Foreigners everywhere

What Isaiah saw as a curse, Christians take as an opportunity.

Indeed, O Lord, you have abandoned your people, the descendants of Jacob. For diviners from the east are everywhere; they consult omen readers like the Philistines do. Plenty of foreigners are around. (Isa. 2:6 NET).

“Don’t spare them!” cried Isaiah (v. 9). Verse 6 above is problematic in terms of translation, but the idea is clear that Israel was overrun with pagan influence. He looked forward to the day the Lord would judge them (vv. 10-22).

Ironic that in the previous pericope the Lord declared that all nations would stream into Zion (v. 2-3).

What was not fulfilled in Israel comes true in the church. Foreigners far and near are our mission field!