The coming of the Messiah

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound” (Isaiah 61:1).

About seven centuries before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah declared the coming of the Messiah, the Anointed One. A few hundred years later, we read in Psalm 118:26: “Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.” Finally, Jesus the Son of David, the promised Messiah was welcomed to Jerusalem with the words, “Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord” (Mark 11:9b). 

These Scriptures testify that there was an expectation for the coming Redeemer, the One who would set all things right for the people of Israel. Later, when John the Baptist was born, his father Zacharias prophesied of the coming of the Messiah: “And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David” (Luke 1:69). He then adds, “That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear” (v. 74). 

One thing is clear: time does not seem to matter. When Zacharias spoke some 2,000 years ago, he did not include the horrible times of suffering for the Jewish people throughout the millennia. Even today, they are still not “delivered out of the hand of [their] enemies.” Very unfortunately, Israel continues to have many adversaries. And, in making a casual observation, these enemies seem to increase … at least in some parts of the world. 

But we ask: What is the purpose of the deliverance from the enemies? Simply to “serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life” (Luke 1:74b-75).

It is so refreshing when one experiences the peace which passes all understanding, meaning we have the absolute assurance that the Word of God will be fulfilled to its finest detail in due time.

Going back to Isaiah 61, we read in verse 2: “To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn.” Quite interestingly, some 700 years later, the Messiah of Israel makes this proclamation in a synagogue in Nazareth: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised” (Luke 4:18). He then adds: “To preach the acceptable year of the Lord” (v. 19). Next, we read: “And he closed the book” (v. 20a). After this, He makes the amazing declaration: “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears” (v. 21b). Jesus did not quote the continuation of the proclamation in Isaiah 61:2: “and the day of vengeance of our God.” Why not? Because that’s yet to come.

We learn from these biblical facts that our eyes and ears should not be focused on what we see, hear, and read in our news media, regardless of the source. They are all temporary; their knowledge is extremely limited, and quite often wrong. Actually, most of the so-called documentaries are no more than simply products of the imagination, issuing from the hearts of those who have no contact with the Eternal One, the Creator of heaven and earth. Whether it’s climate change or the next world war, all statements are merely groundless speculation.

When it comes to Israel, He will yet “comfort all that mourn.” With these assurances in mind, let us continue to pray for Israel as well as for the Church: that the fullness of the Gentiles may soon come in, so Romans 11:26 will be fulfilled: “And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.”

Midnight Call - 06/2023