Timeline

Our race, our culture, all human beings, have a timeline and it has been marching forward steadily forward as steadily as the earth turns on its axis and as calendar pages get used up and torn off, the timeline just keeps plodding on. I vaguely remember my geometry teacher Mr Ivan Hoyt talking about the properties of a ray. A ray is a pointed line that goes straight from a point out into eternity, it goes on forever. 🔜

From Wikipedia: When viewed as a vector, a ray is a vector from a point to a point . In geometry, a ray is usually taken as a half-infinite line (also known as a half-line) with one of the two points and. taken to be at infinity.

(Eternity- infinity…whatever…)

Isaiah chapter 9 has 2 prophecies about what God was going to do. God’s timeline started in the garden of Eden. It continues through the life of Abraham and the patriarchs and continues on through the history of the nation Israel and then when Israel is divided into two nations, north and south, focuses on the nation of Judah. The book of Isaiah is God speaking to his people, warning them of upcoming devastation and promising restoration and reconciliation in the future. But it goes beyond Just Judah and Israel and the Jews as a nation and God broadens the focus of his message to include everyone, all the people of the world.

Our, earths that is, timeline is just that, a line. It is not a time ray, at least not yet. It is a time line. A line has two fixed points, a beginning and an end. God started it and he will finish it.

In between those points he developed a plan to save us. the plan has always been to send his son Jesus.

The book of Isaiah is stuffed with hints and peeks into how this this will work and what this savior will act like and what he will do.

Isaiah chapter 9 is one such place.

“Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan— The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder. For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.”
Isaiah 9:1-7 – NIV

Earlier in chapter 7 we get another peek, a virgin will bear a son.

“Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, “Ask the Lord your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights. ” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test. ” Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. He will be eating curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, for before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste.
Isaiah 7:10-16 – NIV

The date today is December 2. On the church calendar we are in the season of advent, which kind of means, the season of anticipation. During this season we try to remember what it was like to anticipate the new thing that God would do, and do we try and put ourselves in that mindset. the Jewish people had a long history of oppression and servitude to nations that occupied them and ruled over them. They were looking forward to God setting them free. Not many anticipated all that God would do when he sent this redeemer to earth. God’s plan wasn’t so limited. His plan was to set all people free, not just Jews, and not from just political slavery but from spiritual slavery to sin and physical slavery to death.

So our timeline is a line. It has a beginning and an end. Speaking of ends, I woke up from a dream last night filled with fear about the end of time being imminent and the struggles involved in the last days. It could be soon. Or not. It will be, we just don’t know when.

There will be change at the end of our timeline, time will be exploded out on both ends to infinity, in all directions. Eternity is infinity in all directions.

Are you ready? Have you met Jesus the Christ, the promised messiah and redeemer?

He is a prayer away. He is waiting for you. He loves you. he wants to spend eternity with us, you and me. It requires a transaction. We have to trade our sinfulness for his righteousness. Otherwise eternity will be without him. That is a place no one should be. He died and he rose again and then he ascended into heaven and now waits to complete our home, to complete the number of people who will be saved and wait for the signal from the Father that it is time.

Timeline. Tick tick tick. Please consider his offer.