i

October 23 Daily Devotional

Twilight: The Servant of the LORD

the Rev. Andrew Kuyvenhoven

Monthly Theme:

Isaiah's God is the Holy One of Israel. In God's presence we have to be morally clean. God has chosen his Servant, who will rule in righteousness in a kingdom of peace.

Bible Reading:

Isaiah 49:1–7

Bible Text:

"I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth" (lsa. 49:6).

Devotional:

"Who is the servant of the Lord in the poems of Isaiah?" (Isa. 42–53). That's a question you'll want to consider in your study of Isaiah.

It's the same question once asked by a man who traveled from the heart of Africa to the city of Jerusalem. The man was sitting in a chauffeured vehicle, the Cadillac of chariots, and he was reading Isaiah 53. "Who is the servant?" he said. "Is the prophet talking about himself or someone else?" (Acts 8:33).

Philip the evangelist helped the man see that the "servant" is Jesus. But from our own study we know that the "servant" is also sometimes Israel, sometimes the remnant of Israel, sometimes the prophet as a picture of Christ.

And sometimes that servant is us.

We call Isaiah 43:6 the great commission of the Old Testament: The servant must be a light for the Gentiles and bring salvation to the ends of the earth. At first that servant was Israel, but Israel was unable to complete the task. Only Jesus could fulfill the commission of Israel. Simeon called him the "light for revelation to the Gentiles" (Luke 2:32).

God's suffering "servant Jesus" has now been glorified, said Peter (Acts 3:13). But he gave us his Spirit. Today the light that brings the knowledge of salvation to a dark world is carried by the restored Israel, God's people in Christ Jesus. They fulfill the great commission of the Old Testament, says Paul: "I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth" (Acts 13:47).


Andrew Kuyvenhoven's Daylight, a modern devotional classic, was originally published in 1994. This edition is copyright by Faith Alive Christian Resources, from whom may be ordered Daylight, the predecessor of Twilight.

A man of many accomplishments, Andrew Kuyvenhoven is probably best known for his contributions to Today (formerly The Family Altar), a widely-used monthly devotional booklet associated with the Back to God Hour. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations for this edition of Twilight are from the New International Version

Be sure to read the "Preface" and the "Acknowledgments" by the author.

 

CONTACT US

+1 215 830 0900

Contact Form

Find a Church