Isaiah 60:22 “Little one became a great”
Text: “A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time”
Greetings: Greetings to you on this pleasant hour. The Lord is good and his love endures forever.
Introduction to the theme:
Prophet Isaiah talks about the least shall be great, a simple turns into a mighty. God changes the course of lives of the simple people, He changes the living graph of the low esteemed. God has a greater plan, for everyone who comes to him, he never looks into their outward appearance. He looks into their inner strength , beauty and power, and their esteem, their honour and their blessings come from the Lord.
There are many stories in the Bible and in the history of the Christianity, and in the world history how God changed the lives of simple ones to be great and the least to become mighty nation. Bible has many incidents of how God has changed the lives of simple people into a great notable and appreciable. The same God is alive today and he can change our lives into a new history because he is a God of changes.
I would like to highlight three key verses from the Bible to interpret this verse 60:22. God blesses the least, God uses the least and God honours the least.
1. God blesses the least
Jacob: “I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast showed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.” (KJV, Genesis 32:10).
When Jacob left his homeland, he owned nothing but his staff. And, he fled as a direct result of his own manipulations and schemes (Genesis 27:30–35; 27:41–45). Now he possesses enough property, servants, and livestock to fill two large camps. This is the prayer of gratitude with humility. He looks into himself, his ways and means, his plots and devices and confesses that he was unworthy of even the smallest things God has done out of his faithfulness to Jacob. Jacob realised that he had nothing therefore now nothing to loose. He was evil, wicked, cheater so he needs God’s favour.
‘Jacob was not worthy of the least mercy and favour that had been bestowed upon him; not even of any temporal mercy, and much less of any spiritual one, and therefore did not expect any from the hands of God, on account of any merit of his own. Jacob had had many mercies and favours bestowed upon him by the Lord, which he was sensible of, and thankful for’ (Bible study tools).
According Matthew Henry: ‘Jacob humbly acknowledges his own unworthiness to receive any favour from God. I am not worthy is an unusual plea.
Self-denial and self-abasement comes to us in all our addresses to the throne of grace. Jacob magnificently and honourably speaks of the mercies of God to him. The mercies mentioned in the plural, and inexhaustible spring, and innumerable streams. How meanly and humbly he speaks of himself, disclaiming all thought of his own merit.
Jacob was a considerable man, and, upon many accounts, very deserving, and, in treating with Laban, had justly insisted on his merits, but not before God. The best and greatest of men are utterly unworthy of the least favour from God, and just be ready to own it upon all occasions.’
According to Albert Barnes: Peniel - the face of God. Jacob had seen the face of God through his all night prayer. The reason of this name is assigned in the sentence, “I have seen God face to face.” He is at first called a man. Hosea terms him the angel (Hosea 12:4-5). And here Jacob names him God.
“A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time” it is an affirmation of our faith that God would bless every child at the right time. God would bless them abundantly, but he would do so at the right time. It is a reminder for every Christian to wait for God’s blessing and not worry about their status, situation, or background.
2. God uses the least-Least of all the saints:
“And Saul answered and said, [Am] not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me?” (1 Samuel 9:21).
Gideon: (Judges 6:15 KJV): ‘And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.’
The Lord's affirmation that Yahweh was with Gideon, did not match the way Gideon viewed his circumstances. The Lord's command to change those circumstances does not match Gideon's vision of himself in the world. His reply to God’s call is his doubt on his capable of doing such a thing. Gideon lists all the reasons he shouldn't be thought of as a "mighty man." His clan is the least influential of his tribe, and he's not even the most important person in his own family. (Judges 6:27). Gideon can't imagine he has the power to make a difference. Nor does he believe anyone would listen to anything he had to say about saving Israel. By that standard, this timid, self-doubting Israelite is legitimately one of Scriptures "bravest" heroes (Hebrews 11:32–35).(Bible ref.com).
Dr Constable: “One of the great truths of Scripture is that when God looks at us, He does not see us for what we are, but for what we can become, as He works in our lives."
This word least refers to the clan, or sub division of a clan (Judges 6:15, 1 Samuel 23:23, Micah 5:2). For applied psychology: A weak person can become strong, and a sad person can become a happier one, etc, a person takes responsibility and be able to handle things that are complicated in nature, as God would bless him with good knowledge and wisdom.
Paul: “For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” (1 Corinthians 15:9). “Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;”(Ephesians 3:8).
Paul not only said that he was the least of all apostles, but even he went further a step and said, he was the least of all the saints. Who are the saints? All those who are washed by his blood from all the nations are the saints. Paul would like to place him as least of all these believers, saints. Great man, great example for us to live in the church, in the society and in the grace of God.
‘Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints.’ A man who sees himself in the light of God will ever feel that he has no good but what he has received, and that he deserves nothing of all that he has. The archangels of God cannot use a different language, and even the spirits of just men consummated in their plenitude of bliss, cannot make a higher boast.(Adam Clarke)
Paul presently deemed himself at the bottom of the totem pole of saints, even as an apostle. His statement was not self-deprecation but shows a consciousness of his unworthiness to represent God on earth. This was probably due to the fact that he murdered so many saints ( 1 Corinthians 15:9, 1 Timothy 1:12-15). Not only was Paul less than the apostles, but he was less than even the saint without any office.
People who have a clear estimation of how God views them are usable to Him. An understanding of the absolute righteousness of God and our unworthiness will produce humility. There is such a thing as phoney humility or false modesty, where a person is proud of his humility. A person with true humility always puts himself in the place of how God views him. We always fall short of that standard.
‘The apostle Paul gave us greater understanding of justification, sanctification, glorification, and the wonders of the permanently indwelling Spirit of God. He gave us insight into positional sanctification and progressive sanctification. He gave us an understanding of the difference between union and communion - between our permanent union with Christ, which can never be broken, and our fellowship with Him, which can be broken by sin and renewed through the confession of our faults. He opened our understanding of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in the finished work of Christ alone, and helped us to understand more of Christ's propitiatory work on the Cross on our behalf. And Paul also gave us a greater understanding of slavery to sin and the freedom we have in Christ.’ (knowingjesus).
3. God honours the least place
Bethlehem or Jerusalem: “And thou Bethlehem, [in] the land of Judah, art not the least among the princes of Judah: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.” (Matthew 2:6).
“Little” and “Small” means that God cares about people who are not cared for or noticed by elites. God provides and protects people who are less in number. God loves the minority and helps them prosper and multiply. God takes care of their decisions, such as career, studies, relationships, jobs, etc., God will honor their faith.
A small family, a little handful of people in all ages, scattered up and down in the world, of no esteem and account in it, being all gathered together, that ever were in the world, will appear to be thousands and millions, and such a number as no man can count (revelation 7:9). A company of weak persons, persecuted by their enemies, and unable to resist them, as in the present state: now there will be a nation of them strong and mighty; the feeble among them shall be as David, and the house of David as God, as the Angel of the Lord (Zechariah 12:8).
How a place can become great? Prophet Isaiah says that it would happen when the light of God arises and the glory of God goes forth in that place (Isaiah 60:1). The glorious God is seen in Jerusalem, he glorified the house of God by his presence, by his feet, and he stayed there as an everlasting light (Isaiah 60:7,13, 20). I wish and pray that let the future of this church must be unique and many should see the glorious hand of God.
This church should attract non- believers, non-Christians as prophet says in 60:3 the gentiles shall come to the light, and 60:10 says that strangers shall built the walls means they will come and pray, this church shall gain more prominence in the conference and in the city because of its prayer power, praises lifted from here (Isaiah 60:14), it will be made as an eternal excellency and a joy of many families, generations (Isaiah 60:15).
Yes , let Annanagar Methodist Church become a place of encouragement, a place of peace, joy and blessings. Let the name of God be lifted up. Prophet calls Jerusalem as “The city of the Lord” and “The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.” (Isaiah 60:16). “Thy Savior, and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.” The walls of the actual city are called “Salvation” and the gates are called “Praise.” Let our church become a place of salvation, amen.
According to Calvin: ‘Though the church is small, a few in number and inconsiderate and appear to be very near destruction, still the Church cannot perish, but will be enlarged and multiplied till it become very numerous; for it is God’s planting, and therefore we must not judge of it from the multitude or strength of men.’
“Make an altar of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you.” (NIV Exodus 20:24).
Time of God: “I will haste it:”
There is a time for everything. There is a time for our blessings. There is a time of harvesting of souls. There is a time for establishing his kingdom. It is like the sunrise or the seasons. You can’t hurry it; you can’t stop it; and you shouldn’t doubt it. This is true about all of us, say it personal, family or even the church at large. That may be about the marriage of our sons and daughters, some financial matters, may be anything you are calculating, working on but the time has to come. Waite patiently, wait persistently and wait progressively. God is never late in your life.
God’s timing is not our own. God tells us in Isaiah that God’s ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. God’s ways are higher and grander than our own. So trust God today with the timing in your life.
Conclusion: The Lord would make the least into great, an insignificant place to more significant place, a small person into a person of popularity. God bless you.
