The vision Baruch has is incredibly beautiful and it sounds
remarkably like the vision John had in Revelation 21 when the nations stream
into Jerusalem. Baruch sees Jews,
exiles, those who have been scattered, returning to their true ancestral home
and Jerusalem as the center of the universe.
He sees eternal glory for her and for the Jews but as Isaiah saw (Isaiah
49.6), "It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the
tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make
you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of
the earth." Baruch’s vision was too
small, not only the Jews but all the nations on earth and their kings shall
bring their glory into Jerusalem. We are
called to believe and in our world today with missions all around the world, we
can see a people being prepared to come to the new Jerusalem and share in her
glory and her joy.
Joseph was a good man, he wasn’t going to make a big deal of
publicly shaming Mary but he was simply going to put her away quietly, as
though this never happened. Even in this
he was concerned less about his own honor than Mary’s. What this tells us is that he didn’t believe
Mary. He was going to put her away
because he believed there was another story about how she got pregnant. It wasn’t until the angel appeared to him
that he believed her story. No one
believed in a virgin birth, they weren’t ignorant of basic biology and the
story didn’t fit with what they all knew to be reality. In an incredibly simple way Matthew tells us
that Jesus was born. No fanfare,
nothing. But, as Zechariah told us,
don’t despise the day of small things.
Through faith in Jesus we are heirs to the promise to
Abraham. We are Abraham’s children
because we are like our father, we have faith.
We believe that the Lord can do abundantly more than we can ask or
imagine and that in Jesus He has already done more than anyone could have
imagined. We can’t truly imagine what
awaits us or how great a salvation we have received, it is beyond our capacity
as humans to imagine the glory that awaits.
The wonderful gift we have been given isn’t limited to salvation,
however, it includes the Spirit that cries “Abba, Father.” We have intimacy of relationship with the
Creator of all, we have been invited to immediacy and intimacy of being through
the indwelling Spirit, we can abide in Him.
It is a thing of beauty and of wonder and awe.
The God of Abraham
praise, who reigns enthroned above;
Ancient of everlasting days, and God of Love;
Jehovah, great I AM! by earth and Heav’n confessed;
I bow and bless the sacred Name forever blessed.
Ancient of everlasting days, and God of Love;
Jehovah, great I AM! by earth and Heav’n confessed;
I bow and bless the sacred Name forever blessed.
The whole triumphant
host give thanks to God on high;
“Hail, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,” they ever cry.
Hail, Abraham’s God, and mine! (I join the heav’nly lays,)
All might and majesty are Thine, and endless praise.
“Hail, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,” they ever cry.
Hail, Abraham’s God, and mine! (I join the heav’nly lays,)
All might and majesty are Thine, and endless praise.
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