A husband is seen at...
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A husband is seen at the gift counter of a department store, buying a ballpoint pen. "I'm buying this for my wife," he tells the clerk. "It's her Christmas present." "A surprise?" the clerk responds. "I'll say, she's expecting a new car!" In our text we find the prophet Isaiah sharing with his hearers a surprise. Isaiah lived at a time when the people of Israel had forsaken God and were chasing after idols and living in sin. Isaiah witnessed the destruction of Israel by Assyria. The Assyrian army was stopped at Jerusalem by an angel of the Lord. But the Jews refused to repent and to return to the Lord. Isaiah warned the people. Isaiah saw a day when Jerusalem would be destroyed and the Jews would go into captivity. But Isaiah sees more than doom and destruction for the people because of their sins. He sees a time when God's people will rejoice. And what is the cause of this joy? It will be God. A day will come when God will set the people free from bondage and they shall return and rebuild Jerusalem. What a time for rejoicing this would be! But Isaiah saw still another reason for the Jews to rejoice. Not only would God set them free from slavery, but the Lord would give them a great gift; God would send to them the Messiah who will set the people from bondage to sin and death. Indeed, according to Isaiah, God has a surprise for the Hebrew people, and this would be a good reason for them to rejoice. -- Frank
