Behold, the New Thing has Come

Do you not see it?

March 06, 2023

What has been, it is what will be, And what has been done, it is what will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun. All things are wearisome; No one can tell it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Nor is the ear filled with hearing.

Ecclesiastes 1:8-9, NASB

Christ is the New Thing

In Solomon’s despair, he saw no end to the repeated insignificance. Imagine God’s frustration through it all: Solomon, through his father David, was standing at the helm of all which God has promised Abraham. The generations of enslavement in Egypt led to decades of wondering. The book of Judges documents Isreal’s failings under the theocracy of God, their regular battles against their enemies, and finally their ascension to a kingdom. Even their first king became a failure and the “man after God’s own heart”, King David, had miserable moral failings and experienced an attempted coup. However, God fulfilled His promises and Israel was the jewel of the world.

Even that was not enough to satisfy the searching, wondering hearts of His beloved. So, God puts something new into a place.

For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.

Isaiah 43:19, NASB

As Assyria destroys the “northern kingdom” of Israel (722 BC), it represents the first of 2 judgments and exiles of God’s people. The southern kingdom (Judah & Benjamin) with its capital of Jerusalem remained but would follow Israel’s example in 140+ years when Babylon comes and forces its people into exile.

The material fulfillment of God’s promises was not enough to satisfy Israel. Clearly, we needed an eternal, permanent solution. Enter: Jesus.

I pray that Christ is your “new thing”. I pray that you have a radical faith—not in the adversarial sense of “radical”, but in the counter-cultural sense. Speaking from experience, if you open yourself to truly delight in the Lord above all the rust and decay of this world, He is faithful to give you joy unspeakable and peace without understanding. These are not empty promises; they are as prophetic and true for you as was His promises to Abraham, the idol fabricator who chose to abandon his wayward family and culture for the goodness of God.

Solomon proves that our depressed and unfulfilled experiences of today are not a new phenomenon. Sure, social media may be amplifying these issues, but not creating them. They exist in this world, no matter the age or technology. Trust that God and His Son will satisfy what you so desperately need; they will, I promise.

Memorizing His words

Each week, we'll string short verses of Jesus' words together. Take a moment to etch them on your heart so you can take joy in His promises for you.

Matthew 5, ESV

v3: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven

v4: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven

v5: Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

v6: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

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