- Anticipation
Then he said, “Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.” – Hebrews 10:7
The Jewish people of Jesus’ day were looking and longing for God’s Messiah. They knew their God was the one true God and their scriptures (what we call the Old Testament today) promised an Anointed One to come and rule as King over all nations.
The conventional idea of their Messiah King was a combination of David and Moses, a warrior judge coming to deliver the people from oppressive government and purify the land from sinners and the godless. Their ideas were not completely off-base, as God’s Messiah WILL sit in judgment of the world in the future, “I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts” (Malachi 3:5). However, the gracious will of God provides everyone an opportunity to avoid that judgment.
The reason many rejected Jesus as their anticipated Messiah was that they were more interested in a judge to vindicate their grievances; they were not interested in a humble savior offering forgiveness to transgressors and proclaiming God’s mercy.
As the nation recovers from the government shutdown, this holiday season could unfold differently than you expect. Yet God historically uses circumstances outside the norm to accomplish His will, which remains unchanged since the beginning of time: revealing His grace to the undeserving through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus. Pray for public servants to honor the Messiah this Christmas and for people of this nation to recognize Christ as the Lord and King, accepting His offer of mercy.
Today’s Verse: Hebrews 10:7
Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,
as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Recommended for further reading: Isaiah 53
Who has believed what he has heard from us?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.4 Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?
9 And they made his grave with the wicked
and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
