15
Everyone was expecting the Messiah to come soon, and they were eager to know
whether John (the Baptist) might be the Messiah. Luke 3:15
Christmas
is the most wonderful time of the year! During the Christmas season, many
people have a joyful hope and excitement, despite any external circumstances
and troubles. That joyful hope is the Lord Jesus Christ! The Lord Jesus Christ is our eternal and
blessed hope (Titus 2:13; see also 1 Timothy 6:17). Believers of the Lord Jesus
Christ confidently look forward to His return to earth - the Lord Jesus’ second
coming (e.g., see Titus 3:7; 1 John 3:2-3). Presently for believers of the Lord
Jesus, He is our heart peace and hope of glory, despite any temporary earthly
suffering and pain (Colossians 1:27; see also Romans 5:1-5).
In
the first century, many Jews also eagerly looked forward to the coming of the
Messiah (Christ). The Hebrew word “Messiah” is the equivalent of the Greek word
“Christ,” which means “Anointed One.” For four centuries - the four hundred
years of God’s silence after the Old Testament ended with the prophet Malachi,
the Jews had waited and wondered when the long-awaited Messiah would arrive at
earth. Then suddenly, stories began to spread about the birth of a special Baby
Boy in Bethlehem! Moreover, some shepherds began spreading the news of a
special Baby after seeing and hearing a glorious heavenly choir of angels
announcing His birth as the Savior of the world (see Luke 2:8-20). Then,
several wise men (also known as Magi) arrived from the eastern lands to
Jerusalem seeking the Messiah and King after seeing a great star in the
heavenly skies (see Matthew 2:1-6).
When
John the Baptist first appeared, many of the Jewish religious leaders thought
he was the long-awaited Messiah (e.g., see Luke 3:15; John 1:19-20). The Holy
Scriptures predicted that when the Messiah comes, prophecy will reappear (e.g.,
see Joel 2:28-32; Malachi 3:1; Malachi 4:5). John the Baptist was obviously a
great prophet. John the Baptist spoke
like a great prophet as he boldly proclaimed the message of repentance -
turning away from sin and turning wholeheartedly to the living God (e.g., see
Matthew 3:1-3; Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3). However, John the Baptist confirmed to the
Jewish religious leaders that he was not the Messiah, but the living God had
sent him to prepare the world for the Messiah’s coming (see Matthew 3:3, 11-12;
Mark 1:2-3; Luke 3:3-6, 16-17; John 1:6-8, 23, 29; see also Isaiah 40:3-5).
Many
Jews expected the Messiah would be a military or political deliverer like King
David that would finally defeat Israel’s enemies and usher in an era of peace
and prosperity for God’s people. There was widespread hope among the first
century Jews that a king from David’s line would come and re-establish David’s
dynasty and reign in righteousness and justice on David’s throne in Jerusalem.
This hope had its foundation in 2 Samuel 7:11-16 of the Old Testament, where the
living LORD God promised King David that He would raise up descendants after
him and establish his throne forever. With the decline and subsequent collapse
of Israel as a kingdom, the Old Testament prophets predicted the coming of the
Messiah and King, who would deliver God’s people and reign forever on David’s
throne (e.g., see Isaiah 9:6-7; Isaiah 11:1-5; Jeremiah 23:5-6; Jeremiah
33:15-16; Ezekiel 37:24-25).
The
Gospel writers Matthew and Luke take a special interest in showing that the
Lord Jesus is truly the long-awaited and promised King from David’s family line
and the Messiah (e.g., see Matthew 1:1, 16-17; Matthew 1:20; Matthew 2:2, 6-7;
Luke 1:26-27, 32-33, 69-70; Luke 3:15-16). Instead arriving to earth with great
fanfare as the long-awaited King and Messiah, the living LORD God sent His only
begotten Son, the Lord Jesus, as a poor Jewish baby in a rustic stable in
Bethlehem (e.g., see Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:1-2, 5-8; Luke 2:4-7, 15-16; John
1:1-5, 14-18). This young Baby, who is King and Messiah, was also God with us
and the Son of the living God (see Matthew 1:1, 21, 23; Matthew 16:16; Mark
1:1; John 20:31). The living LORD God sent His Son Jesus Christ to earth at
just the right time to be God with us, our Emmanuel, to reveal Him and His
eternal love for the world (Matthew 1:23; see also Isaiah 7:14; John 1:1-5,
14-18; John 3:16; Romans 9:5; Galatians 4:4; Colossians 1:15-20). In the Lord
Jesus Christ, God came to earth and close to humans (e.g., see Hebrews 1:3).
Thus, the Lord Jesus is fully God and fully Man, as the Son of the living God,
as well as the long-awaited King from David’s family line and Messiah (Christ)
(e.g., see Matthew 16:16; Mark 1:1; Luke 9:20; Luke 18:38; Luke 19:38; John
20:31; Romans 1:3-4).
In
summary, Christmas is the most wonderful
time of the year! During the
Christmas season, we celebrate the Lord Jesus Christ! Jesus is the long-awaited
and promised Messiah (Christ) who brings salvation and new life to all who
trust and believe in Him as the Son of the living God (e.g., see Matthew 1:21,
23; Mark 14:61-62; Luke 2:10-11; John 3:16-17; John 4:42; 1 John 4:9-10, 14).
Jesus is the fulfillment of Old Testament Scriptures as the long-awaited King
from the family line of David and Son of the living God that bring peace to earth
(e.g., see Isaiah 9:6-7; Matthew 1:1; Matthew 2:2; Matthew 16:16; Mark 9:7;
Luke 1:32-33; Luke 3:17; Revelation 22:6). Even more, Jesus is the new Israel
that brings the living Lord God’s salvation to all who trust and believe in Him
(see John 3:16)! One day the long-awaited Savior of the world will return in
the clouds of heaven, and everyone will finally acknowledge Jesus Christ as the
Lord of all (e.g., Acts 1:9-11; Acts 2:36; Philippians 2:10-11).
6
For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be
upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty
God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of
His government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and
over His kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with
righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of
hosts will do this.
Isaiah 9:6-7 ESV
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