Another year around the Son 2026
Read 2 Chronicles 4, Matthew 12:15-21
“For behold, the stone that I have set before Joshua; on one stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave an inscription on it,’ declares the Lord of hosts, ‘and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.”
Zechariah 3:9 NASB1995
Jesus paid in one day what years of sacrifice could not. He fulfilled the law and prophets. (See Matthew 5:17-18)
Solomon’s temple was built with glory and at what a cost! So much gold, uncountable amounts of bronze and yet the Lord didn’t choose Israel’s best temple to send his son. He sent his son to the lesser temple. The one when it was being rebuilt the old men who had seen Solomon’s temple wept. (Ezra 3:12)
Yet although materially it was relatively modest, in God’s eyes it would be greater. (Haggai 2:1-9)
It would be the temple Jesus THE BRANCH (mentioned In Zachariah), THE SON OF DAVID would visit multiple times, the 8th day of his birth, as a youth, and in the height of his ministry and final sacrifice.
Waiting for fulfillment is honorable and a stand of faith in God. “And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.” Matthew 12:21 Side bar if YOU ARE PROLONGED IN waiting it holds promise and is so good. Isaiah 30:18 “FOR THE LORD IS A GOD OF JUSTICE; BLESSED ARE ALL THOSE WHO WAIT FOR HIM.” Keep on waiting.
In 1740 a Native American tribe leader named Circling Raven would receive a vision about Jesus. His people would wait, he would live 150 years and not see the ‘black robes’ from his vision in his lifetime.
For the vision to be fulfilled:
An unmarked land needed to be surveyed, and mountains majestic in height and formidable to even the most experienced voyageurs need a passable route. Providence selected a youth named David Thompson a skilled British-Canadian surveyor would be an instrument in making the maps Lewis and Clark would use in their 1804-1806 expedition. His education at Grey Coat School wouldn’t start until 1777 in Westminster. And a pivotal dream in his earlier years with the Hudson Bay Co. in 1787 opened his eyes to Christ made him a devout Christian from then on.
The tribe waited for the truth to come. Father told son.
“Circling Raven, wisely ruled our people for an hundred years from the time that is called 1660 to 1760, when at the age of 150 years his spirit departed. Then I, at the age of twelve years, was called upon to rule our people with the council of our sub-chiefs. This I have done now for 45 years.
He saw in his visions the birth many centuries ago of a great Savior of all the peoples of the earth. And he visioned the cruel death of this Savior at the hand of those who would not believe.
He saw the coming of emissaries of our Savior, and they were dressed in black robes, bringing the true words of hope for all peoples. They will come and they will teach us the ways of friendship with those who follow, so that there will be understanding among us.
For a hundred years your grandfather searched through the mountains and the canyons of our land for the Black Robes. And I have since searched diligently.
I, my son, know in my heart that they will come, but it may be after I have departed from my body. So I charge you that if you then are Chief of our people, you will receive them.” —Circling Raven’s Son
*Currently in our church we sent missionaries to Tunisia and their 3 adopted native boys went too. Please pray for this missionary family. The hand of Providence is weaving the Gentile nations into the story of a greater house, and a greater glory that fills the entire earth. Can you see our clay, our human fragility? It’s so the glory is given to God. And we know, God is still using earthen vessels. (2 Cor 4:5-7).
Earthen Vessels. One such vessel is the life of David Brainerd. He was born 307 years ago in Haddam, Connecticut on April 20th 1718.
The study of history provides us with an opportunity to see the providence of God the sovereignty of his rule, the beautiful unfolding of his plan, roughly one year before Circling Raven‘s vision, a great awakening, was happening in the east. 
In 1739 during the great Awakening David was attending Yale and heard both George Whitefield and Gilbert Tennett. A well written overview of his life is found here.
At age 25 in November of 1742, a mission society in Scotland, the Society in Scotland for the Propagation of Christian Knowledge, upon hearing about David Brainerd proposed to him that he should serve among the American Indians. He would ultimately die from tuberculosis, and his journals would later be published. I have read the The Life and Diary of David Brainerd: With Notes and Reflections, which was marked by tragedy as well, and yet his service to Christ is a light to us still.
Mother Teresa said “I belong to Jesus. He doesn’t have to ask my permission on how he uses
me.”
“But we have this treasure in earthen
vessels, that the excellency of the power
may be of God, and not of us.” 2 Corinthians 4:7
In Isaiah 64:8 the Lord refers to us as earthen clay where He emphasizes our
condition by two descriptions. One is clay symbolizing our human fragility and God’s
sovereignty, and two the word Father which defines our value. “Yet you, Lord, are our
Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.”
