Lesson #10Clickhere to return to the Main Bible Study Page.
When the Romans were ruling in Palestine and Israelhad no king the word of God by the prophets remained as a national treasureand hope. Israel under a foreign hand was waiting for the Messiah - theanointed of God - the promised Seed of David and Abraham, the coming King.The faithful Jews were filled with longing. Shortly before Jesus was bornthe national longing was most fervent and many men and women who trustedGod were standing on the tiptoe of expectancy. In fact when John the Baptistcome on the scene it is recorded that
"all men mused in their hearts whetherhe were Messiah or not." (Luke3:15 'Christ' = 'Messiah').
About this time Jesus was born. Even in the mannerof the birth there was something very remarkable and something unexpected.God was the Father of Jesus but the mother was not a woman of noble birth,she was a villager living in quiet obscurity. She was chosen of God andher character was one of beauty, humility and faith.
There was no announcement in Jerusalem that Jesuswas coming:no fanfare of trumpets, no pageantry in the city temple. Justa quiet word to Mary and the peaceful acceptance of the will of God in herheart.
It was in this way that the Lord God began thefulfillment of the promises made to the fathers. Jesus, the Son of God,came into the world as a baby in the manger outside the inn in Bethlehem.This humble beginning was God's way of showing the lesson that "exceptye be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter the kingdomof God."
Even so, can we be sure that Jesus is the promisedking? Can we be certain that He will reign? Nothing is more certain. Letus look at a series of messages from God designed to teach us the greattruth:
"The book of the generation of Jesus Christ,the son of David, the son of Abraham."(Matthew 1:1).
Here is the first stepping stone. From these openingwords of the New Testament we are told that Jesus is the one promised toAbraham and to David:He is Abraham's seed:David's son. Let us go on fromthere:
"Fear not, Mary:for thou hast found favor with God. And, behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb,and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be greatand shall be called the Son of the Highest:and the Lord God shall give untohim the throne of his father David:and he shall reign over the house ofJacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." (Luke 1:30-34).
Look carefully at those words because they havewonderful significance. God made it plain to Mary (and she would know thepromises to David by heart) that Jesus was the appointed one, the one torule over Israel and the one to sit on David's throne. Look at it again.It was a positive promise BUT it has not yet received its fulfillment. Twothings are clear to the simplest mind:
(a) Since David'sthrone was in Jerusalem it must be there that Jesus will reign. He has neveryet done this.
(b) "Toreign over the house of Jacob" means that Jesus must reign over theJews. He has certainly never yet done this because they rejected him - andstill do.
Let us not be put off the trail by the apparentdelay in the fulfillment of these promises. There is no delay:it is God'sway of working. He will fulfill his words - completely. Jesus understoodthis quite clearly and he said as much to his hearers:
"Jerusalemis the city of the Great King." (Matt. 5:35).
"When the Son of man shall come in Hisglory, and all the holy angels withhim, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory." (Matt.25:31).
'In the regeneration . . . the Son of man shallsit upon the throne of his glory."(Matt. 19;28).
The Lord Jesus Christ knew that his pathway tothe kingship lay through humility, through death, through resurrection,through an ascending into heaven, through areturn to the earth personally in great glory to establish God's kingdomvisibly on earth. The way to the throne was by Calvary. We shall discussthat together later on but we should take careful note of it as we passby.
The truth and hope that Jesus would reign as kingare expressed elsewhere in the New Testament with equal force:
'God hath appointed a day, in the which he willjudge the world in righteousness bythat man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance untoall men in that he hath raised him from the dead." (Acts17:31).
'God shall send Jesus Christ, which before waspreached unto you:whom the heaven mustreceive until the time of restitution of all things, which God hathspoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the worldbegan." (Acts 3-21).
'Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eyeshall see him, they also which piercedhim:and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him."(Rev. 1:7).
At the appointed time God will send Jesus Christback to the earth in power and great glory, with all the angels of heaven,and Christ will take the kingdom to himself and shall reign. The Jews alsowill see him and acknowledge him as king. Then shall be fulfilled the wordsnailed over the cross:
"Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews."
You will have seen that here is a wealth of evidenceconcerning the kingship of Jesus Christ. We need now to go a stepfurther. How does this affect you? How can it affect you? How will it affectyou?
The scriptures we have read give a clear indicationthat God has a purpose with the earth. We need to take note of it. WhenJesus returns to the earth as king he will bring blessings for his followers.His followers are those who have believed in him and been obedient to hiscommands. We shall learn a little more of this as we go along but at thispoint it is our part to believe what God has said. We need to believe thatJesus is the appointed king:we should accepthim ourselves as our personal king:we should live like people who are earnestlywaiting for his return. All those who have this hope in their heart andfashion their lives according to the principles of Jesus are known as thesaints of God - those who have set themselves apart as citizens of the Kingdomof God.
Such believers when they are still alive or havefallen asleep in Jesus will be remembered by the king when he comes. Hewill raise the dead and gather the living to himself. The faithful oneswill receive two priceless gifts:
(a) Everlasting life in perfect joy and holiness.
(b) The inheritance of the kingdom of God on earth.
This is how one of the Old Testament prophets andbelievers described it:
"And the kingdom and dominion, and thegreatness of the kingdom under the wholeheaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High,whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shallserve and obey him.' (Daniel 7:27).
This glorious prospect set before us. This is thereal hope. Let us set our hearts upon it and wait with longing for the returnof Jesus Christ.
Now read some of the other Scriptures on this subject:Isaiah2:1-4; Isaiah 35 and 2 Samuel 23:1-5.
QUESTIONS -- LETTER 101 . What were the faithful Jews looking for whenJesus was born?
2. What do the opening words of the New Testamenttell us concerning Jesus' ancestry?
3. What two things are made clear concerning Jesusin Luke 1:30-34?
4. According to the New Testament writers wherewill Jesus reign?
5. What two priceless gifts will the faithful onesreceive from Jesus when he comes?