Now that is stunning and it gets right to the point! And that our God speaks loudly and clearly through Isaiah that he loves us, and will provide for us, and take care of our every need, and give to us and to the earth, and even to the animals, plenty and more so that their every need will be taken care of, and they will, therefore, have no needs.
Every wound will be bound up. Every gift possible will be given.
Even the light from the sun that makes it possible to see and to work will be “seven” (Uh oh! Here’s that perfect number!) times greater, like the “light of seven days” (Uh oh! Again! It might even deserve a yikes!).
Great! And mighty in power, indeed!
Then noting how great was the need of so many people, in commentary form, Jesusnotes that —
“They were … like sheep without a shepherd.”
Or even more simply put, Jesus noted the amount of service and love and healing and caring that was needed, comparing it to a harvest, an abundant harvest. And then he gathered up his disciples to send them forth out to the harvest and gave them power over spirits, and to heal and to proclaim the kingdom to all of the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And boldly and attentively, and in total command, Jesus instructed and empowered his disciples with these words —
“As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons.”
Then with astounding words so that they could appreciate deeply what they (the disciples) were being given freely and generously and what, therefore, they were to give just as freely and generously, Jesus instructed further —
“Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”
Are not those very words being said to us now and always? Can we not appreciate them as deeply for us as we surely can for those disciples?
Is not the kingdom of God as surely present and alive now as then? Are we not a part of that harvest, and laborers of God?
