Backgrounder: The Covenant Restored

The low point of the overwhelming chaos which threatens continually Israel is the destruction of Jerusalem, including the temple of Solomon, the house of God.

Worst of all, Israel “kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words, and scoffing at his Prophets.” (2 Chronicles 36) Exile in Babylon follows. Chaos has won the day. Would God remember his people?

The answer comes from the Persian king, Cyrus. Astoundingly, he – a pagan – is “stirred up in spirit” by God. (Note that Israel is never to have their own king again.) It is Cyrus who sends Israel back, to re-build the temple. God restores his unfaithful people to the Covenant relationship, which is their life.

“People loved darkness rather than light.” (John 3) Jesus’ words in the Gospel remind us that we are much like his first Chosen people. We have chosen chaos and darkness, over and over again. We are in exile, because we have forfeited our Covenant relationship with God, which is our life.

But God remember us! “God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

Without the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, we perish. Lifted up on the cross, Jesus himself enters chaos and exile, taking on our sin and its consequence, death. But Jesus is lifted up in the resurrection, bringing us restoration and eternal life.

We need to notice how many people around us are also perishing. God anoints us with his Holy Spirit so that we too can share the restoring life of Jesus with others. Isn’t it amazing to realize that we can share in Jesus’ saving mission?

“God who is rich in mercy … even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – for it was by grace you have been saved.” (Ephesians 2)