My question to us in this Five Part Series is simply this:
Does the verse Isaiah 62:6 apply to you and me today? And if our answer is “Yes”….then what are we called to do about it? And if not… why not?
Isaiah 62: 6: “I have posted watchmen on your walls O Jerusalem; they
will never be silent day or night. You who call upon the Lord, give yourselves
no rest and give Him no rest till He establishes Jerusalem and makes her the
praise of the earth.”
Because this verse is from the Old Testament, some might argue that this Isaiah passage about Jerusalem is not as pertinent to their Christian walk today as a verse from the New Testament.
So for now, let’s consider this important point in our discussion: Is the Old Testament written for us today?
First, the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Tim 3:16 that, “ALL Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” Most of us know this verse well, but did you know that Paul wrote it in 66 or 67 AD, before the New Testament was fully written or circulated in 100 AD. Therefore, let me submit to you that Paul (the former Jewish Pharisee) would definitely have included this verse, from The Old Testament, in his definition of “all Scripture.” Do we reject all pre-Matthew Scriptures as the Word of God? No, of course not! It would not be sound doctrine if we did not have a unified understanding of the Bible, which includes both the Old and New Testament.
Jesus Really Was Jewish!
Let us remember that until about 135 AD, the entire early church was primarily made up of Jews. They followed the Jewish Rabbi Jesus! They believed in a Jewish Messiah, who attended a Jewish synagogue, who honored the Jewish festivals and Shabbat, and who accepted the Jewish Sacred writings. Was this an accident, or the Divine choice and purpose of God? God chose to act and speak to the world through His Son Jesus, who lived like a Jew, worshipped like a Jew, and whose words, actions, and teachings were in accordance with the Jewish culture, law, and traditions. Jesus said He had not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets, but to fulfill them. (Matt.5:17)
God is talking to us about something very real and very relevant for our Christian lives TODAY, even though it is written in the Old Testament. In fact, many verses in the Old Testament are key reasons why millions of Christians in over 175 nations, participate in The Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem each year on the first Sunday of every October.
Now that we have settled the "IF" question regarding this Old Testament verse, next time we'll look at the "WHERE" question - i.e., Jerusalem.
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