What
Did the Old Testament Bible Believers See Concerning the Messiah?
Selected Scriptures
DATE:
22 Dec, 2002 AM
PLACE: BBC Blarney
I.
Introduction (Heb 11:13; Jn 10:10)
A. Christmas is supposed to be a wonderful time
B. Jesus said He came to give life more abundant than anything we have ever known. That life didn’t just come and go.
1. All of history lead up to Christ’s birth 2,000 years ago
2. All of the future was changed because of Christ’s birth
C. This is just a summary of 300 Scriptures that foretell the coming of Messiah
D. They were prophesied anywhere from 500 years, to 2000 years before his birth
E. These Scriptures, and views of the Messiah are the reason why Christmas is miraculous, and can be miraculous still!
II.
Message – What Did the Bible Foresee about the Coming of
the Messiah?
A. They Saw God in the flesh – The God of Christmas
1. The Messiah would be eternal (Micah 5:2)
2. The Messiah would be God clearly visible to human eye (Isa 40:9-10)
3. He would be God Himself, not another god (Isa 44:6,8; Hos 13:4)
B. They Saw Shiloh Coming (Gen 49:10) – The Peace of Christmas
1. Joseph, one of the sons of Jacob is dying – and with everyone gathered around him, God lets him see the future, and Joseph begins to describe the coming of the Messiah
2. Shiloh was a place where the Tabernacle rested after being in the wilderness wanderings for 40 years. It stayed there until the temple was finally by Solomon, 400 years later
3. It was known as a place of rest
4. Joseph saw a person, a somebody coming who would bring perfect rest
C. They Saw a Star Rising (Num 24:7) – The Star of Christmas
1. This Star would be a Person that will shine at night (Rev 22:16)
2. And then become like the day – the DAY Star – the Sun
3. Daniel saw a star out in the future who would come at a certain time, some 500 years later
4. That’s why the wise men of Babylon knew that the arrival of a new star signalled the birth of the King of the Jews!
D. They Saw a Sceptre Ruling (Num 24:7; Isa 9:6,7; 11:3-9) – the Ruler, and Power of Christmas
1. A sceptre is a golden rod of authority as king
2. As a man the Messiah would be God’s perfect ruler and authority on earth
3. And, he would have all that power and authority from His birth!
E. They Saw a Redeemer Dying (Job 19:25,26) – someone who would pay-off all sins – The Saviour is Born
1. God had promised this to the human race (Gen 3:15)
2. The Messiah would be born to a woman – virgin birth
3. The Messiah would be a Jew of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Gen 12:1-3,7)
4. He would be not only to the Jews, but to all nations (Isa 52:7-10; 13-15)
5. The Messiah would be able to redeem all of mankind – that’s why He is called the Lamb of God (Gen 22:8)
F. They Saw a Branch Flourishing (Isa 11:1-5; Jer 32:5; 33:15; Zech 3:8; 6:12) – The Fullness of God
1. Two meanings
a. Genealogical term
1) The Messiah has to be the son of King David
2) He has to be of the tribe of Judah
3) That’s why all the emphasis in Matthew and Luke on the genealogy of the Messiah being fulfilled by Jesus!
b. Exhaustive term:
1) The Messiah has to be both ROOT and BRANCH at same time
2) He has to be the beginning and the end
3) He has to be the first and the last (Rev 22:16)
2. Jesus, the Messiah, will turn out to be the source and result of all that is good and of God in history, and in your life, if you will let Him be!
G. They Saw an Ensign (Isa 11:10-16) – Will of God
1. An ensign was a signalling flag – used to rally people together
2. It was a sign from the King of where to look, what to do, and where to go
3. Messiah was God’s ensign to this world, God’s signal to this world of:
a. Where to look – in a manger, in Bethlehem
b. Where to Go – not to some church, but to the Saviour Himself
c. What to do – RUN to the Ensign, run to Jesus, repent and trust Him for eternal life
H. They Saw a Shepherd (Isa 40:9-11) the Shepherd of Christmas, Leading His flock
1. When they saw the Messiah, they saw their God, yes
2. They saw God being their shepherd – what a thought!
3. No wonder shepherds were the first people to know about birth of Jesus
4. That little baby would brow up to be the Good Shepherd, who would give His life (lay it down freely) for the sheep! You and Me!
I. They Saw a Servant (Isa 42:1-7), Ministering to sinful man
1. They saw no rebel – like so many people think Jesus was
2. They saw Someone who obeyed His heavenly father
3. They saw someone who would wash the feet of His own disciples
4. They saw someone who would come not to be ministered unto, but to minister and give His life
5. They saw Someone who would not demand His rights, or raise an army
J. They Saw a Son (Isa 9:6; Pr 30:4) Obeying His Father in Heaven
1. A son would come into the world, who would be: the mighty God, the everlasting Father – this is no normal boy
2. They saw God having a Son being born in Bethlehem to a virgin
3. God did not send an angel
4. God did not send a prophet
5. God Himself could not come as God
6. God had to come as a Man, as a Son, under His own laws, and die for His own creation
III.
Conclusion
A. Now you know why the Old Testament believers searched the Scriptures to see what we see so easily
1. We easily see Jesus – maybe too easily
2. But, before the baby in the manger, everybody only saw
a. God Himself - hard to visualise someone that’s a spirit, and pure light
b. Shiloh coming – bringing perfect peace and rest
c. A Star rising – who would shine brighter and brighter until it became brighter than the sun
d. A Sceptre ruling – a King who would rule first the hearts of men, and then the lives
e. A Redeemer dying
1) On a cross, between two thieves
2) Not a bone being broken
3) But pierced and bruised
f. A Branch flourishing
g. An Ensign Calling – calling all men everywhere to repent and trust Christ for eternal life
h. A Shepherd leading His flock
i. A Servant ministering
j. A Son obeying His Father in heaven
B. You also now know why it is so hard to become a Christian
1. Because to accept Christ means all religions are false – only Jesus works
2. Because to accept Jesus Christ as your Saviour, you plainly say that all of the Bible is focused on the appearance of just one Person – Jesus
3. Not Mohammed, Not Buddha, Not Mary, Not even yourself
4. You and I only fit into the story because it was US that he came for
C. This Christmas, take a good look once again at what the old time saints of God saw way out in the future – it is just exactly what we can see in the past
D. If we lose sight of it, we miss the life more abundant that Jesus gives!
Craig Ledbetter
www.biblebc.com
Find me on AOL Messenger: IrishPreacherkjv