Since World War II, America has been the premier superpower in the world. America has the world’s largest military and accounts for one-third of all the world’s economic activity.
If you are like me, it is hard to imagine being a defeated and oppressed nation. That wasn’t the case for Jerusalem and Judah in the time of the Old Testament prophets.
When powerful nations defeated lesser countries, they removed anyone powerful enough to start a rebellion. Imagine being led out of Jerusalem and made to walk between 900 and 1400 miles to a foreign country. Imagine being left in the city with few resources and under an extremely oppressive rule.
Isaiah prophesied a time when the Messiah would reverse the fortune of God’s people.
On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious (Isaiah 11:10).
“The root of Jesse,” implies the devastating reality that a tree has been cut down. Only a root remains, but it will be glorious and able to stand as a signal to the people.
When people began to notice Jesus’ ministry, they saw Him as a fulfillment of this prophecy. A Messiah, who was crucified by the Roman government, was a stark contrast to their expectations.
God chose to conquer the world’s warfare, not by bigger and better war-machinery, but through the self-giving love of His Son.
Jesus conquered the enmity between Himself and people like me by turning us into friends. On the same cross, He defeated the forces of evil.
And when you were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with him, when he forgave us all our trespasses, erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands.
He set this aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in it (Colossians 2:13-15).
Returned and United
Around 930 BC, Israel was divided into two kingdoms, through something like a civil war, resulting in 10 tribes forming the nation, Israel. The remaining two tribes centered around Jerusalem and were named, “Judah.”
The role of the Messiah was to return exiles and unite God’s people into one nation.
On that day the Lord will again raise his hand to recover the remnant that is left of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt. . .
He will raise a signal for the nations
and will assemble the outcasts of Israel
and gather the dispersed of Judah
from the four corners of the earth. (Isaiah 11:11-12)
The history of the exile may not be important to modern-day readers. Take a moment to imagine the hardship experienced by wave-after-wave of deportations of loved ones and friends. Many of those who were deported probably died during the 70-year span of the exile.
The Babylonian exile occurred in stages:
- First deportation: 597 BC – King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon captured Jerusalem and deported King Jehoiachin along with nobles, craftsmen, and warriors (2 Kings 24:10-16).
- Second/Major deportation: 586 BC – Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed, and a larger group was exiled (2 Kings 25:1-21).
- Third deportation: 582 BC – A smaller group was taken (Jeremiah 52:30).
Just before Jesus went to the cross, He prayed for God’s people to be unified.
The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one,
I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (John 17:22-23).
Isaiah noted how the Messiah would unify divided Israel and Judah.
The jealousy of Ephraim shall depart;
the hostility of Judah shall be cut off;
Ephraim shall not be jealous of Judah,
and Judah shall not be hostile toward Ephraim. (Isaiah 11:13)
Jesus prayed for the end of division, “so that the world may know you have sent me and have loved them.”
If this was Isaiah’s prophecy and Jesus’ prayer, should it not be incorporated into our praying too?
(1) Should we not be informed and compassionate on nations that experience oppression, war, and deprivation? Just because it has not happened in America, doesn’t mean it doesn’t take place around the world.
Frank Laubach carried a map of the world with him. Each time he prayed, he turned his attention to countries that were in need.
Access to instant information about the world is at our hands through the Internet. Let’s use that information to fuel our prayers for God’s work in the world.
(2) Let’s pray bold prayers for a divided church.
After I graduated from seminary, I served with a wise pastor in Louisiana. He identified a certain Baptist denomination and said, “If they weren’t against something, they wouldn’t have a message.”
From the early 1970s to today, I have noticed that some use their platform to be against one issue after another. It appears that they have forgotten that the Gospel is the good news of God’s love.
Let’s use our ministry of prayer to boldly ask God to unify His divided church. Let’s pray that we all repent of a divisive spirit and align our attitudes and actions with Messiah Jesus.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 