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Now is a time to remind ourselves daily to "be strong, be strong, and strengthen one another." We need the strength of the Lord and the strength of one another to endure uncertain times and move towards God's good plans for our lives.

It is only by understanding the history of God’s election of Israel—and the enduring hostility between Israel and the nations—that we can fully understand the redemptive, reconciling work of Christ and its implications. Christ’s work has often been framed (especially in Western Christian theology) primarily in terms of salvation from sin, and this perspective has served to undercut the role of Israel in God’s redemptive work in the world. While the gospel is indeed about the story of human sin and divine salvation, this aspect of Christ’s redemptive work is couched within a larger overarching narrative of creation moving towards ultimate consummation.

God’s act of electing Israel precipitates an enduring hostility between Israel and the nations. Biblically, this hostility manifests itself in the nations repeatedly dragging Israel away from proper worship of her God, fighting with Israel over her promised land, and warring against her very existence. It is worth noting that, outside (and, tragically, all too often inside) the community of Messiah, this hostility fiercely endures into our own day.