Messiah, 27

~ Messiah Would Be a Descendant of Jacob ~ 

“Search the Scriptures—they testify of Me.”

— Jesus Christ (John 5:39)

The Scripture

“I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth. Edom will be conquered; Seir, His enemy, will be conquered, but Israel will grow strong. A ruler will come out of Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city” (Numbers 24:17-19).

The Messiah  

“A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David… Isaac the father of Jacob,

Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers” (Matthew 1:1a,2b).

   

“Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, being the son of Joseph… the son of Jacob” (Luke 3:23a, 34a).

~~~ EXPLANATORY “MESSIAH” NOTES ~~~   

(1)  Each Saturday ALN posts an example of a Hebrew Scriptures prophecy (or foreshadowing) related to the coming Messiah which was fulfilled in the birth, life, death, or resurrection of Jesus Christ.

(2)  While extensive it will not be a complete list—there are hundreds of prophecies of the coming Messiah which have been fulfilled by one man—Jesus Christ at His First Coming.

(3)  It is important that there are many more prophecies of the Messiah, yet unfulfilled, which Christians believe will be fulfilled at the time of His Second Coming.  A particularly relevant Scripture verse in this regard is: “Do not despise prophesies” (1 Thessalonians 5:20).

(4)  These posts will typically consist only of Scripture—which speaks for itself.  Sometimes italicized or bold font will be used by ALN for emphasis.

(5)  The numbering of these fulfilled prophecies of the Messiah is used to differentiate individual posts. It is not chronological (either by time of the prophecy or by sequence in the life of the Messiah).  The posting sequence will, for the most part, be in the order that the prophecies appear in Scripture.

(6)  Because of the chosen methodology (#5 above) we will find many specific prophecies repeated multiple times throughout the Scriptures.

(7)  These serial posts are in addition to our regular Tuesday ALN postings on random topics.

(8)  Subscription to ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog is simple—just use the link on the left sidebar.  Once subscribed you will not miss future posts.

EXTRA: Jim Elliot Before Ecuador

~ Reminiscence About Jim Elliot ~  

Recently I was asked to grant an interview regarding my experience as a child when I knew Jim Elliot. It was a privilege to respond affirmatively. That interview was completed and has now been posted on the “No Greater Joy Dad” blog hosted by Anthony Salem. To go straight to that posted interview click here.

Incidentally, Anthony’s wife Adéye hosts the “No Greater Joy Mom” blog. Anthony and Adéye are the parents of seven children (three boys and four girls).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

A Disciple of Jesus

~ An Appropriate Covenant at Resolution Time ~

The following covenant in the form of an essay is from an unknown source. While the original source is not positively known, some believe it originated in Zimbabwe. It is a succinct summation of what a disciple of our Lord should be. It seems worthy of reflection as we approach another year. 

“I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit power. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of His. I will not look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still.

“My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure. I am finished and done with low living, sight-walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals. 

“I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotion, or popularity. I do not have to be right, first, tops, recognized, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, am uplifted by prayer, and labor by His power. 

“My face is set, my gate is fast, my goal is Heaven. My road is narrow, my way is rough, my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed. I will not give up, shut  up, or let up. I will go on until He comes, and work until He stops me. 

“I am a disciple of Jesus.”     

BLOGGER BOB’S COMMENT:  If you were on trial for being a disciple of Jesus, would there be enough evidence to convict you?

Quote: The Magi

~ Lessons for Today ~ 

What do Wise Men do today?   

The following is an excerpt from a book.

In the three gifts of the wise men, myrrh speaks of suffering, the spice of death, and reminds us of the past and His first coming; frankincense speaks of worship and intercession, and represents the present Church age and the forming of the pearl of great price; and gold speaks of His future royalty and rule ushered in by His Second Coming.

The magi sought out Jesus and brought to Him appropriate gifts. “Wise men still seek Him” has become a seasonal saying. I heartily agree with that sentiment, but I would add, “Wise men still bring Him gifts.” Do you have wisdom? Then what gift would you bring to Jesus?

In our society the pearl is one of the birthstones for the month of June and is suggested as the appropriate gift for the thirtieth wedding anniversary. More significantly, pearls have long been given as a gift from the groom to the bride-to-be. Jesus Christ is the Bridegroom and the Church is His bride (2 Corinthians 11:2 and others). The Bridegroom has given His all to His fiancée. It is a natural response of the fiancée to respond with gifts that are an outflow of her love. “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19 NKJV).

~ from “ONE PRECIOUS PEARL: God’s Design for His Church, pg 117  (ISBN: 9780741462329)

Learn more about this important book at Amazon, the Publisher, or the Author’s website.