Old Testament reading: Isaiah 54-56
“For this is like the waters of Noah to Me” (Isa 54:9). I found this text particularly intriguing. As God became angry with the sinful world and destroyed the greater part of it with water, God had also become angry with sinful Israel and sent her off to destruction. BUT! As God preserved a remnant in Noah, AND promised not to destroy the world with water again, God also preserved a remnant in Israel and promised that His “covenant of peace” (which includes the blood of Jesus, the gospel and the church) shall not be removed. In Isaiah 55:3 we read of “the sure mercies of David.” This statement is explained in Acts 13:34, wherein Paul clarifies that this statement is a reference to the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. This is akin to Acts 2:30-32, wherein the statement that Christ would be raised up to sit on David’s throne (cf Ps 132:11) has nothing to do with an earthly reign in a physical kingdom, but rather refers to the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.
New Testament reading: Matthew 8-9
In preparation to preach the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus performed numerous miracles of healing (Matt 4:23-24). Following this discourse, Jesus began to travel with multitudes in tow. Matthew 8-9 contain a host of miracles wherein the Divine origin and authority of Jesus are on exhibition to the twelve as well as to the multitudes. The first is an interesting case wherein Jesus touched a leper and cleansed him. To the Jews, touching such an one would have made Jesus ceremonially unclean. However, I have not found the Old Testament passage which so instructs (cf Lev 13-14). In any event, the compassion of Jesus was on full display in this simplest of acts. This man had likely gone some time without any kind of physical human contact. Concerning His Divinity, Jesus also exercised His authority in the healing of the Centurion’s servant, not being present with him when he was healed (8:5-13). He cast out demons with His word (8:16), commanded the winds and the sea (8:23-27), and raised the dead (9;18-26). Jesus was indeed God in the flesh, “God with us” (Matt 1:23), exercising authority over all things.
Leave a Reply