Appealing over Caesar's Head, to Christ

Isaiah 25:6-9

    And in this mountain 

          The LORD of hosts will make for all people 

          A feast of choice pieces, 

          A feast of wines on the lees, 

          Of fat things full of marrow, 

          Of well-refined wines on the lees. 

    7      And He will destroy on this mountain 

          The surface of the covering cast over all people, 

          And the veil that is spread over all nations. 

    8      He will swallow up death forever, 

          And the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces; 

          The rebuke of His people 

          He will take away from all the earth; 

          For the LORD has spoken. 

    9      And it will be said in that day: 

          “Behold, this is our God; 

          We have waited for Him, and He will save us. 

          This is the LORD; 

          We have waited for Him; 

          We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.” 

When we consider the Lordship of Christ, we think of a lord protecting us from enemies with his castle. A mighty fortress is our God, and He has provided refuge at the cross of Christ. He has triumphed over our enemies. Physical disease, marauding jihadists, personal temptation and guilt – these things no longer mock and dominate us, even if they stick with us. We have a sure protection at the cross.

Another thing a Lord does is provide and lay a table, a feast. As Isaiah speaks of the feast that Yahweh will make for us, He says that we have waited for Him. Paul certainly waited a while to make his appeal to Caesar. Here at this Table we have a place to appeal to God through Christ. As we hold this cup, each of us is to appeal, saying, “Let His blood have been shed for me.”

2/24/13