We are excited to consider how the prophets of the Old Testament predicted events that were fulfilled later. It is thrilling to think that some of the events and characters they spoke of thousands of years ago might walk across the stage during our lifetimes. Isaiah is one of the most famous of these and we thrilled to hear the familiar words of Isaiah 53 over the holidays (example: verse 3 "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not."). But there are other words from Isaiah that seem timeless, applicable across generations. Here is one that seems as if it were written for today, in America:
Isaiah 1:17 "learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow."
This may not be a specific prophesy for us but it seems to identify three classes of people that we have all around: those who are weighed down, those without one or more parents, and those who have lost their life partner. And how about those first four words: "learn to do right!" This really challenges me.
blessings,
Rob Smith
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