2002-01-01
Good Morning Dear Ones,
Jehovah Shammah, the Lord is there, commands me to write more about His Son. Now, I’m fully aware that we are going over certain citations which all of you have read before, and some of you may even know more about them than I do. However, my experience is that God repeats certain messages throughout the Scriptures, knowing full well that we learn something new every time we reread them. Today’s citations about Jesus Christ serve to focus our attention on Him, a most appropriate subject at this time of year.
IS 9: 6, “Unto us a child is born, a Son is given. And the government shall be upon His shoulders. He shall be called, ‘Wonderful,’ ‘Counselor,’ ‘Almighty God,’ ‘Everlasting Father,’ ‘Prince of Peace.’” I don’t think this citation should only be read at Christmas. That is because of its important to us all year round in helping us to know more about the nature of Jesus Christ. “Wonderful” is a word we can set aside for someone Who is God’s only begotten Son, someone Who gave His life for us so that we could be saved. “Counselor” is a word for someone Who gives us His marvelous advice, guidance that leads us on a path to eternal life and righteousness. “Almighty God” tells us that He has God’s supernatural power, because He is one of God’s three persons and therefore, is one with God. [His name, “Immanuel,” which means “God is with us” -MT 1: 23-tips us off that this is the case]. “Everlasting Father” not only supports the notion that He is one with God, but it also tells us that He exists forever and suggests that He will establish His Kingdom eternally. “Prince of Peace” when put together with all these other names for Christ is a reminder to us that He will be victorious over the adversary who brings evil, misery, war, and suffering-that He will bring eternal peace. To the new reader of the Bible, I will say that reading this citation alone for the first time might not reveal all this information. However, when one puts it together with the cross-references, in fact, the rest of what is said in the Scriptures, it is unmistakably there. Jehovah Shammah wants us to know every bit of this, because He loves us enough to want us to have the hope it brings.
Let’s look now at some citations that give us insight into the kind of child Jesus Christ was. LK 2: 21-26, “A week later, when the time came for the baby to be circumcised, He was named Jesus, the name which the angel had given Him before He was conceived. The time came for Joseph and Mary to perform the ceremony of purification, as the Law of Moses commanded. So they took the child to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord: ‘Every first-born male is to be dedicated to the Lord.’ They also went to offer a sacrifice of a pair of doves or two young pigeons, as required by the law of the Lord. At that time there was a man named Simeon living in Jerusalem. He was a good man, God-fearing man and was waiting for Israel to be saved. The Holy Spirit was with him and had assured him that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s promised Messiah.” That last verse is really at the heart of the issue. This child is the Messiah that OT prophets had written about and said was coming! Every time I see a child baptized in our congregation, I am reminded of how the proud parents of the baby Jesus brought Him to the Lord. It gives me great pleasure to say, “I will,” when the congregation is asked if we will support the baby’s parents in bringing him into the faith. That’s a privilege which God extends to us, one not to be taken for granted. God is there with us at that time, probably taking even more joy than we do.
We can begin to appreciate the holiness of this child with the revelation from Simeon’s words in LK 2: 27-32. “Led by the Spirit, Simeon went into the Temple to do for Him what the Law required. Simon took the child in his arms and gave thanks to God: ‘Now, Lord, you have kept Your promise, and You may let your servant go in peace. With my own eyes I have seen Your Salvation, which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples: A Light to reveal Your will to the Gentiles and bring glory to Your people Israel.’” When one remembers that the Holy Spirit was present both in Simeon and in informing Mary about the conception of this child [LK 1: 26-31], we can hardly miss the presence of Jehovah Shammah at this auspicious occasion. MT 1: 21 sheds more light on the significance of this child. “She will have a son, and you will name Him Jesus-because He will save His people from their sins.” That’s Salvation! All Jews were commanded by God in IS 49: 6 to be a “light to the nations.” And, Christ is that very Light! Thanks be to Jehovah Shammah’s inspiration to Paul, that Light is available to both Jews and Gentiles, for that is His will. RO 1: 16, “I have complete confidence in the Gospel; it is God’s power to save all who believe, first the Jews and also the Gentiles.”
PRAYER: O Lord, You have told us that Christ is the “first among many brothers” to be resurrected RO 8: 29. That holds great significance for us, because it tells us that with faith, we will be lifted into eternal life with You as He was. Everything You say to us is consistent. Simeon’s revelation of the Christ child as being Salvation and Light for both Jews and Gentiles is a huge blessing. It tells us that we can be free of the ropes and manacles that slavery to sin puts around us. It tells us that the Messiah prophesied in the OT had, indeed, come to free God’s people. Your presence, dearest Jehovah Shammah, is a potent force for good in our lives, if we will only have the faith to recognize that. You have been with us from the very beginning, and with endurance in our faith, we will dwell with You in eternity. Every day of our lives, You surround us with Your love, Your guidance, Your life-giving hope, and Your very presence. We are truly a blessed people. At this time of the year, it is important for us to meditate on the sacrifice that You made on our behalf of this precious part of Yourself which is Your Son. Today, we approach You in humility wanting to reread these citations that allow us to know You better. With utter reverence, we offer You our adoration, worship, loyalty, trust, obedience, glory, honor, praise, and thanks. In Christ’s holy name, amen.
Tomorrow, we will see how Christ revealed His righteousness even as a 12 year old child and later as an adult dealing with spiritual warfare from people around Him. This intimate view that we are given in the Scriptures of His dignity in the face of people who didn’t realize they were in the presence of the Lord gives us a wonderful ideal to reach toward in our own interactions with non-believers. It is just one more manifestation of Jehovah Shammah’s love for us and presence in our lives. Peter and I send you our love too.
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn