You will see and hear what God raises up

Every day we're reading or listening to part of the Bible together and sharing thoughts with you. Today it’s Bern Leckie:

What did I like about today’s passage?

To be honest, I didn't find it easy to make sense of everything in today's prophecies directed at Israel's neighbours (see this map): Moab to the east of the Dead Sea (part of Jordan today), Damascus a bit further north (Syria today) and Cush further away - its people are described as noticeably different, and modern scholars tend to think this is west Africa, perhaps as far south as Ethiopia - and as God is speaking to this most faraway people, he also addresses "all you people of the world" (chapter 18 verse 3).

These words are aimed at very different people with something in common - they have substituted God for other gods and leaders, they have treated God's people badly through oppression or aggression and yet, despite their culture of independence and opposition, God will deal with them. This will be with a force which brings woe, but a promise of - woah! - good life and relationship restored.

This is huge and hard to make sense of. It’s not our call to armed struggle but a declaration by God of his role in the battle against evil. What I like about it most is the promise in chapter 18 verse 3, directed at all of us, that "when a banner is raised on the mountains, you will see it". I understand at least one meaning of this to be a reference to Jesus. No matter what culture, habits, beliefs or behaviours are getting between my friends and God, Jesus is unmissable - just turn and you'll see - and good will come from responding to him.

What did it show me about Father God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit?

God sees way beyond what I can, and yet makes himself visible and accessible to all of us.

What am I going to do differently as a result?

Whenever I talk with someone who has a defined faith which isn't centred around Jesus (this could be a religion or a belief in people's lack of need for God), I sometimes feel like pointing them to Jesus is either just offering them one more option they don't think they need, or opening up an argument they definitely don't want.

What I can forget is that God has always intended to make his true self visible to people, and that he made us able to respond to his big, obvious signs. So how am I sharing about Jesus? This needs to be less about the best among many options, or anything particularly subtle, but more boldly as something people can recognise as big, obvious, good, and from God. I always need to remember that it's not up to me to convince people of the truth about Jesus, but that the Holy Spirit works to do this when people face Jesus for themselves.

Who am I going to share this with?

I trust that opportunities will come up in my multi-faith, socially active community!