came the first time. After Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension to heaven, His message of salvation would then be taught by His apostles and disciples, including the apostle Paul, whom Jesus specifically chose to disciple the Gentile nations.

The book of Hebrews reiterates that Jesus Christ is our high priest whose blood was shed for us and who now sits at the right hand of the throne of God. Let us read from Hebrews chapters 8 and 9, where it discusses the old and new covenants and the need for the new covenant:

“Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum [main point]: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished [divinely instructed] of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount. But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old [obsolete]. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.” (Hebrews 8)

No matter how hard they may have tried, Israel could not keep the first covenant with God. God knew this would happen before He even made the first covenant with them. Knowing this, He made the first covenant with them to show them that there is absolutely nothing they can do to save themselves and that it is only by faith alone in Him that could save them. Thus, He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, prophesied of long ago by the prophets, to fulfill the law and to offer salvation to all who choose to believe in Him, to put their faith and trust in Him alone for salvation of sins. God knew that Jesus must die, Jesus our testator, in order for this new covenant to go into effect; death must occur, blood must be spilt to atone for sins, as Hebrews 9 discusses:

“Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly [earthly] sanctuary. For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary. And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables [tablets] of the covenant; and over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercy seat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first [part of the] tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people: the Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: which was a figure [symbolic] for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings [various baptisms], and carnal [fleshly] ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot [blemish] to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. Whereupon neither first testament was dedicated without blood. For when Moses had spoken every precept [commandment] to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined [commanded] unto you. Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. Almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures [copies] of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; for then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world [ages] hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” (Hebrews 9)

Jesus came first as a servant to be the blood sacrifice and the atonement for sins for all who willingly accept Him in their heart as their Savior. He came first for His own, the Jews, but they rejected Him, were envious of Him, and wanted their Roman rulers to crucify Him, to put Him to death so that they themselves, the Jewish leaders, could continue to rule their fellow Jews. Let us read what they said when they were given the choice between Him and another who was also to be crucified, whose name was Barabbas.

After Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus, came with the Jewish chief priests and elders and betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, Jesus was arrested and brought before the Roman governor named Pontius Pilate. Let us read of that account:

“When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: and when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself [felt remorse], and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me.” (Matthew 27:1-10)

Judas was remorseful over what he had done, but did you notice what it says also? It says he was remorseful when “he saw that he was condemned.” Notice it does not say that he was remorseful for what he had done and then he was condemned, but because he was condemned, he was remorseful. How many times have we seen criminals who say they are sorry for what they have done but are only sorry because they were caught?

Let us remember the condition of Judas’ heart. We have an example of it when he criticized Mary for spending a lot of money on expensive oil to anoint the feet of Jesus. Judas’ heart was not motivated by the love of Jesus but by something different:

“Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. Then took Mary a pound of ointment [oil] of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag [money box], and bare [used to take] what was put therein. Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against [for] the day of my burying hath she kept this. For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.” (John 12:1-8)

Judas was not motivated by his love for Jesus but for the love of money, and that love condemned him. Judas did not remember the words of King Solomon which he wrote in the book of Ecclesiastes:

“He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity [futility].” (Ecclesiastes 5:10)

King Solomon was the man who had everything: he had riches like we have never known, even to this day, he saw the completion of the astounding first Jewish Temple, he had 700 wives and 300 concubines; he wanted for nothing and had everything the world tells us it takes to make him happy. Yet, this man was miserable. Through his many pagan, non-Jewish wives, he began to worship false gods and idols and did not heed God’s warning to him:

“Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh [a place for pagan worship], the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods. And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded. Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend [tear away] the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen.” (1 Kings 11:7-13)

Because of Solomon’s terrible sins against God, He told Solomon that He would tear away the kingdom of Israel from his son (Rehoboam). However, because of God’s deep love for Solomon’s father, King David, and for Jerusalem, God would not tear away the kingdom during Solomon’s lifetime and He would leave the kingdom of Judah, and that is exactly what happened:

“And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.” (1 Kings 12:20)

Late in his life, Solomon ended his book of Ecclesiastes with the words below. I don’t know if he had turned back to God or was just sorry for the consequences of his poor choices in life, but his words do speak truth:

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)

As a Jew, Judas Iscariot certainly had read these words of King Solomon but he chose to ignore them. Judas had heard the words of Jesus when He warned His apostles that they cannot serve two masters, and yet Judas also chose to ignore Jesus’ words:

“No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon [wealth].” (Jesus Christ; Luke 16:13)

Before we continue with Matthew 27, let us read what Jesus said of Judas at the last supper with His apostles before Judas betrayed Him:

“Now when the even [evening] was come, he sat down with the twelve. And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I? And he [Jesus] answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born. Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said [said it].” (Matthew 26:20-25)

Judas heard confirmation from Jesus that he would be the one who would betray Jesus. Judas had a choice not to betray Jesus, but he chose to remain on his path of betrayal, even though Jesus clearly warned him of the consequences. How many of us know the consequences that come from sinning and yet choose to ignore them and continue in our plan of sin? Judas betrayed Jesus, and not long afterward he felt the heavy weight of his sin and returned the money the chief priests and elders had paid him to betray Jesus. Judas not only gave back the blood money but he also admitted the truth: that he had betrayed the innocent blood. Perhaps when he confessed this great sin, he thought they would tell him it was okay and that they forgave him. Instead, they said to him that it wasn’t their problem but his. Judas was left all alone in his sin, and as Jesus warned him, woe was upon him. Judas loved money more than he loved Jesus. Judas wrecked his life, and knowing that he was condemned, Judas took his own life. Though Judas gained thirty pieces of silver when he willingly chose to betray Jesus, it cost him everything, including his life. King Solomon’s words rang true: “He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity [futiity]” (Ecclesiastes 5:10)

What the chief priests and elders did afterward even fulfilled prophecy that is written in the book of Zechariah when they took the money back and bought the potter’s field that was called The field of blood:

“And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear [refrain]. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them [valued at by them]. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.” (Zechariah 11:12-13)

This is what sin does, it condemns, and Judas felt the full force of that condemnation when he betrayed the Savior, the Messiah, Jesus Christ for thirty pieces of silver. Now, let us continue reading in Matthew 27 when Jesus was brought by the Jews to Pontius Pilate:

“And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest [It is as you say]. And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marveled greatly. Now at that feast the governor was wont [accustomed] to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would [wished]. And they had then a notable [notorious] prisoner, called Barabbas. Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified. When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see yet to it. Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged [flogged with a scourge], he delivered him [Jesus] to be crucified.” (Matthew 27:11-26)

Did you read the passage of Scripture above closely? What does it say that Pilate knew was their motivation for wanting him to release Barabbas instead of Jesus? It was envy. What does the Bible tell us about envy? Let’s read a few Scriptures about this:

“A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.” (Proverbs 14:30)

“Now the works of the flesh are manifest [evident], which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations [jealousies], wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envying, murders, drunkenness, reveling, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:19-21)

“Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife [self-seeking] in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish [demonic]. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” (James 3:13-18)

Though the Jews, especially the religious leaders, knew the Scriptures and how long ago the Scriptures foretold of the coming of the Messiah, they rejected Him and wanted Him to be crucified. They chose to have Pilate release Barabbas and crucify Jesus. Their hearts were corrupted by their envy, their selfish desires to be the ones to have the control. They had built their own kingdom on earth and wanted to remain the rulers of that kingdom, no matter the cost. They even proclaimed to Pilate after he declared his innocence of shedding innocent blood, “His blood be on us, and on our children.” And that is exactly what has happened since they gave Jesus over to be crucified. Now, if you believe that God is finished with Jews and has written them off forever, and if you believe that the church has replaced them, let me tell you that that is absolutely a false teaching, and anyone who has read the Bible for themselves knows that this is a lie from the pit of hell. Because God is omniscient, meaning He knows everything, He knew that before Jesus would come to earth, being conceived by the Holy Spirit and born from a virgin, that the people He would be sent to earth to save would be the same people who would reject Him as the Christ. God would then turn His attention to the Gentiles, the non-Jews, and offer salvation to them. Thus, this fulfills what is prophesied in today’s Scripture in Isaiah 49:6. Let us read that part again. God didn’t sent Jesus just to offer salvation to the Jews but to every single person, to all the ends of the earth:

“I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end [ends] of the earth.” (Isaiah 49:6)

The salvation of the Jews was not erased when God turned His attention to the Gentiles after Jesus was crucified, died, and rose again. The apostle Paul wrote about this in the book of Romans, in which it tells us that a remnant of Israel will be preserved and will come to salvation. However, it won’t be their works that save them, but the grace of God, which is the free gift of salvation to all whom believe in Jesus as the Christ and who put their faith and trust in Him alone to save them from their sins:

“Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election [elect] hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded. (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumbling block, and a recompence unto them: let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.” (Romans 11:5-10)

Did you read in the Scripture above who it is that has given Israel a spirit of slumber and caused them to have eyes that cannot see and ears that cannot hear? It is God Himself who did that. Why is this? It is so that prophecies of this exact thing in the book of Isaiah can be fulfilled. Let us read those prophecies:

“For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered. And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: and the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned. Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.” (Isaiah 29:10-14)

Again, God says that while His people the Jews claimed to be near to Him with their mouths and spoke words that honored Him, they were hypocrites because in their hearts, they did not honor Him and were far from Him. That is exactly what happened when they rejected God’s only begotten Son Jesus Christ, whom God sent so that they might be saved by Him through faith in Him alone. I absolutely love how the Old Testament prophecies connect to the New Testament, many of which have already been fulfilled and many are yet to be fulfilled.

Now, let us continue reading what the apostle Paul, a Jew and a Pharisee, well-trained in the Scriptures, wrote in Romans 11 about God giving the Jews a spirit of slumber:

“I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles; I magnify mine office: if by any means I may provoke to emulation [jealousy] them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? For if the first fruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.” (Romans 11:11-16)

“For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: for this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching [concerning] the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. For God hath concluded [confined] them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” (Romans 11:25-36)

There is so much truth packed into these Scriptures that the apostle Paul wrote! He makes it crystal clear that God is not finished with the Jews! Rather, because of their hardness of their hearts toward Jesus when He came the first time and rejected Him as their Messiah, God blinded their eyes and stopped up their ears and put them in a spirit of slumber, and then He turned His message of salvation to the Gentiles, the non-Jews. How long does Paul tell us this period of time will last? The answer is “until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.” (Romans 11:25) When will this happen? We don’t know for sure, but one thing is certain: just as God had a plan to save the Gentiles, God still has a plan to save all of the remaining remnant of the Jews who will be alive after the 7-year time of Jacob’s trouble that is prophesied in the book of Daniel and in the book of Revelation. The Bible seems to speak of this remnant in Zechariah, when two-thirds of the Jews will die in the time of Jacob’s trouble, the 7-year time of tribulation upon the earth, but one-third of the Jews will survive and will be the remnant - the preserved of Israel - that Isaiah prophesied of long ago:

“And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, the LORD is my God.” (Zechariah 13:8-9)

In today’s Scripture in Isaiah 49:6, God is speaking to Jesus and tells Him, “It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel.” This raising up of the tribes of Jacob may be written about in the book of Revelation chapter 7. In the passages below, God tells us that 144,000 from the twelve tribes of Israel will be sealed on their foreheads before God will allow any harm to be done to the earth during the time of Jacob’s trouble:

“And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.” (Revelation 7:1-4)

Revelation 7:5-8 goes on to tell us that 12,000 from each of the twelves tribes of Juda, Reuben, Gad, Aser, Nephthalim, Manasses, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zebulon, Joseph, and Benjamin will be sealed when this prophecy is fulfilled. God did not seal 144,000 Gentiles. Contrary to what they may claim, God did not seal 144,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses. God did not seal 144,000 male and female Gentiles; no, God’s word clearly tells us that He sealed 144,000 of His own chosen people, the Jews who will be virgin males, from each of the twelve tribes of Israel. God is protecting His people to ensure the one-third remnant will be saved, as prophesied long ago. During this horrific 7-year time period on earth, they will be tested by all of the judgments that God will send upon the earth at that time.

We read of these 144,000 again in chapter 14 of the book of Revelation. I believe these are the same 144,000 as we read about in Revelation 7. Let us read what God’s word says about them:

“And I looked, and lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: and they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile [deceit]: for they are without fault before the throne of God.” (Revelation 14:1-5)

The Bible doesn’t appear to tell us exactly what role these 144,000 Jewish men will play during the tribulation period, the 7-year time of Jacob’s trouble, but they absolutely will play a role. The Bible does tell us that they “were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.” (Revelation 14:4-5) A firstfruit is the first of a plant that bears fruit, with the expectation of a greater harvest. In the Bible, the Jews were commanded to offer their first fruits to God during the Feast of Firstfruits, or the Feast of Harvest. Let us read a little about this from the book of Leviticus:

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: and he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. And ye shall offer that day when he wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the LORD. And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the LORD for a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin. And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete…” (Leviticus 23:9-15)

In the Scriptures above, before the people would reap the harvest, they not only would offer up their firstfruits to God, but they would also offer an unblemished male first year lamb. Jesus Christ IS the perfect Lamb of God, who willingly offered up His life to God to be the salvation of souls of all who believe in Him.

I don’t think it is any coincidence that in the last part of the Scriptures above it says “seven sabbaths shall be complete.” The Jewish sabbath occurs once a week. Thus, this means seven weeks shall be complete. In the Bible, the number seven means completeness. It is interesting to me to note that after the 144,000 Jewish males who are the servants of God are sealed by the angels of God, then harm can and will come to the entire earth for a period of seven years that will culminate in the return of Jesus Christ. Thus, these 144,000 Jewish males appear to be a representation of a greater harvest of Jews that will be saved during the time of Jacob’s trouble, which will comprise the surviving remnant of Jews. Throughout history, God has always preserved a remnant of HIs chosen people, and that includes during the coming 7-year time of tribulation that will be so horrific, if God did not limit it to seven years, no flesh would be saved.

Not only will a remnant of Jews be saved during this 7-year time period but also many Gentiles; the harvest of new believers in Jesus Christ will be great and it will be worldwide! This will be those people who had not previously put their faith and trust in Jesus as their Savior prior to the start of the tribulation period. For those who had, they will be caught up to Jesus in the clouds during the rapture of the church prior to the start of the tribulation period. This will leave only unbelievers on earth during the tribulation period. During that time, the Bible tells us that there will be many who will come to belief in Jesus Christ as their Savior and will refuse to take the mark of the beast/final antichrist or the number of his name (i.e., 666). Consequently, they will be martyred for their faith in Jesus Christ. Let us read what the Bible tells us of these precious martyrs:

“After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on [strike] them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:9-17)

We have studied a lot of Scriptures today, and we have seen how the New Testament is connected to the Old Testament through prophecy, both prophecies that have already been fulfilled and those that will be fulfilled at some point in the not-too-distant future. We have read in Isaiah 49:6 that God gave us Jesus to be our salvation to all the ends of the earth, for all who believe in Him and put our faith in Him to save us, and that includes the Jews. As our world grows darker by the second, heading quickly towards the start of the time of Jacob’s trouble, let us remember that our hope is not in this world, but our hope is in Jesus Christ. If you are not saved by believing in Him, by putting your faith and trust in Him to save you, you have no hope, and I urge you to turn to Jesus, before it’s too late. ✝️

“For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.” (Romans 8:24-25)

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively [living] hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:3-9)

“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons [children] of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” (1 John 3:1-3)