Today, I began a new harmony of the gospels,  John MacArthur’s One Perfect Life.  I love how he begins.  In the first section, MacArthur harmonizes passages from the Old and New Testament that speak to the prophecies of the coming of the Messiah.

He begins in Genesis with:

• Jesus Christ- the pre-existent Creator and Savior.
• The Fall of the human race into sin.
• The Curse upon Creation.
• Mankind’s need for a Savior.
• The Promised Seed of Abraham.

He continues with prophecies about:

• The Coming Messiah as Prophet and King.
• The Coming Messiah as the Suffering Servant.

All of this was rich, but reading these verses here in Israel, I was particularly struck by the last few paragraphs.  With selections from Acts, Romans, Zechariah and Isaiah, we read:

“Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come- that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.

Blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.  And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:  The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; for this is my covenant with them, when I take away their sins.

Then they will look on Me whom they pierced.  Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.  In that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, who shall stand as a banner to the people; for the Gentiles shall seek Him, and His resting place shall be glorious.”

How exciting to think about the fulfillment of this promise.  All Israel will be saved!

God’s heart for His people, His heart for us too, compelled Him to send His Son, the Deliverer.

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