“…The LORD called me from the womb, from the body of my mother He named my name. He made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of His hand He hid me; He made me a polished arrow; in His quiver He hid me away. And He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified” (Isa 49:1-3 ESV).
This prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled in our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Arrow of all arrows. He was hidden in the quiver until the right time (Gal 4:4; Rom 5:6). As God’s arrow, Jesus was revealed at the right time in history. He spoke powerful words of truth. He is God’s servant. He accomplished His mission and glorified His Father (Jn 17:3-5).
The arrow head has to be sharp and hard to hit the hardest target.
The shaft has to be long, thin, hard, straight and light.
The tail has a nock, a slit that fits on the string of the bow.
The fletching has feathers that are made from an eagle, vulture, kite or sea gull. It gives stability and balance.
The cresting is the owner’s marking on the arrow.
The quiver holds the arrows.
The bow – God is the Divine Archer, He is our strength, and we are His arrows.
God is a Warrior (Ex 15:3; Isa 42:13). He is called the LORD of Hosts (242 times). We are God’s arrows (Ps 124:4, 5) to deliver God’s message of salvation to those who have not believed. The unbelievers are the targets. We are hidden in God’s quiver, until He
releases us from His bow to hit the targets.
We (God’s arrows) are shaped and polished by God (the Warrior) as we draw near to Him, loving and learning from Him. We must be ready to be used by God to bring His message of salvation to our unbelieving family members at home, acquaintances in our neighbourhood and friends and colleagues in our schools and workplaces. We must be good listeners to them.
The Word of God teaches us to live godly lives and to fight the good fight of faith. We must rely on God’s spiritual resources: the Word of God and Prayers in the Spirit. As God’s arrows, we carry the Gospel of Jesus Christ which is God’s power for salvation. From the bow of God’s mighty hand, we will fly with His Good News to convict those who have not believed.
After each flight, God the Warrior retrieves the arrow and prepares it for His next use!
Be a polished arrow of God!
Elder Yoong Yuen Soo
