Good news brings health to our bones (Proverbs 15:30). They are like cold water to a weary soul (Proverbs 25:25). In the Old Testament, we have read about men from the war front who came running to proclaim the good news of a victory. When Israel was under siege and was suffering from a severe famine, God chose a group of lepers to get to know where there was food for all (2 Kings 7). Mordecai sent the good news of salvation for the Jews through mounted couriers who rode fast horses. The royal horses raced out, spurred by the king’s command (Esther 8:10, 14).
The proclamation of the good news of restoration to the exilic Jews has been pictured by Isaiah as follows: “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!" (Isaiah 52:7) Nahum, who prophesied later to Isaiah, visualized the same restoration scene in a similar tone: “Look, there on the mountains, the feet of one who brings good news, who proclaims peace!....” (Nahum 1:15)
There were angels who brought good news both in the Old and the New Testaments. Jesus bringing the good news to the world was prophesied by Isaiah centuries earlier to His coming, as follows: “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.” (Isaiah 61:1) Jesus indeed preached the good news in the villages, towns and cities of Israel. The apostles of Jesus, proclaimed that good news to the rest of the then world.
What is the Good News? It is nothing, but the atoning death of Jesus on the cross for our sins. It comes from the Greek word, “evangelion”. The missionaries brought evangelism, the good news to most of our fore parents. Someone told that good news to us. What are we doing about that “good news” today?
D.T. Niles said, “Evangelism is just one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread.” God chose most of us, beggars, lepers, lowly people to receive the blessing of Jesus, "The Living Bread" much before the rest of others. Can we now, identify us with the lepers of the Isrealite camp and reflect on their dialogue: "We're not doing right. This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to ourselves. If we wait until daylight, punishment will overtake us. Let's go at once and report this to the royal palace." (2 Kings 7:9)
What have we done to the people who have not heard that good news not even once in their life-time so far? Jesus is the Way to heaven. All who believe in the reality of this fact need to shoulder the urgency of spreading the good news fast, spurred by the command of the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.“(Matthew 28: 18-19)
The Bible says: "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Let’s ask to ourselves: How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? (Romans 10:13-15)
"How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
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