The Rock of Faith

“Listen to me, all who hope for deliverance—all who seek the LORD! Consider the rock from which you were cut, the quarry from which you were mined. Yes, think about Abraham, your ancestor, and Sarah, who gave birth to your nation. Abraham was only one man when I called him. But when I blessed him, he became a great nation.” [Isaiah 51.1-2]

Look at the wording here. ALL who hope for deliverance... ALL who seek the LORD... There is a "rock from which they are cut" and a "quarry from which they were mined" to be considered! That rock - that quarry - involved Abraham, but it was not Abraham! Abraham is known as the father of Israel and yet ALL are invited...

Consider this:

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.” Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.” [Matthew 16.13-19]

I cannot help but believe Jesus was thinking of Isaiah 51.1-2 when He told Peter that his profession of faith in Him (Jesus) was the "rock" upon which the church (Jesus' church - the Body of Christ) would be built.

So, it is not surprising that Isaiah referred to Abraham, the point-man for faith - the father of Israel - the identifying lineage through which Messiah (Jesus) would come - when speaking of the rock from which ALL who seek the LORD are cut!

The Apostle Paul said it like this:

Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God? If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way. For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” [Romans 4.1-3]

Abraham's "rock" of faith was that God would do what He promised - give him a family through which deliverance would come. Peter's "rock" of faith was that Jesus was that Deliverer!

The rock of faith has nothing to do with Israel except that Israel carried the "hope" of that faith, Jesus the Messiah.

So, let's consider ALL once again:

There is only one God, and he makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. [Romans 3.30]

And for this reason, Paul, who made the statement above, would go on to write (hint: look for ALL):

Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all. [Ephesians 4.3-6]

That "rock" of faith is indeed one faith and is singularly the way to please God. It was only by faith that Abraham pleased God, it was only by faith that Jesus pleased God, and it is only by faith that we might please God... ALL is not about Israel - it is about ALL! ALL is about anyone!

And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. [Hebrew 11.6]

So again, the importance of Isaiah 51.1-2 should be seen by anyone who would seek anything from God:

“Listen to me, all who hope for deliverance—all who seek the LORD! Consider the rock from which you were cut, the quarry from which you were mined. Yes, think about Abraham, your ancestor, and Sarah, who gave birth to your nation. Abraham was only one man when I called him. But when I blessed him, he became a great nation.” [Isaiah 51.1-2]

Old or New Testament, the Bible is not about Israel. The Bible is about Christ and faith in Him Who was simply identified through the lineage of Israel.

“You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! [John 5.39]

Everything in the Bible about Israel is about Jesus because Jesus is "in Israel." Everything in the Bible about Jesus is about me because I am "in Christ." Therefore, everything in the Bible about Israel, is about me!

So, what is the conclusion of all this marvelous revelation?

We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. [John 9.4]

Father, the revelation of the unity of the Bible and the common rock of faith found throughout is amazing. May I be found faithful to the work - the tasks assigned - so that Your desire for all people to be saved will be fulfilled!