In this prophetic passage we see the trajectory of Jesus’
work on earth. He is sent as a polished
arrow, a specially chosen instrument of deliverance, the servant in whom the
Lord will be glorified and yet it seems that He has labored in vain, it has all
come to nothing. His mission was that
Israel might be gathered back to the Lord but the announcement is made that
this mission was too actually too small a thing, the mission will be the
ingathering of the nations to the kingdom of God. The redemption of all humankind is the actual
mission and that will require a different strategy than being the Jewish king
and Messiah.
The Pharisees plot to kill Jesus and yet He doesn’t fuss or
fight with them, He withdraws instead, this isn’t the time and they don’t get
to choose the place and time, He is in control of His own destiny. As they are plotting against Him, He is healing
all who come to Him. Isaiah has foretold
how this will all go down and Matthew, as the writer of the Gospel for the
Jews, points out to us. This passage
fits hand in glove with the earlier passage from Isaiah that Jesus is being
rejected by those He came to save. The
ones who plot to destroy Him are those with the most to lose, those who believe
they have it their ducks in a row while those who are bruised reeds and
smoldering wicks come and receive healing and new life. Do these same ones come to the church today
or do they stay away? Jesus was a “safe”
person for all, particularly those who needed safety.
In the kingdom of God, the city will be lit by the glory of
God and the lamp is the Lamb. He is
truly the light of the world and yet in the eternal Jerusalem all will stream
to the light, not hide from it or attempt to extinguish it. All nations will come to the heavenly city as
their own, it is the city of the redeemed of the Lord. In the beginning of creation the Lord called
forth light to illuminate the void. In
the new creation there is no darkness at all, no night at all to overcome the
eternal light. We are called to announce
this new kingdom and prepare a people for this new creation.
As with gladness, men
of old
Did the guiding star
behold
As with joy they
hailed its light
Leading onward,
beaming bright
So, most glorious
Lord, may we
Evermore be led to
Thee.
As with joyful steps
they sped
To that lowly manger
bed
There to bend the knee
before
Him Whom Heaven and
earth adore;
So may we with willing
feet
Ever seek Thy mercy
seat.
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