2006-12-19

Dong Believers Will Say in These Days

Christmas is coming near. Christmas is a celebration of the coming of the long-awaited Savior. For us, this is a reflection of what has happened, but in many ways, the Dong people are still waiting for the promised one to come. Jesus is still becoming known to the Dong people of China.

Not only is Jesus going to come, but, probably to the great delight of many Dong people, he is coming with a great feast prepared:

Isaiah 25:6-9

On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples

  a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine,

  of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.

And he will swallow up on this mountain

  the covering that is cast over all peoples,

  the veil that is spread over all nations.

He will swallow up death forever;

  and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces,

  and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth,

  for the LORD has spoken.

It will be said on that day,

  "Behold, this is our God;

     we have waited for him, that he might save us.

  This is the LORD; we have waited for him;

  let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation."


The coming of Jesus is still happening for people like the Dong. If they know anything of Christmas, it will be of some American holiday about "the Old Guy of Christmas" (Santa Claus). In reality, as these words from the Lord predict, this is the coming of our salvation, salvation from the veil of death which is spead over all nations.
Lord Jesus, you are inviting the Dong people to your great feast. They may want sour fish and fine rice wine instead of marrow and wine, but you have already provided for them. Most importantly, you have seen the affliction they endure, the affliction of living under the rule of death, covered over without hope of salvation.
In this season, Lord Jesus, let many Dong hear of the coming of the Savior. Let them be among those who say, as was prophesied hundreds of years before Jesus's coming:
"Behold, this is our God;

   we have waited for him, that he might save us.

This is the LORD; we have waited for him;

let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation."

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