Tag: messiah

Posted on

For To Us a Child Is Born

jesus christ figurine

Isaiah was an 8th century B.C. prophet who prophesied about the coming messiah. In chapter 9 he begins by saying, “But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of nations” (Isaiah 9:1 ESV).

The people were in anguish–being mistreated, suffering, and waiting for God to intervene. He promised there would be no more gloom for those who were in anguish. Then came the great news: “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” (vs. 6). The Messiah was going to establish the throne of David and uphold it with justice and righteousness forever (vs. 7).

We cannot connect people to God without telling them who the Christ is. In a world full of suffering we should point people to the only One who can give them hope. It’s easy to see Isaiah’s prophesies play out in the life of Christ. Even today we live with incredible hope, knowing that his throne built on justice and righteousness prevails. We have much to be hopeful for!

Posted on

Out of Egypt I Called My Son

Jesus

The parallels between the Exodus story and Jesus’s birth and first years are not accidental. Throughout the Bible, and because of God’s throne of righteousness and justice, God cares for what philosopher and theologian Nicolas Wolterstorff dubs “the quartet of vulnerable.” Those include widows, orphans, aliens, and the impoverished. It’s no accident that Jesus was born extremely poor to an unmarried Jewish couple. They were outcasts and had to flee to Egypt to escape death.

King Herod wanted to see Jesus, under the pretense of worshiping him but presumably to kill him. The wise men tricked Herod and an angel warned Joseph to take the child and flee to Egypt. Matthew records: “And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I called my son'” (Matthew 2:14-15 ESV).

This evoked the whole Egypt experience. Israel was living under oppression with a Pharaoh who wouldn’t let the Israelites go. The last plague required a sacrifice, a slain lambs’ blood to be painted over the door frame. Then God miraculously led the Israelites out of the foreign land of oppression into the Promised Land. God doesn’t just parallel these stories, Christ reenacts the whole Egypt experience.

People waited for the Messiah with anticipation. They longed to be healed. They longed to be freed. The vulnerable quartet of widows, orphans, aliens, and impoverished finally had a redeemer and protector-one who not only could save them, but one who also would.

Photo by Greyson Joralemon on Unsplash