We begin with a couple, Zacharias and Elizabeth. They were childless, as Elizabeth was barren and they were both advanced in years. Zacharias was a priest of the division of Abijah, and it was his turn to enter the temple and offer incense before the Lord.
While interceding, an angel of the Lord appeared to him and told him that his wife would bear a son and he was to name him John. It would be this child who would grow up to go before the Lord in the Spirit and power of Elijah in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, to prepare the people for the coming of the Lord (Luke 1:1-27, see Isaiah 40:3-5, Malachi 3:1-4, 4:5-6).
A casual reading of this passage might lead one to think that Zacharias was praying for a son, and that the angel came to him with the answer. I disagree with that however. The role of a priest was to be an intermediary between the people and God. When Zacharias was burning incense before the Lord he was interceding on behalf of the nation, with the people standing outside the temple in prayer as well. The turning of the nation back to God, and its final restoration was in view. The angel's answer supports this.
After this, the angel Gabriel appeared to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, whose name was Mary (Luke 1:26-38). He told her that she would concieve a child by the power of the Holy Spirit. She was to name this child Jesus. He, she was told,
"Will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end."
Luke 1:32-33 NASB
One can only imagine how staggering this news would be. Mary had just been told that she was to bear the long awaited Messiah, the fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant. He would be the one who would ultimately defeat the serpent, and reverse the curse.
In what is often referred to as the "Magnificat" Mary rejoices over the blessedness of being chosen by God to be part of this monumental event, a fulfillment of prophecy uniting and bringing reconciliation to the Abrahamic, the Mosaic, and Davidic covenants, and ultimately the redemption of the nation (Luke 1:46-55). She states,
"He has given help to Israel His servant, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever."
Luke 1:54-55 NASB
Following the birth of John the Baptist, on the day he was to be circumcised, his father Zacharias prophecied under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit,
"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of David His servant-as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old-salvation FROM OUR ENEMIES, and FROM THE HAND OF ALL WHO HATE US; To show mercy to our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant, the oath which He swore to Abraham our father, to grant that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness all our days."
Luke 1:68-75 NASB
These quotes show us that God had not forgotten nor replaced Israel. He had made a covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, a covenant that He would fulfill.
Zacharias goes on to prophesy that his son, John, would go on to be the one to prepare the way for the Lord. He would give the people "knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins." (Luke 1:76-79)
There was a messianic fervor in those days. People were longing for the one to come who would deliver them from Roman occupation. The nation had suffered under the control of Assyria, then Babylon. They were allowed to return after Babylon was conquered by the Medo-Persian empire, however many had chosen to remain. Those who returned to rebuild struggled. When Antiochus Epiphanes, a ruler who arose out of the fractured Greek empire, invaded Israel, he dominated them with extreme cruelty. In what is known as the Maccabean revolt they defeated him, breaking free from his oppression. This was recent history, a little over a century previous. It must have been fresh in their minds, as they now fell under the rule of Rome.
Zealots rose up, looking to overthrow the Roman government. When Jesus grew up and began His ministry many were hopeful that He would be the one to defeat the Roman government. The religious leaders of the day were afraid of this, as they feared Rome would crush them if they sensed a revolt was in the works. This, in a large measure set up the events that led to the arrest and crucifixion of Christ.
But not everyone had this "take them by force" mentality. There were those who understood that sin was the issue. They knew that until sin was dealt with, until it was put away nationally, and the people as a whole returned to the Lord their God, they would still be subject to the discipline of God. They understood the covenants. Repentance was needed before deliverance could come.
Two such individuals are mentioned on the day Jesus was brought to the temple in Jerusalem to be presented to the Lord (Luke 2:21-24).
There was a man named Simeon who was righteous and devout. Scripture tells us that he was looking for the "consolation of Israel". This is a term referring to the day when Israel's trouble is over. In Isaiah 40:1-5 we read this,
"Comfort, O comfort My people," says your God. "Speak kindly to Jerusalem; and call out to her, that her warfare has ended, that her iniquity has been removed, that she has received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins."
A voice is calling, "Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make smooth in the desert a highway for our God. Let every valley be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; and let the rough ground become a plain, and the rugged terrain a broad valley; then the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
This prophecy was given over a century before the Babylonian captivity. It looks out into the future to the day when Israel has come out of its final trial never to be uprooted and conquered again. That is the day when the glory of the Lord will be revealed as their Messiah dwells among them.
While it looks towards the glorious return of Christ to reign in Jerusalem, it includes His first coming as well. This is a well known passage that also refers to John the Baptist, the one who went before Jesus, to prepare His way.
The imagery of leveled mountains and raised valleys speak of the preparation of a path or road to make ones travel smooth and easy. It is quite interesting to consider that when Christ returns the second time the topography of the land will be literally changed like this due to cataclysmic events prior to His coming.
Simeon came into the temple, with the Holy Spirit upon him. He was told by the Spirit that he would live to see the Messiah (Luke 2:25-27). Holding the infant in his arms he said this,
"Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond servant to depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES, and the glory of your people Israel."
Luke 2:29-32 NASB
The theme is consistent in these passages. With the birth of Jesus the Messiah Israel's redemption is coming. What hope this must have offered to those who heard these things. Simeon goes further to state that Jesus would be a light to the Gentiles as well. This, as well as all of the prophecies that we have just read are not new revelations. They follow the theme of the ancient prophets. The scriptures foretold these things long before.
"Behold My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry out or raise His voice, nor make His voice heard in the street. A bruised reed He will not break and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice, He will not be disheartened or crushed until He has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands will wait expectantly for His law."
Thus says God the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and it's offspring, who gives breath to the people on it and Spirit to those who walk in it, "I am the LORD, I have called you in righteousness, I will also hold you by the hand and watch over you, and I will appoint you as a covenant to the people, as a light to the nations, to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the dungeon and those who dwell in darkness from the prison."
Isaiah 42:1-7 NASB
Listen to Me , O islands, and pay attention, you peoples from afar. The LORD called Me from the womb; from the body of My mother He named Me. He has made My mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of His hand He has concealed Me; and He has also made Me a select arrow, He has hidden Me in His quiver. He said to Me, "You are My servant Israel, in whom I will show My glory." But I said, "I have toiled in vain, I have spent My strength nothing and vanity; yet surely the justice due Me is with the LORD, and My reward with My God "
And now says the LORD who formed Me from the womb to be His servant, to bring Jacob back to Him, so that Israel might be gathered to Him ( for I am honored in the sight of the LORD, and My God is My strength), He says, "It is too small a thing that You should be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and restore the preserved ones if Israel; I will also make You a light of the nations so that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth."
Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel and it's Holy One, to the despised One, to the One abhorred by the nation, to the Servant of rulers, "Kings will see and arise, princes will also bow down, because of the LORD who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel who has chosen You."
Thus says the LORD, "In a favorable time I have answered You, and in a day of salvation I have helped You; and I will keep you and give You for a covenant of the people, to restore the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritages; saying to those who are bound, 'Go forth,' to those who are in darkness, 'Show yourselves,' along the roads they will feed, and their pasture will be on all bare heights. They will neither hunger or thirst, nor will the scorching or sun strike them down; for He who has compassion on them will lead them and will guide them to springs of water. "I will make all My mountains a road, and My highways will be raised up. Behold these will come from afar, and lo, these will come from the North and from the west, and these from the land of Sinim."
Shout for joy, O heavens! And rejoice, O earth! Break forth into joyful shouting, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people and will have compassion on His afflicted.
Isaiah 49:1-13 NASB
These two prophecies fortell events that encompass the life and ministry of Jesus all the way up to the day He comes again to establish His kingdom upon the earth.
We read of his gentleness and care for the lowly and marginalized. We also see that He was rejected by the very people He came to turn back to God. But God did not reject the nation. Jesus came as a "covenant" to the people. In Him all of God's promises are "Yes and Amen" (2 Corinthians 1:20). Paul writes that Jesus became a servant to the circumcision (the Jews) to confirm the covenant promises that were made to the fathers. And not only that, but to bring salvation to the Gentiles as well (Romans 15:8-12). This is exactly what we have just read in the two passages above.
When Jesus was arrested and put to death many must have viewed his life and work as a failure. But this apparent failure was actually the greatest victory the world will ever know. Jesus' death in that cross was the event that led to the defeat of the serpent. Three days later He rose victorious over sin and death, and now waits for the time when He will come again and bring ultimate restoration to Israel, and not only Israel, but the nations (Acts 3:19-21).
The last individual I would like to mention was a prophetess name Anna. She was a widow who lost her husband after seven years of marriage. She was now eighty four years old. She never left the temple, but spent her time in fasting and prayer. Upon seeing the Christ child she gave thanks to God and continued to speak of Him to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem (Luke 2:36-38).
In Isaiah 62:6-7 we read that God has appointed watchmen to pray day and night, giving the LORD no rest, until He establishes and makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth. Anna the prophetess was one of these watchmen. We are told in the Psalms to pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6-7). The Hebrew word translated as peace is "Shalom". This word is rich with meaning that goes far beyond a mere absence of conflict. It embodies the idea of wholeness, to be complete, to be in health, and to prosper. It carries the theme of harmony within the entire creation, right relationship between one another, and right relationship with God. The presence of God within the midst of His people is central to this idea of shalom with the ultimate return of the creation back to the garden of Eden.
As we read of the millennial age, and the final transition into the eternal state we see this come to fruition. Numerous Old Testament passages speak of an age of peace where war ceases to be, and even animals lie down in peace (Isaiah 2:4, 11:6).
The New Testament closes with this final return to the garden. Revelation chapters 21 and 22 describe a new heavens and new earth where God dwells among his people. We read of the new Jerusalem coming down from heaven, the tree of life, the reversal of the curse, and seeing Jesus face to face. There will be no more pain, suffering and death. No sin or unrighteousness will exist in this city. This is what true shalom will look like.
At Christmas time we often sing "O come, O come Emanuel", probably my favorite song this time of year. Listen to the first verse and chorus.
O come, O come, Emanuel, and ransome captive Israel.
Who sits in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice
Rejoice
Emanuel,
shall come to you O Israel.
Yes, when Jesus returns and makes all things new, those of us who are Gentile believers will be blessed beyond measure. However, God has bound Himself to a people He has chosen, making an irrevocable covenant with them. He will not forget them.
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