As a pastor I have been reminded, more that once, that I should never assume that people who read about Jesus or go come to a Bible study or listen to a sermon know the history, the back ground of Jesus’ arrival among the Hebrew people.
So, before I begin this morning I have a confession. I have never been to keen on the details of Biblical History. It never seemed to be the most important thing for me to know. In order for me to even try to grasp the way they place event according to years, from the earliest minute until today, confused my mind. I am more comfortable with the big picture — the entire story.
With that being said, the one thing I am sure of is, the Old Testament is full of many big and little conflicts. Conflicts between peoples and tribes. Conflicts between God and the people. It is not a history of years to me. It is a history of the human mind and heart resisting whatever God asked of them.
Reading the Old Testament is like reading about the phycology of the human ego needing to resist anything good. It is about a family system that went wrong . It is like reading case studies examples of teen-agers rebelling against their parents wishes and ideas. And, in my imagination, God got weary of the fight!
So, God promised, the people who where faithful, that he would raise up among the righteous (those who wanted to follow God's ways) a Messiah. One who would deliver the Jewish nation into a new freedom. A Savior to move them to a better place of being. One who would lead with the wisdom of God and bring peace to the world.
The birth of Jesus was the fulfillment of that ancient promise.
One of the Old Testament texts that are used to refer to this promise of a Messiah comes in Isaiah 9:
2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness— on them light has shined.…4 For the yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. 5 For all the boots of the tramping warriors and all the garments rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire. 6 For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.(Is. 9:2-7)
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