Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Knowing what you believe and why you believe it. Part one.

The words that the angel Gabriel spoke to Mary in the city of Nazareth over 2000 years ago(Luke 1:26-35) were not spoken in a vacuum. Rather they were spoken in the context that God had built for thousands of years, dating all the way back to Genesis 3:15. It was here that God made the prophetic promise to defeat Satan, the serpent, and so restore fallen man back to Himself. From that one promise, the entire Old Testament becomes the unfolding story that set the scene for that Word to be fulfilled. Let me show you how.

First God chose a man named Abraham. He would be the father of the faith, the progenitor and patriarch of the Jewish nation. So in that regard he is unique. From Abraham came Isaac whose name meant laughter because he was born to a man who was nearly a hundred  years old and to a woman who was barren and had gone through the change of life. Next in line was Jacob whose name God changed to Israel. And to Israel were born twelve sons. These twelve sons became the nation of Israel. It was from this chosen nation that God chose the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10) and from the tribe of Judah He chose the family of David(II Samuel 7:12-28;Psalm 89:3;132:11) and from the family of David He chose a little girl named Mary from the northern town of Nazareth Israel through whom the Promised Seed of Genesis 3:15 would be born. It should be said here that as  Abraham was unique as the father of the chosen nation, so King David held a unique place as the quintessential ruler of the chosen nation. Let me show you why that this is important and how it relates to the announcement that Gabriel made to Mary, and to your faith.

When you read the genealogy of Jesus Christ in both Matthew and Luke, you find that Jesus' ancestry and lineage are traced back to both Abraham and to David. This was absolutely necessary if Jesus were to be the true Messiah. He had to be a descendant of the father of the chosen nation as well as a descendant of the family of David. The Messiah had to be the one through whom all the nations of the earth would be blessed(Genesis 12:3) and also be the one who would fulfill God's promise to David that He would continue his house forever(11Samuel 7:12-28; Psalm 89:3;132:11). In Matthew's genealogy chapter 1:1-2, you will find this to be the fact. And this fact is also repeated in Luke's genealogy of Jesus in chapter 3:31,34. So it is clear from scripture that Jesus Christ is the true Messiah promised in the Word of God. He is both a descendant of Abraham and David. Consequently He is the only one uniquely qualified to fulfill Genesis 3:15! I will say more about this in my next blog.

One note before I close for today. The genealogies in both Matthew and Luke follow the family line of Joseph. Why? because Jewish genealogies always followed the family line of the man. Keep in mind two things. First, Mary was also from the same family line as Joseph. So this is actually her genealogy as well as Joseph's. Secondly Joseph, although just the step father of Jesus, was also chosen by God.

I will give you more prophecies in my next blog that will prove that Jesus Christ is the on true Messiah, but today I would like to end with these thoughts. First and most important, Jesus Christ is more than just a man. He is the God-man. He is the Son of the one true and living God. That makes Him unique. No one else is like Him. Secondly, your faith is built upon the eternal truth of God's Word. It is a Word that was planned and carried out over thousands of years and fulfilled in the one true Messiah, Jesus Christ. Therefore, know that your faith is not some kind of blind faith. Rather it is the one true faith. It is this faith that has the power to save you not just for a lifetime but for all eternity. O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord! Shalom

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