While they were in this foreign land, God sent prophets to speak God’s words to the people concerning the things to come. Through them God promised he would rescue his people. God would give them a new king – the promised son of David – to shepherd his people. God would initiate a new covenant with his people in which he would transform their hearts, causing them to be obedient to him. God would forgive all their sins by having the king die as a perfect substitute, a sacrifice. All people who submitted to this king would be brought to a new land – a perfect land – like the original garden. These promises were not only for the Israelites, they were for all people everywhere.
After 70 years living in this other land under foreign kings, God saved his people and brought them back to the Promised Land. However, it was not nearly as the prophets had foretold. They were back in the land, but they still were incapable of keeping God’s instructions. Therefore, Israel kept waiting for their Messiah – the savior-king who would save the whole world from their sins.
Meaning: And this is how the Old Testament ends – Israel waiting for the promised one of God, waiting for the one who would bring us back to the garden of Eden, bless the whole world by providing forgiveness of sin and salvation, and who would reign forever with justice and mercy. The Old Testament ends on a note of sadness in the sense that the people were never truly able to follow and obey God. They were never able to be that light of the world or that example unto the nations who would bring the nations to God.
However, it also ends on a note of hope – hope that the Messiah would fix this central problem by dying in our place. In this manner he would set us free from sin and forgive us of sin. He would also initiate a new and better covenant with new and better promises. Under this new covenant, the people of the Messiah would finally be able to be the light of the world.
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