A Banner to the Nations

Isaiah 11:10 In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious.
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Luke 1:54 (Mary said) “He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 55 to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers.”
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Luke 1:68-79 (from the priest Zechariah, John the Baptist’s father) “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people. 69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David  70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),  71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us – 72 to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, 73 the oath he swore to our father Abraham: 74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear  75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. 76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, 77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, 78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven 79 to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
 
YOUR tender, merciful God loves you. He has told you so.
   We have been reading of his love through the prophecies and proclamations of Isaiah and Mary. Now Zechariah praises God for creating and sending his son, John, to be a prophet of the Most High. John’s purpose is to advance the salvation covenant God expressed to Abraham: Genesis 12:3 “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples will be blessed through you.”
   The prophecies and praises are true. John has been born to announce that the Son of God will come from Abraham’s loin. And now from the Son’s resurrection, Jesus’ church is declaring the name of Jesus is God’s Banner to save the nations.
   You could say the Bible is the banner of God’s love. In Jesus there is no Old and New Testaments. There is one testament, one promise of God’s redemptive power declaring his reign throughout the entire earth.
   This is Christmas joy. This is the sure hope we have when we know Jesus’ name is a Banner for our souls. Your tender, merciful God loves you. He has told you. He has shown you. May his Banner be upon your heart.
  
Prayer: O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth. (Psalm 8:1) Amen.