Rejoice In The Lord Series

God’s promise to reign existed and still exists in an environment of competing allegiances. Israel’s neighbors believed that there were many gods ruling over various areas of the earth. If this were the case, how could a person possibly avoid offending one or more of them? And if there are many gods, on what basis may one have a consistent ethical life or a faith that is productive and satisfying? One simply lived in fear of the gods; or, as mankind is prone to do, one ignored them.

• We are not to live our lives in fear of how someone will respond to righteous actions. A simple greeting like "Merry Christmas" need not be avoided because someone is not a Christian. If the recipient is, a like return is expected. If they are not, and they object then we have an opportunity to explain how this is a desire that their Christmas be merry, and how that might be.

This announcement that "The LORD reigns" is immediately followed by a call to respond: “Let the earth rejoice/be glad” Not only are the people of God to worship the Lord; the whole earth is to be joyful at the news that God is King. The term “earth” embraces the concept of universe. It is in parallel with “many coastlands/distant shores” (literally, “many isles,” רַבִּים אִיִּים, ˒îyyîm rabbîm). This represented the islands and shoreline of the Mediterranean Sea, as far as one could go with northern Africa on one side and Europe on the other. In other words, it was the farthest reaches of the world by the Hebrew mind at that time (see Isa 41:1, 5; 42:4b, 10, 12; 49:1, 3; 51:5). Whatever else God’s advent brings, the joy of liberation will be world-wide (Kidner, D. (1975). Vol. 16: Psalms 73-150: An Introduction and Commentary. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (382). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)

Please turn to Isaiah 49

Isaiah envisioned the coming “Servant” as savior of the world. That is why they are “glad” and “rejoice.” The Gentiles are a major part of the longed for hope and celebration of the kingdom of God according to Isaiah’s servant songs (see Isa 42:1–9; 49:1–6; 50:4–11; and 52:13–53:12).

Isaiah 49:1-6 [49:1]Listen to me, O coastlands, and give attention, you peoples from afar. The LORD called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name. [2]He made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow; in his quiver he hid me away. [3]And he said to me, "You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified." [4]But I said, "I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my right is with the LORD, and my recompense with my God." [5]And now the LORD says, he who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him; and that Israel might be gathered to him-- for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD, and my God has become my strength-- [6]he says: "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth." (ESV)