Isaiah declares that God will one day judge the world in righteousness and destroy evil forever, for he alone is the Lord of the nations. But how would Israel know that the Day of the Lord would really come to pass? Was Isaiah right? And what hope would they have...
While the first section of Isaiah (1-12) dealt primarily with the nation of Israel, the next section (13-27) focuses on God’s plan for the nations of the world. Although the prophecies found here concern the fate of ancient nations like Babylon, Tyre, Moab, and Assyria, they are still part of...
The very first words spoken to mankind recorded in Scripture are well-known: “Be fruitful and multiply” (Gen. 1:28). From Genesis to Revelation, this theme of increasing and multiplying appears over and over again. Why? Because God is intent on creating a people for himself, for his glory. He is pleased...
After learning about the church in Antioch (Acts 11:19-30), Luke includes a fascinating incident involving Herod and the Jerusalem church before transitioning to the missionary activity of Paul. Here, we read of the martyrdom of James, the miraculous deliverance of Peter, but also the earnest prayers of the church. We...
The kingdom of God has never been just about one nation but a people from every nation. The promise to Abraham was about blessing the nations. Daniel saw the kingdom of God as a mountain filling the whole world. Isaiah saw the nations streaming into that kingdom as part of...
Having received a vision from God in which all food was declared “clean,” Peter’s eyes were opened to see the ever-expanding redemption story of God’s love for a people from every nation. Just like all food was pronounced by Christ to be clean for eating, so Peter is to no...
The story of Peter and Cornelius takes up a considerable amount of space in Luke’s narrative because it was a defining moment in redemptive history. God had promised Abraham that not only would he and his offspring be blessed, but that in him, “all the families of the earth shall...
Many Christians and churches today seem only to care about bigger numbers, emotional experiences, and especially “signs and wonders.” We think we need these things to convince the world that the gospel is true, that Jesus is alive, and that our church is successful. Yet while our God continues to...
Isaiah foretold that the people who lived in darkness would one day see a great light. We didn’t ask for it; we couldn’t have imagined it; and we did not deserve it. And yet, unto us a child was born, and a Son was given. Jesus Christ is the eternal...