Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf
"In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together; the leopard will lie down with the baby goat. The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion, and a little child will lead them all." Isaiah 11:6
It is the most beautiful of prophecies.
In Isaiah 11, the prophet foretells not only the coming of the Messiah, Jesus, but he tells of the Messiah's future reign, as well. Note what Isaiah says with regard to the Messiah's coming in Isaiah 11:1-3, "Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot—yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root. And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. He will delight in obeying the Lord. He will not judge by appearance nor make a decision based on hearsay."
But wait. Why has David's family become a stump? Wasn't there a promise given to David and reaffirmed to Solomon? 1 Kings 9:4-7 gives the account of God's promise reaffirmed to Solomon, “As for you, if you will follow me with integrity and godliness, as David your father did, obeying all my commands, decrees, and regulations, then I will establish the throne of your dynasty over Israel forever. For I made this promise to your father, David: ‘One of your descendants will always sit on the throne of Israel.’ But if you or your descendants abandon me and disobey the commands and decrees I have given you, and if you serve and worship other gods, then I will uproot Israel from this land that I have given them. I will reject this Temple that I have made holy to honor my name. I will make Israel an object of mockery and ridicule among the nations."
Scripture goes on to tell us that Solomon fell away in his later years, and even more so, his children. And God was true to His Word. He did reject the Temple, and Israel did become an object of mockery among the nations.
But God, in His great mercy and love, did not leave Israel there. Just as He doesn't leave us where He finds us. He brought forth a shoot, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root. That fruit-bearing Branch was Jesus.
JESUS!
He came and brought redemption to Israel and to all people. It is a timeless truth. Romans 2:12 tells us, "For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law." And Titus 2:11-14 says, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works."
But lest we not answer the question at hand, "Who's afraid of the big bad wolf," returning to Isaiah 11:6-9, we read the prophecy of what life will be like when our Messiah, Jesus, reigns forever: "In that day the wolf and the lamb will lie down together, and the leopard and goats will be at peace. Calves and fat cattle will be safe among lions, and a little child shall lead them all. The cows will graze among bears; cubs and calves will lie down together, and lions will eat grass like the cows. Babies will crawl safely among poisonous snakes, and a little child who puts his hand in a nest of deadly adders will pull it out unharmed. Nothing will hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, for as the waters fill the sea, so shall the earth be full of the knowledge of the Lord."
When Jesus comes to reign, there will be no fear of lions, tigers, bears, big bad wolves, or anything else. There will be peace and joy—real joy—for those who follow Him.
Goodnight, Runners.
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