i

October 18 Daily Devotional

Twilight: God's Servant Israel

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 41:8–16

Bible Text:

"You, O Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend" (Isa. 41:8).

Devotional:

Israel was God's servant and God's special friend.

Don't ask why God did not choose the Sumerians, the Chinese, or the Egyptians. God is free to have mercy on whom he chooses. Nobody has a right to divine compassion.

God calls Israel his "servant" and traces the special relationship back to his choice of Jacob over Esau (Gen. 25:23) and to his covenant with Abraham. God said to Abraham, "I'll be your friend, and your friend will be my friend; but your enemy will be my enemy." God also gave Abraham a mission: "You must be a blessing to all the families of the earth" (Gen. 12: 1-3).

Israel is God's "servant." That means Israel must obey the Master. But "servant" also indicates Israel's special position. Israel is not like any other nation; it exists as the servant of Another. In world history Israel must complete an assignment. Israel failed miserably in blessing the nations and fulfilling its mission. In the other "servant passages" of Isaiah we will read how Israel's assignment is given to one single person, the Messiah.

But even today all persons and nations who find the true God enter through the doors of Israel. We live in their tents, read their Book, are blessed by their Messiah.

All who call Jesus their Lord must also call Abraham their father.


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