Todays readings.. 1 Samuel 17, Isaiah 61, Matthew 6

“TO PROCLAIM … THE DAY OF VENGEANCE”

Our first reading today of 1 Samuel 17 saw “the day of vengeance” of Israel upon the Philistines due to the wonderful faith of a youthful David.  His faith and commitment to serving the LORD gave him the strength of mind to go forth and slay Goliath.  Those who have real faith today in looking for the return of David’s son, our Lord, know he will soon come to slay the godlessness that is filling the world and which is today defying and destroying the faith that Jesus revealed at his first coming – and which – in the first century spread and filled the hearts and minds of all who were looking for the true meaning of life.

Today that faith has evaporated – and the ‘goliath of godlessness’ is filling the earth and defying and destroying human thinking, as is evidenced in nearly all human talking, attitudes and activities.

The start of today’s chapter 61 in Isaiah is the one Jesus read in the synagogue, which we can read in Luke ch. 4.  v,18,19.  But Jesus only read as far as “… to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”   He stopped and did not read the words that followed – but he is returning soon “to proclaim … the day of vengeance of our God.” [v.2]  This was not the purpose of his first coming!  But will be the purpose, to begin with, of his second coming! How utterly mind-dumbing! And we know how much our world deserves this “day of vengeance”!

So many in today’s world are soldiers in the service of the modern goliath of money and wealth – the champions that nearly all look up to and follow in our 21st century. That goliath will be dramatically slain at our Lord’s second coming. But those who follow ‘great David’s greater son’ ‘ this utterly wonderful “year of the Lord’s favour” will bring them “the oil of gladness …  the garment of praise … that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.” [v.3]

As well as being “called oaks of righteousness” they “shall be called the priests of the LORD …ministers of our God” [v.6]  “The day of vengeance” will be turned into victory for those who truly serve their Lord today – until he come.   Let us help each other in doing this, having laid up for ourselves “treasures in heaven” (as we read today in Matt. 6 v.19-21) which Jesus will bring with him (Rev. 22 v.12) – learning the lesson every day that ”where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.