How Beautiful Are The Feet On The Via Egnatia -- By: Gordon Franz

Journal: Bible and Spade (Second Run)
Volume: BSPADE 27:2 (Spring 2014)
Article: How Beautiful Are The Feet On The Via Egnatia
Author: Gordon Franz


How Beautiful Are The Feet On The Via Egnatia

Gordon Franz

Enery Hsu

This article is dedicated to Dr. Richard Rigsby and his wife, Donna, fellow travelers on the Via Egnatia with the Talbot Bible Lands Program.

Introduction

The Apostle Paul quoted Isaiah 52:7 in the tenth chapter of his epistle to the Romans. He wrote: “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!’” (10:14–15, NKJV). In Isaiah’s day, as well as Paul’s day, the most common form of transportation was walking, and Isaiah said the feet that carried the gospel of peace were beautiful!

A number of years earlier, the apostle had written a letter to the churches in Galatia and stated: “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (4:4–5, NKJV).

The prophet Daniel set forth the timeframe for the “fullness of time” when he prophesied: “Seventy weeks are determined for your people [Israel] and for your holy city [Jerusalem], to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy [the LORD Jesus]. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty- two weeks; the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times. And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself” (9:24–26a, NKJV). In AD 30, the sinless Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus, the Messiah of Israel, fulfilled the words of Daniel the Prophet. He was “cut off, but not for Himself” when He voluntarily laid down His life outside the walls of the Holy City of Jerusalem in order to redeem fallen humanity by His precious blood (Jn 10:11–18; 1 Pt 1:18–21).

In preparation for the spread of the gospel after the “fullness of time” had come, God’s plan and program had at ...

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