Word of Encouragement (10/31/2024)

Say also: "Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather and deliver us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise. ³⁶ Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting!" Then all the people said, "Amen!" and praised the LORD. (1 Chron. 16:35-36)

We saw that 1 & 2 Chronicles were written to the post-exilic community to give them hope. At that time, most of the Jews were still scattered throughout the Persian Empire even though some came back to the land. So, we can see why salvation is defined in terms of gathering and delivering the Jews from among the nations.

Why was gathering so important? This implies that Israel’s salvation as a nation was not complete without being restored to the land. So central was the promised land to Israel’s national identity as God’s chosen people. It was the land God promised to them as His people: it was their inheritance from the LORD. It was where God’s temple was located as the center of Israel’s worship. As long as the Jews were scattered throughout the world, Israel had to wait for God’s salvation.

But there was more. Even those, who were back in the land, had to pray for God’s deliverance. Being driven out of the land was only a part of being in bondage. Even though they were allowed to come back to the land, they were still under Persia’s occupation. They might have been delivered from the Babylonian captivity, but they were still under the bondage of Persia. It was only right that they should pray for God’s deliverance.

Did God answer this prayer? Israel enjoyed a brief time of independence after the Maccabean Revolt (167-160 B.C.) during the Hasmonean Dynasty. But it was occupied by the Romans in 63 B.C. and continued under foreign occupation until its demise in 70 A.D. Did God ignore this prayer? If so, how could He be called “God of our salvation”?

Think about the earlier times when Israel was independent. Can we say that it was “saved” and free? Politically, yes, but not spiritually. Think of the time of the judges—how often it was invaded by the surrounding nations and was subjected to their rule. Think of the times when God had to discipline the nation (both Judah the southern kingdom and Israel the northern kingdom) with all kinds of affliction and humiliation, from famine and plagues to foreign invasions and occupations. All this was because of its sins. Now we can see how appropriate this prayer for salvation was even though Israel was at its peak under David’s kingship.

And God did not ignore this prayer. He answered it by sending His only Son, Jesus Christ, to save His people from sin (Matt. 1:21). Through the gospel of Jesus Christ, God is gathering His people and delivering them from every tribe, tongue, nation, and people. He is gathering them to His heavenly kingdom. He is delivering them from sin and the domain of darkness (Col. 1:13). So, let us praise Him, singing, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel—in fact, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ—from everlasting to everlasting!”