Old Testament reading: Isaiah 42-43
Isaiah 42 is a distinctly Messianic text. After declaring the coming consolation and help of the Lord, the One through whom these things shall come is introduced in verses 1-7. That this text belongs to the Christ and not to Cyrus, (as some have speculated), is evident from Matthew 12:18-21. Matthew quotes Isaiah 42:1-3 verbatim and applies the text to the life and work of Jesus of Nazareth. Matthew’s statement in verse 21, “And in His name shall the Gentiles trust,” is actually a commentary or explanation of Isaiah’s words in verse 4, “and the coastlands shall wait for His law.” Consider the greatness of Jesus in Isaiah 42:1-4. He was able to accomplish and finish His work apart from the normal means of man. He did not shout in the streets until He was heard by all (v 2). Neither did He accomplish His goals by force or coercion (v 3). “A bruised reed” was symbolic of great weakness, thus Jesus accomplished His mission without harming even the weakest among the people. I am in awe of the love, gentleness, careful consideration and compassion of our Lord!
New Testament reading: Revelation 12-15
Will only 144,000 people make it to heaven? According to our Jehovah Witness neighbors, yes. This is a doctrine peculiar to the Watchtower Society and its people known as Jehovah’s Witnesses. These 144,000 are first mentioned in chapter 7, and appear again in Revelation 14 as standing on Mount Zion with the Lamb (v 1). One difficulty with interpreting this number literally is that all those who comprise this group are Jews, members of some specific tribe of Israel. For some reason, Dan is not among those represented, though he was one of Jacob’s twelve sons. Also of interest is the inclusion of Joseph’s son Manasseh, but not his son Ephraim. These two were presented to Jacob for blessing, and Jacob blessed Ephraim above Manasseh, despite the fact that Manasseh was firstborn (cf Gen 48). So why is Manasseh blessed here and not Ephraim? Also, if only 144,000 are granted access to heaven, all Gentiles are also excluded from heaven. A literal translation of this number creates too many insurmountable problems. The 144,000 is a representation of all the saved of all the ages, both of physical Israel and spiritual Israel (the church).
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