The Curse is Rolled Back

The Resurrection of our Lord – March 31, 2013

Isaiah 65:17-25

“Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth…” Vs. 17

     The Lord will not let Isaiah stay silent when it comes to the ultimate future he has in store for his people:  plans to give them a future and a hope (cf. Jer. 29:11).  Isaiah breaks forth with the Lord’s promise of creating a new heavens and a new earth:  (Isa. 42:9) and (Isa. 48:6).  Such is the future Isaiah promises… such is the future of which Peter speaks (2 Peter 3:13)… and such is the future which John sees in his apocalyptic vision. (Rev. 21:1)

     The new heavens and the new earth are promised by Isaiah, testified to throughout Scripture, and delivered in Jesus Christ.  He is the Messiah, first promised by God when he declared to the serpent in the Garden:  “…her [Eve’s] offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” (Ge. 3:15)  From the very moment in which the curse was imposed upon Adam and Eve, they, and all subsequent generations, have lived—not only under the curse—but under this promise as well:  One born of woman will come and bear the curse, bring the curse to an end, and reign eternally in a new heaven and a new earth.  “The former things shall not be remembered or come into mind…” (Isa. 65:17)  In that new creation which is yours now in Christ Jesus, all that the curse imposed is rolled back.  Your tears and suffering come to an end.   The curse on man’s labor is lifted.  The enemies—sin and death—conquered in the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ, finally come to their end.

     All these things are yours already though you do not see them.  Luther calls your attention to 1 Peter 1: 6-12 where Peter not only declares these things immediately certain but also that they await their revelation.  Luther counseled:  “Therefore whoever is tormented in his feeling by sin and death, let him rise again in the Word and kingdom of Christ and say, ‘My Christ lives’ ” (AE 17:388)

Table Talk:  Discuss your living Lord’s victory over sin and death

Pray:  Father, give me certainty of baptism’s promise: death to the old & new life in Jesus Christ, even though I’m still a sinner; amen.

Timothy J. Swenson

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Moses' Second Song

Table Talk for Palm/Passion Sunday – March 31, 2013 

Deuteronomy 32:36-39 

“There is none that can deliver out of my hand” Vs. 39

Moses sings a second song. The first song of Moses was inspired by the Lord delivering Israel from the hand of the Pharaoh by the people’s safe passage through the Red Sea and the subsequent destruction of the Egyptian army. Moses sang: “I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously…” (Ex. 15:1-3) Moses’ second song (Ex. 32:1-43) came as the people were about to enter the Promised Land. Moses sang and on the same day received word from the Lord about how he was to die. In his second song Moses anticipates the peoples’ further unfaithfulness to their Lord: “His people have been unfaithful to him; they have not acted like his children – this is their sin. They are a perverse and deceitful generation.” (Dt. 32:5)

Such is the context of our text today: Moses prophesies the peoples’ future unfaithfulness and the Lord’s response to it. This anticipates the end of Joshua’s life when he, too, stood before the people remembering and anticipating their unfaithfulness (Josh. 24:14-23) and demanded: “Choose this day whom you will worship!” When your ears are tuned to hear it, there is repetition throughout the history of the people: 1) unfaithful rebellion by the people; 2) chastisement by the wrath of God; 3) lament and repentance by the people; 4) deliverance by the hand of their Lord.

Our text today connects with two great promises delivered to you through the history of God’s people. One comes in verse 36:“when he sees that their power is gone…” These words anticipate the Lord’s answer to the Apostle Paul when he prayed for the Lord to remove his thorn in the flesh: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor. 12:9) The second promise comes from our Lord Jesus himself: “My Father, who has given [the sheep] to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.” (Jn. 10:29) You, the sheep, hear his voice and rest on your Lord’s faithfulness, not your own.

Table Talk: Discuss faithfulness and hearing the word in obedience
Pray: Father, by your word, deliver to me a new and clean heart; amen

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