Saturday, February 1, 2014

Messiah, 137



~ Messiah Would Be a Descendant of David, 7 ~

“Search the Scriptures—they testify of Me.”
— Jesus Christ (John 5:39)

The Scripture
There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots” (Isaiah 11:1). 

The Messiah  
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham…  and Jesse begot David the king…  And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ” (Matthew 1:1,6,16).

Now his [John the Baptist] father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David” (Luke 1:67-69).

While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, ‘What do you think about the Christ?  Whose Son is He?’  They said to Him, ‘The Son of David.’  He said to them, ‘How then does David in the Spirit call Him “Lord,” saying: The Lord said to my Lord,Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool’?”  If David then calls Him “Lord,” how is He his Son?’  And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore” (Matthew 22:41-46). 
Then Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, ‘How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David?  For David himself said by the Holy Spirit:The Lord said to my Lord,Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool’.”  Therefore David himself calls Him “Lord;” how is He then his Son?’  And the common people heard Him gladly” (Mark 12:35-37). 
“And He said to them, ‘How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David?  Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms: “The Lord said to my Lord,Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool’.”  Therefore David calls Him “Lord;” how is He then his Son’?” (Luke 20:41-44). 

~~~ 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.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW



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Thursday, January 30, 2014

10 Houses



~  The “House of the Lord” in the Psalms  ~

House of Contemplation  ~  One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple” (Psalm 27:4).

House of Satisfaction  ~  “How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, and You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light” (Psalm36:7-9). 

House of Fellowship  ~  We took sweet counsel together, and walked to the house of God in the throng” (Psalm 55:14).

House of Offerings  ~  I will go into Your house with burnt offerings; I will pay You my vows, which my lips have uttered and my mouth has spoken when I was in trouble. I will offer You burnt sacrifices of fat animals, with the sweet aroma of rams; I will offer bulls with goats” (Psalm 66:13-15).

House of Growth  ~  The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing, to declare that the Lord is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him” (Psalm 92:12-15).

House of Holiness  ~  “Your testimonies are very sure; holiness adorns Your house, O Lord, forever” (Psalm 93:5).

House of Testimony  ~  I will pay my vows to the Lord now in the presence of all His people, in the courts of the Lord’s house, in the midst of you, O Jerusalem. Praise the Lord!” (Psalm 116:18-19).

House of Blessing  ~  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! We have blessed you from the house of the Lord” (Psalm 118:26).

House of Constraint  ~  “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord.’ Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem! Jerusalem is built as a city that is compact together, where the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, to the Testimony of Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord. For thrones are set there for judgment, the thrones of the house of David. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, prosperity within your palaces.’ For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, ‘Peace be within you.’ Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek your good” (Psalm 122).  

House of Praise  ~  Praise the Lord! Praise the name of the Lord; praise Him, O you servants of the Lord! You who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God, praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing praises to His name, for it is pleasant” (Psalm 135:1-3).  

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

For—With—In



~ God Interacts With His Own People ~

God Is For His People (saving)  ~  “What then shall we say to these things?  If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?  Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.  Who is he who condemns?  It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us” (Romans 8:33-34).  God is for us and He is our Justifier.   

God Is With His People (keeping)  ~  “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have.  For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’  So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear.  What can man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:5-6).  “But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.  And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you” (2 Thessalonians 3:3-4).  “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  As it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’  Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:35-39).  God is with us and He is our defender.

God Is In His People (dwelling)  ~  “And what agreement has the temple of God with idols?  For you are the temple of the living God.  As God has said: ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them.  I will be their God, and they shall be My people’” (2 Corinthians 6:16).  Jesus praying to the Father said, “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.  And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.  Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.  O righteous Father!  The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me.  And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them” (John 17:20-26).   God is in us and He guides us.   

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW