THE UNIQUENESS OF THE MESSIAH
(Genesis 3:15)
IN THE MIND OF A JEW, THE PROMISED MESSIAH was going to rule the nation Israel as a mighty king who will come from the lineage of king David. He will be the Jewish hero who will restore the kingdom to Israel and destroy evil and will make everything right for the Jews. So they pictured the Messiah as a mighty warrior or soldier; a mighty king who will rule them and bring peace and prosperity. That is why before Jesus ascended to heaven the apostles asked:
“Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6)
The Jews thought that King David’s descendants would enjoy a never-ending political reign on earth. (2Sam 7:16; 22:48-51; Jer 33). This is the idea that every Jew had been holding on to regarding the Messiah. But when Babylon invaded Israel in 586 B.C. the Davidic kingdom was interrupted. When they return to Jerusalem, they rebuilt the walls and the temple and the monarchy stopped. There was no more king to rule over them.
The Jews agree that the Messiah:
- will come from the line of King David
- he will be a teacher
- he will be a miracle-worker
- as a priest and king (Ps 110:1-4)
but the question is will the Jews recognize the Messiah when He comes? No! He came and they rejected Him.
The Jews cannot accept the fact that the Messiah was one who was from eternity past, who was God in the flesh. That is why they could not accept Jesus being the Messiah. Sad to say, they still await for the Messiah although He came already 2000 years ago.
When John the Baptist was proclaiming the good news (Luke 3:18), the people became curious that they came to ask him about his identity.
“The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ.” (Luke 3:15)
With John’s usual fact-of-the-matter response, “of course not. I’m not even worthy to untie the thongs of his sandal.” (Luke 3:16)
The identity and the way how Jesus came at the scene was nowhere near the picture the Jews had in mind regarding the awaited Messiah. This uniqueness draws a picture of humility and purity totally distinct from the world’s standard. This uniqueness is what made Jesus stands out among those who proclaim themselves as savior of the world. This uniqueness identifies Him as One who is incomparable, as Napoleon Bonaparte says, “a mystery which is there before my eyes, a mystery which I can neither deny nor explain.”
Let us look into a number of uniqueness of the Messiah:
1. THE MESSIAH BORN IN A MANGER
Because the inn posted a sign, “No vacancy” that Joseph and Mary found themselves an available place, a stable where she gave birth to Jesus. She laid Him in a manger, a feeding trough (trof) for domesticated animals. The most common Old Testament equivalent is the Hebrew term translated “crib” or “stall” (Job 39:9, Prov 14:4, and Isa 1:3).
Long, long time ago, God promised David that it will be under his house that a kingdom or throne would be established forever, and that one of his descendants will sit upon his throne.
“Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your
throne will be established forever.” (2 Samuel 7:16)
Jesus, being born in line of King David therefore makes Him a prince. When a prince is born, there is usually a big national celebration but God did not do it the “world’s way” of how royalty is celebrated. His way of royalty was in a manger in a cave stable, wrapped in strips of cloth (Lk 2:7, NLT). Though Jesus was a royalty, He did not prefer to be served but to serve (Mat 20:28; Mark 10:45). He was a servant Messiah which the Jews cannot swallow. Remember, Jesus’ first guests were servants, the shepherds.
This baby had a message on the day He was born. The angel of the Lord said to the shepherds, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ (Messiah) the Lord.” (2:11) The message announced by an angel of God to few chosen lowly people.
The Gospel of John records Jesus as the Son of God and the Jews cannot accept the fact that Jesus is God in the flesh. To the Jews, this was farfetched. They believe God is in heaven and but no way that He could have come down, more so, God incarnate. The apostle John said, “He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him.” (John 1:11) The Jews missed the Messiah.
Had Jesus came in our generation, would the Jews recognize Him as the Messiah? No way. They would still missed Him. Because they keep picturing the Messiah as a soldier not a servant; a mighty king not a crucified king; a lion and not as a lamb to be slaughtered.
2. THE MESSIAH’S BIRTHDAY THAT’S NEVER FORGOTTEN
Two thousand years had gone by and we still celebrate the birthday of Jesus the Messiah. The amazing thing about it is that we don’t even know the exact date of Jesus’ birthday and yet we celebrate it as if we know His exact birthdate.
The reason why Christmas came to be celebrated on December 25 remains uncertain. Some celebrates it on January 6. Although no one knows the exact date of Jesus’ birthday, nonetheless we must set a day in a year commemorating the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
Advent is the period beginning on the Sunday before Christmas and ending on Christmas Eve. Advent means coming, and it is a time of preparation for Christmas–the celebration of Christ’s first coming. Advent also looks ahead to the Second Coming of the Messiah when He will fulfill His promise of eternal life.
3. THE MESSIAH NOT A SOCIAL REFORMER BUT A SAVIOR
Characteristic of Hinduism is the belief in the power of the Brahmans, a priestly class possessing spiritual supremacy by birth. Brahmans are considered to represent the ideal of ritual purity. They are considered to have religious powers and that they are bearers and teachers of the Veda which is regarded as the basis of Hindu doctrine and practice. Veda is composed of sacred hymns or verses composed in Archaic Sanskrit, hymns composed to deities that personified various natural phenomena like: fire (Agni), sun, dawn, storms, war, rain, honor (mitra), divine authority and creation. The Veda are often recited or chanted during rituals
A Brahman once said to a Christian missionary in India, “There are many things which Christ-ianity and Hinduism have in common. But one thing Christianity has that is not found in Hindu-ism.” “What is that?” asked the missionary. The Brahman answered, “We do not have a Savior.”
The Brahman was right. Christianity is different than all the religions in the world. Christ did not come as a a social and economic reformer but as a Savior of souls. He did not come as a political figure where He could have easily convinced people had he came as a president. God came to earth not to change the adverse conditions of our daily living but He came to change our sinful hearts that we may be worthy to enter the Kingdom of heaven.
“. . . the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Christ the Lord. ”(Luke 2:10,11)
4. THE PROPHESIED MESSIAH
Since the Jews do not believe in the New Testament as God’s word, that is mainly the reason why until now they cannot accept Jesus as the Messiah.
A Jew named, Michael Rydelnik was a young boy when his mom revealed to them that she believed Jesus was the Messiah. Michael’s father threatened to divorce her if she’d continue this madness. Michael’s mother stood firm in her faith in Jesus and the husband finally divorced her leaving Michael miserable. He was angry at his mother. But Linda Kosher, the one who shared the Gospel to Michael’s mom shared to him as well. It took a while with a lot of rejection on his part insisting that there was no way Jesus could be the Messiah. Linda pointed out a lot of Old Testament scriptures, mostly prophecy regarding the long-awaited Messiah which was fulfilled in the New Testament. Michael later on became a Christian. He is now a professor of Jewish Studies.
Each prophecy in the Bible casts more light on the subject of Messiah. Since the Jews use the first five books of the Old Testament only, how can they believe Jesus to be the Messiah. One example is :
From now on, you and the woman will be enemies, and your offspring
and her offspring will be enemies. He will crush your head, and you
will strike his heel." (Gen 3:15; NLT)
1. Messiah is to be born of a woman. (Gen 3:15)
2. Messiah will come through the line of Abraham (Gen 22:18)
“and through your offspring (seed) all nations on earth will be blessed,
because you have obeyed me.”
3. Messiah will suffer (Isa 53)
4. Messiah will be the future deliverer (Isa 52:13-53:12)
5. Messiah will be the anointed one (Isa 61:1)
6. Messiah was to die for man’s sin (Isa 53:4-6)
7. Messiah to be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2)
8. Messian to be born of a virgin (Isa 7:14)
9. Messiah will perform miracles (Isa 35:5-6)
10. Messiah will die of vicarious death (Isa 53:1-12), a substitute for sinners
11. Messiah will bring peace (Isa 9:6,7)
12. Messiah will unite God’s people (Isa 19:23-25)
Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem occurred 173,880 days (483 X the Hebrew 360 day year) after Artaxerxes issued a decree to rebuild Jerusalem as recorded in Nehemiah 2:1-20 which was around in 445 B.C. .
“Now listen and understand! Seven sets of seven plus sixty-two sets of seven will pass from the time the command is given to rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One comes. Jerusalem will be rebuilt with streets and strong defenses, despite the perilous times.” (Daniel 9:25, NLT)
Note, the Hebrew word for "week" is "shavua" and literally means "seven." Therefore, in Hebrew, the idea of 70 weeks is "seventy sevens." The meaning of the word "weeks" was used in reference to both days and years. Daniel 9:25 was fulfilled in:
“The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A huge crowd of Passover visitors took palm branches and went down the road to meet him. They shouted, “Praise God! Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hail to the King of Israel! “ (John 12:12,13; NLT)
This was the first time that Jesus allowed anyone to proclaim him as "King." Every generation that believed in the prophecy of the coming Messian looked forward to it. In fact the Bible says, “there was a man named Simeon who lived in Jerusalem . . . he eagerly expected the Messiah to come and rescue Israel.” Finally he identified the Lord Jesus Christ and said, (Lk 2:29-32, NLT)
“Lord, now I can die in peace!
As You promised me,
I have seen the Savior You have
given to all people.
He is a light to reveal God to the nations,
and He is the glory of Your people Israel!”
As Simeon was speaking these words, an 84-year old widow named Anna arrived on the scene. She began praising God as she perceived that the baby Jesus was the promised King to come and deliver Jerusalem. Like Simeon, she, in her old age, was privileged to see the Messiah (Lk 2:36-38)
Were they the only ones who waited expectantly for the Messiah? No. In fact Anna spoke about the child Jesus “to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.”(Luke 2:38) .
When did the prophecy of the Messiah begin? Way back in the Garden of Eden, God promised to deliver man from sin.
This verse which they say is the “PROTEVANGELISM,” which means “The First Gospel.” The word ‘proto” or “prot” means “earliest or first in time.” This prophecy talked about the perpetual hostility between Satan and the woman. Satan’s seed, not only his cohorts, the demons, but wicked men as well. The seed of the woman–the Messiah. This brings us to our last point.
5. THE SUFFERING MESSIAH
In Matthew 16, Peter said to Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” (v.16) and was commended for it: “Simon son of Jonah . . . this was not revealed to you by man but by my Father in Heaven. And I tell you that your are Peter . . .” A few minutes later when Jesus was saying that He will die in the hands of the Jewish officials, Peter grabbed Jesus aside and strongly rebuked Him,
“Never, Lord . . . This shall never happen to you.”
The Bible says that a student is not above his teacher nor a servant above his master (Mat 10:24) but here, Peter is now above his master. He is rebuking the Lord. So Jesus, in the strongest language, rebuked Peter, “your mind is preoccupied with the things that are not of God but the very thing that Satan wants to prevent from happening” so Jesus calls Peter, Satan.
“Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”
Peter meant well but was it the will of God? No!
God’s will was obscured by what Peter thought can do to prevent Christ from suffering and dying on the cross.
The reason why Peter didn’t want Jesus to go to the cross because he didn’t understand the idea of a suffering Messiah. The Jews had no problem accepting the Messiah as a priest and a king but a suffering Messiah that is unacceptable. It just doesn’t fit. It’s not right. The Messiah was supposed to be a soldier, a warrior, a mighty king in shining armor and not a suffering servant.
Little did they know that the work of salvation can only be accomplished through the death of One, that is the Messiah (Isa 53:12). To the Jews, crucifixion is humiliation. But in the eyes of God, crucifixion is exaltation of Christ. It was through the terrible suffering of the Messiah which was the necessary step toward eternal glory. Only through death will there be resurrection.
“Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.” (Rom 5:18,19)
The act of trespass by Adam caused all men to be condemned to hell. But the one act of righteousness of Jesus the Messiah can bring men to heaven. The disobedience of Adam made all men sinners but the obedience of the Messiah on the cross is efficient to all but effective only to those who would faithfully receive Jesus by as Lord and Savior.
Peter Waldo was a rich merchant in Lyon, France (1160) making his money by "wicked usury." One night at a party, a friend of his fainted and died. He went home and looked through his library of history, science and philosophy books trying to find something about death. Nothing. Finally he turned to the Bible. There he found information that couldn’t be found elsewhere—basic truths that were given by the Messiah Himself who had experienced death and conquered it. He told what would happen to the righteous and unrighteous after death. The Messiah rose from the dead of His own volition and by His own power. This revelation about what happens after death made Peter Waldo to believe. After that he became a noted Christian reformer. He gave his real estate to his wife, and the remainder of his belongings he distributed as alms to the poor and then founded the Waldensian Church of Europe.
Was Jesus the Messiah. Yes He is. In the fullness of time, the disciples would realize Jesus was not only the Messiah but also the One which the entire Old Testament talks about. Every-thing that the Bible talks about from beginning to end regarding God’s salvation plan points to none other than JESUS.
