Hey Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible Recap.

Today we hit one of the most important sections of prophecy in the Old Testament.

I can't wait to talk about those sections, but let's start in Chapter 49.

First, you may be wondering who exactly the text is referring to when it uses the word

Coastlands. One of the first verses we read said, Listen to me, O Coastlands. The general opinion is that this is a catch-all word for all the nations of the world,

reaching to the far corners of the earth. God tells Israel, I will make you as a light for the

nations that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.

He says that although Israel is a despised nation, he's chosen them and will use them to bless

all the nations that despise them. So how will he do that and what exactly

has he chosen them for? He's chosen them to be the lineage of the Messiah and

that Messiah will save people from among every nation.

His love will reach to those who hate him and the people of his lineage,

and then he will turn his enemies into his family.

In the meantime, though, Israel feels forgotten and ashamed.

Waiting can feel shameful and lonely.

I'm sure you can relate.

But God says,

those who wait for me shall not be put to shame. He reminds them that

he cannot forget his people. They're engraved on the palms of his hands.

By the way, I used to think this was a reference to Jesus

in the nail marks in his hands, and maybe it is, but then I learned that Roman crucifixion

put the nails in the wrists between the radius and ulna bones, not in the palms of the hands, so who knows.

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