Messiah: Earth Filled with the Knowledge of His Glory

“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters that cover the sea.” (Habakkuk 3:14. NKJV). “But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it, and the Lamb is its light. And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it.” (Revelation 21:22-26. NKJV).

It is fitting that these devotionals on Messianic prophecies and New Testament fulfillments end with the vision that the whole earth will be filled with the knowledge and the glory of the Lord. We speak of the new Jerusalem, a time in the future when “As I live, says the Lord, ‘Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.’ “ (Romans 14:11. NKJV. Quoting Isaiah 45:23). Since the time is coming when all will acknowledge the Truth of Messiah, that He is, indeed, as He claimed, “The Way, the Truth and the Life” (John 14:6), it is better to trust Him before the day of judgment than to find that all will, whether willingly and of their own volition or not, bow before Him and acknowledge Who He is, the Everlasting Son of God, the Prince of Peace, the Savior of all who come to Him in faith.

I don’t understand why God would love me so much He would send His son to die for me. But in simple childlike faith, I accept that infinite truth. I have based my life and work on the knowledge that I belong to Him and I am someone whom He loved enough to die for. I, therefore, should love Him enough to live for Him. He has given me a partnership of teaching. Even through these devotionals of a year’s duration now I hope some of the truths revealed to me have been an inspiration to readers. I am grateful that I was able to keep my January 1, 2010 resolution to write and share devotionals based on His remarkable Word throughout the year. These have helped me to grow in grace and have come at a time when I needed the discipline and inspiration of intensive Bible study to help me through my dear husband’s worsening physical condition. He lies now at the threshold of death, transition into glory. God has strengthened Him and me through this long journey of illness, and we will see God’s hand and purpose even in these last days. Share where you can and with every person you can the knowledge of the glory of the Son of God, our Savior. We who believe in Him are His chosen vessels for this purpose. We have the privilege of spreading abroad the knowledge of His glory to the ends of the earth. The gospel came to you and me on its way to someone else. May we consider what a privilege is ours to be bearers of the Good News! To God be the glory, and bless you everyone in the new year. Solo Christos! One Lord and Savior! Praise!

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Friday, December 31, 2010

Messiah: Nature of His Kingdom and Return

“The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all. Praise the Lord, you His angels, you mighty ones who do His bidding, who obey His word. Praise the Lord, all His heavenly hosts, you His servants who do His will. Praise the Lord, all His works everywhere in His dominion. Praise the Lord, O my soul.” (Psalm 103:19-22. NIV).

“You heard Me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe.” (John 14:28-29. NIV).

Our finite minds are limited to earthly dimensions, time and space. But as Jesus promised, He is ruling even now from His throne in heaven where the heavenly hosts do His bidding and all is beauty, reverence and harmony. Then consider another promise Jesus made before His death. He told His disciples: “I am going away, and I am coming back to you.” We see this promise as referring to His resurrection and appearances He made to his disciples and others who recognized Him and rejoiced that He was indeed alive. Yet here is another promise, which He is fulfilling day by day as He calls His disciples home to Heaven: “In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” (John 14:2-4. NIV).

A further promise deals with Jesus’ second coming. We look for it and anticipate that it cannot be long now, for many of the signs Jesus spoke about in what we call His eschatological (end times) teachings we are seeing fulfilled daily and yearly. Jesus taught us: “At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.” (Matthew 24:30-31, NIV). Although people throughout time since Jesus ascended to heaven have tried to set a time for His second coming, Jesus Himself taught us: “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Matthew 24:36, NIV). It is well that we follow Jesus’ instructions concerning being ready: “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” (Matthew 25:13. NIV).

Whether we are translated through death to go to the reward Jesus has prepared for those who love and serve him, or whether we remain until His second coming, our stance is to be ready and to welcome Him. He knows best and has everything prepared! Amen!

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Thursday, December 30, 2010

Messiah: Sitting at God’s Right Hand

“The Lord says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.’ “ (Psalm 110:1, NIV). “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way.” (Ephesians 1:18-23. NIV).

With His mission on earth completed, the redemption for mankind’s salvation paid, disciples taught and commissioned to go forth and tell the wonderful story, Jesus was caught up into heaven and seated at the right hand of God in exaltation and glory. I could have chosen many New Testament references to show the fulfillment of this prophecy made by David centuries before Messiah’s coming to earth. Jesus Himself quoted from Psalm 110:1 in His teachings. See Matthew 22:44, Mark 12:36 and Luke 20:42-43. The writer of Hebrews, whose major intention was presenting Jesus both as the sacrifice for sins and as the Great High Priest, has many references to Christ’s exaltation. “The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind: You are a priest forever” (Hebrews 7:21. NIV). “Because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them.” (Hebrews 7; 24-25. NIV).

Paul, writing in Ephesians 1:18-23 seemed, even with his ability with words and explaining intricate spiritual truths, especially burdened to let the church know what a tremendous gift we have in the exalted Christ and His work now as He is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. He intercedes and prays for us! Can you imagine Christ Himself praying for us to the Father? It is a concept beyond our human understanding, but it is a fact of His strength, power and dominion. And of His love for us! He came to earth and identified with us. Now in heaven, He knows our human frailties, our tendencies to stray, our inabilities to stand on our own without His strength. Because of Christ’s position at the right hand of God, we can have confidence as we approach God. Read about that confidence in Hebrews 10:18-25. A good summary of what we should do is in Hebrews 10:22-23 (NIV): “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.” He is faithful to us; let us be faithful to Him! Amen!

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Messiah: Gentiles Come to His Light

“I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth. Sing, O heavens! Be joyful, O earth! And break out in singing, O mountains! For the Lord has comforted His people, And will have mercy on His afflicted.” (Isaiah 49:6b, 13. NKJV. [Read Isaiah 49:1-13]. “For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have set you to be a light to the Gentiles, That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’ Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.” (Acts 13:47-48. NKJV). “For He says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.’ “ (2 Corinthians 6:2, NKJV).

Multiple prophecies of the life and ministry of Jesus were foretold in the Old Testament. This devotional series on prophecies/fulfillments about Jesus Christ are only a few of the rich store we have for our study and spiritual enlightenment. A recent devotional looked at the Wise Men coming from the East to worship the Christ Child. When Christ stood on the Mount of Olives ready to ascend back to God the Father, He told his gathered disciples: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1: 8. NKJV.) The Great Commission given by Christ has been the marching orders for evangelical Christians from that time about 33 A. D. until the present, and, indeed, until the Lord shall return again.

Because Christians were faithful to this Commission of Christ, even we, who are Gentiles, came to the light. Many in the centuries since Christ’s ascension have been martyred for the faith. Because they would not recant their beliefs, they met death at the hands of persecutors. But despite the hard times Christians have endured from then until now (and some are still enduring), the prophecy of Isaiah and others has and is continuing to come true. The Lord’s comfort and mercy—and salvation—are extended to all who will believe and follow. When Jesus saw a man who was blind from birth and healed him, He said in the hearing of His disciples: “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.” (John 9:4, NKJV). Just as Jesus felt an urgency to do the work of God while He walked on the earth as a man, so we, in receiving His Great Commission must work “while it is day”—while we have opportunity. 2 Peter 3:9 makes clear why the Lord delays His second coming: “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (NIV). God wants all to repent and believe. But one day His patience in waiting for people to come to His Light will run out. Let us therefore be faithful to witness and invite others to the Light.

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Tuesday, December 28,2010

Messiah: Flight into Egypt

“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My Son.” (Hosea 11:1, NIV). “So he (Joseph) got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘Out of Egypt I called My Son.’ “ (Matthew 2:14-15).

Clair M. Crissey in commenting on what we call the “Flight into Egypt” states: “The shape of current (world) politics would be much different if Ishmael (father of Islam), Isaac (father of the Jews), or Jesus (founder of Christianity) had been killed in infancy. In His providence, God preserved all three. In Jesus, hope for salvation is extended to descendants of the other two.” (Holman: The Disciple’s Study Bible, 1988, p. 1171).

Joseph was told in a dream to escape Herod’s decree of killing all male children aged two and under. He immediately obeyed and took his family to Egypt. We do not know when they departed for Egypt, where they lived there, or how long they stayed. However, deducing from historical evidence of the period, we know that Archelaus, more wicked and overbearing than his father Herod, ruled in Judea from 4 B. C. through 6 A. D. When Joseph brought his family from Egypt after the danger of murdering the infants was past, he took them back to his hometown of Nazareth to live, a safer zone than the politically-charged Jerusalem. The flight to Egypt is not only a fulfillment of prophecy, but it represents the plight of many refugees then and since who have had to flee their own country and find refuge elsewhere to escape death. Oppression forces families to become refugees. The Son of God and His family were no exception. They, too, had to go down into Egypt for safety, and eventually return to more familiar surroundings when the situation was more stable.

We are told that Egypt at the time Joseph took Mary and Jesus there had about a million Jews living there. Many were businessmen, tradesmen and otherwise enjoying a prosperous life. Since Joseph was a carpenter, he probably found ready employment in his known trade and thus could provide for his family’s needs. A legend, told about the holy family’s sojourn in Egypt, states that idols fell flat on their faces as Jesus would pass by shrines. There is no proof for this story, but in the flight to Egypt, God made provision for the safety of His only begotten Son. And Joseph, the earthly guardian father of Jesus, acted in obedience to God’s command. He cooperated fully in God’s plan for sparing Jesus for His life of ministry and mission. Selah!

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Monday, December 27, 2010

Messiah: Immanuel – God with Us

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14. NKJV). “Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ‘Behold a virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.’ “ (Matthew 1:22-23. NKJV).

Christmas Day! The birthday of a King! “Immanuel – God with us!” This was the name of the son born to the virgin prophesied by Isaiah and fulfilled in the birth of Jesus Christ to the virgin Mary in Bethlehem of Judea. In the Old Testament the term is used twice, in Isaiah 7:14 and again in 8:8. The sign of God was communicated through the birth of a son, born of a virgin—a miracle within itself. The name given to the child, both in Isaiah and Matthew, indicates the mission of the One born: In Him God dwells with us.

When Adam and Eve were created and placed in the Garden of Eden, they had communication with God—He was with them—until by wrong choice sin entered man’s domain. The relationship with Immanuel (God with us) changed in a twinkling of an eye. Man’s sin, or his fall from grace, was responsible for the break in fellowship. From then until the coming of Jesus into the world, God was available for fellowship by man, and we have many accounts of those who sought God and knew His presence. But because of man’s continuing wrong choices and rebellion (a shorter term is sin), mankind could not have the relationship with God that was intended. God’s “sign” and His plan was a holy child born of a virgin—Immanuel. In Jesus’ sinless life, His God-inspired teachings, His immaculate life and example, and His atoning death and victorious resurrection, Jesus demonstrated God-with-us, Immanuel. Through the promise and coming of the Holy Spirit, Immanuel is still continuing His work—God with us. The plaintive plainsong, translated from the Latin by John Mason Neale and Henry Sloane Coffin and set to the tune “Veni Emmanuel” is often sung at Christmas.

“O come, O come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here, Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel!

But we don’t have to wait any longer. “Joy to the world, The Lord is come! “And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn…And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:7, 14. NKJV). We have only to believe and invite Jesus into our heart. Immanuel is here!

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Saturday, December 25, 2010

Messiah: Born of a Virgin

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14. NKJV). “Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ‘Behold a virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.’ “ (Matthew 1:22-23. NKJV).

Messiah – born of a virgin! How important is this truth? We cannot put a weight to it, but can know that it was God’s way of entering finite life with His “only begotten son.” The prophecy was made in Isaiah when King Ahaz of Judah was about to make an alliance with Assyrian kings which was displeasing to the Lord. Ahaz refused to ask the Lord for a sign, as he should have. But God gave a sign anyway: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” It would seem that the child would be born shortly so He could grow up to defend the nation of Israel at a crucial time. Again, God had other plans in mind. It would be over 700 years before a virgin would conceive of the Holy Spirit and bear a son who would free His people—not from an aggressive enemy in war—but from the curse of sin.

Our Catholic friends have a term for the virgin birth: ‘immaculate conception.’ That which was conceived in Mary was not by human means of intercourse, for Mary had not known a man. She was chosen and ordained by God to be the mother of the Son of God. For centuries, as the word of the anticipated virgin birth was spread from generation to generation, each young Jewish maiden as she matured to the time in her life when she became a “virgin,”(that is, from the Hebrew word ‘alma’—meaning girl or young woman of child-bearing age) wondered if she would be the one selected for the mission of bearing God’s chosen child. It is noteworthy that when the New Testament writers, Matthew and Luke, recorded Mary’s conception, they used the Greek term parthenos which means a young woman of child-bearing and marriageable age, but one who has never engaged in sexual intercourse. Knowing what we know of human biology and the formation of a fetus, the conception of Jesus without a human father seems impossible. But as God told Mary when she questioned the message she heard from the angel: “Nothing is impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37). “The virgin birth was God’s chosen way to become incarnate; the invisible, spiritual God became human.” (Clair M. Crissey. Comments on “Matthew,” in The Disciple’s Study Bible. Nashville: Holman. c1988. p. 1170). We must take the virgin birth on faith. We cannot explain it. It is a marvelous miracle showing the exception to the natural order of conception. We accept the truth of the Holy Spirit’s action and Mary’s willingness to be ‘the handmaiden of the Lord.’ God kept His promise and sent us the Savior. Amen!

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Friday, December 24, 2010