The Arm of the LORD

THE IMAGERY DEPICTED in our Key Verse cannot fail to deeply touch every sincere Christian heart. The Prophet Isaiah foretold the great work of atonement accomplished through our Lord Jesus’ sacrifice on behalf of fallen humanity. The Adamic race was broken, mired in sin, gravely flawed, and in desperate need of a Savior. Jesus, by contrast, was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners, fully capable of being the Savior who would redeem mankind. So it was that God “made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”—II Cor. 5:21, NKJV

God’s “Arm,” Jesus, became a sin offering for us. This is especially remarkable considering that “when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”—Rom. 5:6-8, NKJV

The Bible’s message of salvation is precious to us. “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” (Rom. 5:1,2, NKJV) We understand that our being at peace with God is completely dependent on Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf. This, we believe, is the fruitage of Jesus’ being “wounded for our transgressions” and healing us “by His stripes.”

Some hold that our healing pertains to physical disease. However, there is a higher, spiritual fulfillment which we esteem as more important—a healing manifested in the renewing of our minds and the cleansing of our hearts. (Rom. 12:1,2) Being at peace with God, “let us continue to come near with sincere hearts in the full assurance that faith provides, because our hearts have been sprinkled clean from a guilty conscience, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.”—Heb. 10:22, International Standard Version

Not all can grasp the blessedness of a relationship with Christ in the present time, “for not all have faith.” (II Thess. 3:2, NKJV) “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” (Eph. 2:8) Faith is a gift that comes from God. Yet, “the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isa. 53:6) As indicated in this verse, we see that the Gospel message includes salvation for all—Christians in the present age of faith, and the remainder of mankind in God’s coming kingdom on earth.

God’s kingdom will surely come to pass in his due time. “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil. 2:9-11, NKJV) “He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities.” (Isa. 53:11, NKJV) Then our report shall be believed by all, when the “Arm of the Lord” is revealed to them.