The Promised Messiah

MEMORY VERSE: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people.” —Luke 1:68

JEREMIAH 33:14-16

THE “good thing” which the Lord has referred to in our lesson is the sending of the Messiah. Verse 15 reads, “In those days, and at that time, will I cause the branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land”

And, “In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The Lord our righteousness” The saving of Judah, and the deliverance of Jerusalem as here prophesied, are obviously greater events in the plan of God than those which took place at the close of the seventy years’ captivity.

A similar prophecy to this is recorded in Jeremiah 23:5,6, and here Israel is included with Judah. The reference clearly is to “the whole house of Israel.” The salvation apparently referred to is that mentioned by Paul in Romans, chapter 11. Here he says that following the removal of blindness concerning Christ, “all Israel shall be saved,” and the important salvation referred to here is a salvation from death in the resurrection of the dead. It is impossible to understand the prophecies and promises of the Bible if we overlook God’s assurance of the resurrection. Men and nations may die and pass off the scene, but this does not interfere with the fulfillment of God’s promises.

Actually, literal Jerusalem has never dwelt safely since this prophecy was recorded, as stated in verse 16. “The Lord our righteousness” is a reference, not to the literal city of Jerusalem but to the New Jerusalem of promise. This New Jerusalem comes down from God out of heaven, and is identified for John, the Revelator, by an “angel,” as “the bride, the Lamb’s wife.”—Rev. 21:2,10

In other words, this New Jerusalem is composed of the faithful followers of Jesus, united with him as his bride. Together with Jesus, they will represent God’s standard of righteousness in the earth. In Jeremiah 23:6, the righteous branch of David is also described as “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Both Jesus and his church will, during the messianic kingdom, represent divine judgment in the earth.

MATTHEW 2:1-6

The visit of the wise men, as narrated in this section of the lesson, did not take place on the night that Jesus was born. Jesus was born in a manger, but the wise men found him in a house. They carne to do him honor, although their visit to Herod would have led to disaster for Jesus had not his Heavenly Father intervened and caused him to be sent into Egypt out of reach of Herod’s attack.

It was the Prophet Micah who foretold the city in which Jesus would be born: “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from old, from everlasting.”—Micah 5:2

This text not only identifies Jesus as the One who would be Ruler in Israel, but refers also to the fact of his prehuman existence. How wonderful are the prophecies and promises of God!

Our memory verse contains the words of Zacharias, father of John the Baptist. Zacharias was, of course, highly elated over the fact that the forerunner of Jesus should be his son, but upon careful study it becomes apparent that his prophecy also refers to Jesus, whom the Lord had sent to redeem his people. In verse 76 Zacharias turns to John, and says, “And thou, child, shall be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways.” Here John is being informed of what his role would be in connection with the great Deliverer whom the Lord had sent to his people.

Yes, through Jesus, God visited his people, and as our memory verse states, to redeem them. While we know that Jesus is the great Redeemer of the world, probably Zacharias had in mind the deliverance of Israel from bondage to Rome. How thankful we are that to us redemption and deliverance from sin and death are included in the full purpose of Jesus’ “visit” to earth!

QUESTIONS

Explain why Jerusalem is called “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

How is this expression otherwise applied in the prophecies?

When will Jesus deliver all mankind from sin and death?

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