Whose Banner Are You Following? {Isaiah 8 - 11}
12:30 AM
Have
you ever taken a tour and your tour guide holds up a little flag so as you walk
you can locate her? Verse 11:10 reminds
me of how Jesus is who we need to look to in all areas of our lives.
So often the things of this world cloud our vision. The car breaks down, a child gets sick, or the houseful of children and your job turn into such a routine that you can lose your focus. You end up dreaming about a new car, or the perfect house and yard, you plan your yearly vacation. Or you have expectations of how your children will grow up and become such and such. The next thing you know, you’ve reached a point in your life and disillusion has set in and you are disappointed with how things have turned out.
Where was your tour guide through all of this? Did you take off on your own route? Now you are lost with no sense of direction. I’ve mentioned a couple of times that I am coming to terms with not meeting some expectations in my life, and honestly, I’ve been a little disappointed.
God
has been leading me through all of this and I believe that I haven’t always, in
all things, allowed Jesus to govern my heart.
When
Isaiah prophesies that the Messiah that God raises from the root of Jesse would
not only be the deliverer of Israel and Judah, but be His instrument to bring
ALL people to Him. We who are Gentiles
were once enemies of God, cut off from a relationship with Him and cut off from
His blessings. But now, God has raised
Jesus as a banner and a signal, calling all of us to run to Him and be
saved. Verse 10 says, “His resting place will be glorious.” Isn’t that amazing? No more striving, no more suffering, but an
eternal life enjoying perfect rest in Him.
In John 3:14, Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the
wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may
have eternal life in him.”
The banner that God has raised is not like a campaign ad – with
false promises and half-truths. This is
a banner of God’s unconditional love for us through His Son. Everyone who acknowledges their need for
forgiveness and believes in God’s
perfect sacrifice, will be saved. There
is no distinction, Jew or Gentile, rich or poor, weak or strong, anyone who runs to the banner will be
saved. By God’s wisdom and grace, Jesus
now stands as the rallying cry and only hope for all men to be restored to God.
Under the banner of Jesus, people like
me and you, can be called the children of God and be part of God’s kingdom.
v11,12 says, “In that day
the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the surviving remnant
of his people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt, from Cush, from
Elam, from Babylonia, from Hamath and from the islands of the Mediterranean. He will raise a banner for the nations and
gather the exiles of Israel; He will assemble the scattered people of Judah
from the four quarters of the earth.”
God will also bring together Israel and Judah and remove all
barriers and hostility between them. God’s
plan is to gather and restore all
those who put their trust in the Jesus. Though
God’s people are scattered, He knows them by name and will make a way for them
to return to Him and to enjoy Him forever. So as we anticipate Jesus’ coming and God’s
restoration of His remnant, what kind of people should we be and how should our
lives look? God is looking for a
faithful remnant, those who do not compromise with the world, but hold onto
Jesus and follow Him. God rewards those
who are faithful to Him even when it is
difficult to do so. Even though we
face confusing and troubling times, may God help us to be faithful in seeking
Him in His word and in prayer. May God
help us to be faithful in serving our families and friends. May He help us to be faithful in encouraging
our fellow believers and in the building up of our church. May He help us to be faithful in obeying His
commands and in proclaiming His name to those around us. And let us eagerly pray for Jesus’ kingdom to
come that we may be with Him and enjoy Him forever.
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