Monday - Isaiah 42 - God's Elect

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HE elect one in Isaiah 42:1 is none other than Jesus of Nazareth (compare Isaiah 42:1-4 to Matthew 12:15-21). Don't let the word election frighten you. God did not intend to confuse us or to trouble us by revealing the doctrine of election to us. It was intended to be a comfort to our souls, and a raw revelation of reality. Religious philosophers have tried to highjack the term. Fervent evangelists have effectively ignored it and rejected it. Students of theology have long debated it. But, make no mistake, the use of it in the Scriptures is both undeniable and important. It is a thing addressed by name no less than 3 dozen times in Holy Writ. Sometimes it is translated "chosen" and more frequently, "elect" - but the meaning is the same.

Don't make it more complicated than it is. God chose Saul to rule over Israel (2^nd Samuel 21:6). God chose the children of Jacob from among the population of the heathen (1^st Chronicles 16:13). God chose David (Psalm 89:3). God chose Moses (Psalm 106:23). God chose the saints - including me (Romans 8:33, 16:13, Colossians 3:12, 2^nd Timothy 2:10, Titus 1:1, Revelation 17:14, etc.). God chose the apostles (John 15:16 & 1^st Peter 1:1-2). God chose the holy angels (1^st Timothy 5:21). And, most importantly, Jesus is known as the chosen One of God (1^st Peter 2:4-6). He is the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One. The whole book of Hebrews is devoted to declaring His exclusive qualifications as both the Savior and the Judge of all of mankind. This is one of the reasons why Jesus is THE way, and THE ONLY way; because the Father has exercised His prerogative. And, His decision is to bless us through the His Elect Son (1^st John 5:12 & Revelation 13:8).