By No Means Insignificant (Advent 7, 2022)

Looking at the list of names in Luke 3:35-36, there are two names that point to the Jewish (Hebrew, Semite) identity of the remnant.

First, the son of Eber (Eber is the root of the word Hebrew—meaning the Region Beyond, One from Beyond, He Who Passed Over), the son of Shelah (missionary, emissary), the son of Cainan (possession), the son of Arphaxad (Stronghold of Chaldees), the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, Luke 3:35-36

Then, there’s the line of Shem—the Shemites recognizable today as the word Semites—are the beginnings of the Jewish people. From the stronghold of the Chaldees, possession, and emissary, we see the next generation as the son of Eber God intends as a light to the nations.

What nations? I’m glad you asked. Not all sons of Eber go on to be the Hebrews.

Scripture says in Genesis 10:25 “Two sons were born to Eber: One was named Peleg, because in his time the earth was divided; his brother was named Joktan.”

We are told in Genesis 10 the line of Shem produced 70 people groups, an interesting perfect number. From this multitude of nations, arises one remnant people: the Hebrews. The remnant people who will carry forth the Messianic promise…well before it was even given to Abraham.

Questions for further thought:

We are told one son of Eber was named Peleg “because in his time the earth was divided”. In Genesis 11, we read about the Tower of Babel…when God scattered the peoples over the earth. Why was it necessary to scatter those whose intellect and ability could lead people to believe that they created their own salvation?

Joktan’s name in Hebrew means small or insignificant. Yet it is the Hebrews who would be the fewest of all peoples, but by no means insignificant.

“For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt.” (Deuteronomy 7:6-8)

In Whose eyes are the numerous insignificant and the smallest remnant is the one to bring forth His victory?

2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” 3 Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor bears a son, and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites. 4 He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. (Micah 5:2-4)

Joktan’s descendants became south Arabian kingdoms including Sheba (whose queen visited Solomon).

Do you see how the remnant is designed to be a light to the nations? A demonstration of the power and mercy of God? How might small and chosen ones display the power of God more effectively than the mighty nations?

Prayer:

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for choosing the Hebrew people to be a light to the nations. We praise You and thank You that even though the Hebrews have always been insignificant in number, they are significant in You. Thank You for making a way throughout the years for a remnant to hold fast to the faith– as our Lord Jesus was from the Jews. We ask, Father, that we would be faithful with His gospel message until He returns. For we know the “eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth looking to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him (2 Chronicles 16:9). Let it be me, Lord. Grow my faith where it is weak; give me eyes to see Your actions in my midst; give me the grace for when I fail; and the courage when I feel outnumbered. We praise You Lord that efforts that we make in faith, humble though they may be, are by no means insignificant in Your eyes. We praise You and it’s in Your Name we pray. Amen.

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Advent began Sunday, November 27, 2022 and continues to Saturday, December 24th as we explore the remnant spoken of in Scripture and awaken as the end draws near.

By signing up on the sidebar of my Home Page you can receive these daily “Awaken, Remnant” devotionals. Or they will be reposted on SeminaryGal’s Facebook page as well.

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Acknowledging inquiries about an entire season’s devotionals for your study group’s planning purposes, Seminary Gal’s prior seasons’ Advent devotionals can be accessed via the archives to the right and are as follows:

The multi-faceted Interlude between the promise of a Deliverer and the birth of our Messiah and King was the theme of 2021’s devotional series. It is archived beginning November 28, 2021.
2020’s Devotional Series Divine Intervention began on November 29, 2020 and explored God’s activity on behalf of a hurting world and nations in tumult– Intervention for you and for me when our status as sinners required nothing short of a miracle.
God’s Christmas list explored what might be on God’s Christmas list, learning what He wants from us. It began December 1, 2019.
Storyteller began December 2, 2018 and entered into the Christmas story through its telling.
The 2017 series Still Christmas, began December 3, 2017 and was the Advent complement to the Lenten series, Be Still and Know that I AM God.
The 2016 season devotionals were called “Timeless: The Message of Christmas for All Ages” and explored how the message of Christmas is timeless truth, for all ages of people, and for all ages at all times. Timeless hope, encouragement, grace, peace, and love as we looked into the Word, saw the face of our Lord Jesus, and experienced restoration in His presence. His goodness and His Gospel are truly Timeless. The 2016 devotionals began November 27, 2016.
The 2015 season devotionals were titled Incarnation and involved digging deep–and yes, I mean deep– in this important mystery of Christian theology. They began November 29, 2015.
Carol Me, Christmas! remains one of my most popular offerings and tells the Christmas story through our most beloved Christmas hymns and carols. You can access all of the numbered devotionals from 2014 via the archives. They began November 30, 2014.
The 2013 series was Emmanuel: When LOVE Showed Up in Person and examined the Prologue to the Gospel of John. It began December 1, 2013.
The 2012 series focused on Expecting the Unexpected…the unexpected, unlikely, and uniquely divine qualities of God’s perfect plan outlined in Luke’s account of the Christmas story. It began December 1, 2012.