Promised Prophet

Prayer

The Promise of the Prophet

So today is the first Sunday of Advent, and with it, we begin a new sermon series we’re calling, What Child Is This?, asking the question of exactly who this newborn baby is, what’s the big fuss - that we take all this time and effort to celebrate him.

And it just so happens that we stopped in our journey through the story of the Old Testament at the perfect place to launch into this series. Last week we took a look at 2 Samuel 6-7, where God gave this incredible promise to King David.

If you remember, David was sitting there in his palace in Jerusalem, decided he needed to make a house for the Lord, a temple to house the ark of the covenant. But instead of David building a house for God, God told David that he’s going to build a house for him. That he will establish a son of his, a descendant, to sit on the throne forever. David - and Israel, hold to this promise.

So when the nation of Israel is destroyed centuries later, this promise becomes an anchor for the Israelites - the great hope in the Messiah, an anointed one, a king from the line of David who would re-establish the kingdom of Israel. They carry this hope for hundreds of years. And as we talked about last week, David and the Israelites had no idea how big this was promise from God truly was.

That’s what we’re going to look at today, by looking at Jesus, the Christ-child, because he is the fulfillment of the promise. And he’s going to fulfill the promise in bigger and more amazing ways than they ever imagined - the scope of the kingdom (it’s not just an earthly kingdom, Jesus is Lord of heaven and earth), and that this kingdom would be established forever - eternally, with Jesus on the throne.

So our series is going to focus on Jesus as the Messiah. The Anointed One. The Greek word is Christ. Now, according to Old Testament tradition, there were three groups of people who would be anointed - prophets, priests and kings. To be anointed is the act where oil is poured on the head to signify that person has been chosen, ordained by God for a particular task. We’re going to go through those three tasks, offices - and how Jesus was anointed by God to fulfill all three. Jesus is the Promised Prophet, the Perfect Priest, the Coming King. Today, we’re going to look at Jesus as the Promise Prophet.

When the angel Gabriel comes to Mary, announcing that she is going to conceive and give birth to a son, whom she is to name Jesus, he makes the announcement using very specific language (Luke 1:32-33): He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.

This is explicit Messiah language. Gabriel is referencing God’s promise to David from 2 Samuel 7 - he will give him the throne of his father David, reign over Jacob’s descendants forever, kingdom will never end. All the things we talked about. By the way, I hope as we’ve been making our way through the story of the Old Testament that you’re seeing more and more connections between the Old and New Testament, that they really are part of one big story. As it’s been said, you can’t understand the New Testament without the Old Testament, and vice versa, that Jesus is woven throughout the Old Testament - there are signs pointing us to him throughout.

And that’s true for Jesus as the Promised Prophet. We have to go all the way back to Deuteronomy 18. If you remember, Deuteronomy is the book that takes place as the Israelites sit right outside the Promised Land, about to enter after having wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. Moses is reminding them of all the Lord has taught them, all he’s done for them - which is why the book is called Deuteronomy, it’s from the Greek, deutero meaning second, nomos meaning law, second law. It’s the second telling of the law.

So here’s the promise, Moses speaking to the Israelites, Deuteronomy 18:14-22 - The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the Lord your God has not permitted you to do so. 15 The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him. 16 For this is what you asked of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the Lord our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die.” 17 The Lord said to me: “What they say is good. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him. 19 I myself will call to account anyone who does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name. 20 But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, is to be put to death.” 21 You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?” 22 If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed.

Note what God is saying to his people through Moses - first of all, be careful who you listen to. Don’t listen to those engaged in sorcery or divination or prophets who speak in the name of other gods, that will lead you astray. Lead you into sinful ways, death.

God makes clear that he is going to raise up for his people a prophet, someone who will speak his word, to his people. The people are to listen to this prophet because he is speaking what the Lord has commanded him to.

Now, Moses was the great prophet. No other prophet among the Israelites throughout their whole history reached his status. So there was an expectation among the Israelites that such a prophet was still to come. We see this in John 1, when John the Baptist shows up on the scene and the priests and Levites want to know who he is (vs. 21): They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.”

Notice what they asked him. First they ask if he is Elijah returned (Elijah was the prophet who never died he was taken up into heaven). Then they ask if he is “the Prophet.” The Prophet that was to come, the Prophet promised by God from Deuteronomy 18. There was an expectation among the Israelites.

And it became clear to Jesus’ closest followers that he was “the Prophet.” Peter declares exactly this in one of his earliest sermons - Acts 3:19-23 - Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. 21 Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. 22 For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. 23 Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from their people.’

He’s talking about Jesus, the Messiah, the Anointed one. He’s making it explicitly clear that Jesus is the one whom God promised long ago through his prophets - then he quotes Moses from Deuteronomy 18, a prophet raised up from among the people. The Promise Prophet. You are to listen to him (and if you don’t, there are consequences!). The first Christian martyr, Stephen, makes the same claim in a speech he makes in Acts 7:37, again quoting Moses from Deuteronomy 18 - “This is the Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your own people.’”

The Promises of the Prophet

Then to make it explicitly clear that Jesus is the Promised Prophet, Jesus himself affirms it in John 12:47-50, “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. 49 For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. 50 I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”

Jesus is reflecting exactly what Moses prophesied in Deuteronomy 18 - I am the Prophet. I’m speaking exactly what I was commanded to say by the Father. He gave me the words. I only speak what the Father has given me to speak, nothing more. Jesus is saying - I speak the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. All from the Father. That’s why I came, it’s why the Father sent me - to share what he wanted me to share.

And because this is true, there are consequences for not listening. If you reject the message I give you. There is a judge (the Lord God) and there is condemnation for ignoring the word of the Lord.

So if this is one of the major roles that Jesus came to fulfill - that one of the things we can say about who this child is - he is the Promised Prophet, that he is the one who speaks what the Lord commands, then we need to take this seriously. That when we want to understand who Jesus is, that central to that understanding is that he is the one who speaks God’s word to us. He has a message for us. That if we’re going to take Jesus seriously, it means we have to take his words seriously, what he teaches.

And it’s clear from the passages that we looked at - the Deuteronomy 18 passage, the John 12 passage - that there are consequences for not listening to what Jesus speaks. This is what we often refer to as the “stick” motivation, the bad that will happen to us if we don’t do as told. Deuteronomy 18 states that those who don’t listen will be held to account. Likewise, in John - Jesus says that the words he has spoken will condemn us on the last day - at the great judgment.

And it’s important to consider why God is so adamant about this, that there is condemnation for not listening, that we will be held to account for not doing so. These are stark warnings.

The reason is simply this - if we’re not listening to God’s words through Jesus, if we’re not heeding his wisdom, his good commands, what he is teaching us about himself, about how to live - then in essence we’re saying - you’re words aren’t important enough for us to pay attention to. Not worth my time, my effort.

That there are other words, other teaching, other wisdom that we’d rather listen to. Because the reality is, we all listen to some words. Out of all the messages out there in our culture, we’re choosing which ones to listen to and which ones to ignore. Moses reminded the Israelites that the other nations practiced sorcery and divination - they were seeking other gods, other spirits to listen to.

If you and I aren’t engaged in God’s word, if we’re not studying the Bible on a regular basis, trying to figure out what Jesus teaches - then in one way or another, we’re listening to someone or something else. There’s some other word we consider more important. It may be our own wisdom (I’ve got life figured out). It might be the narrative of the American dream. Friends. Family Or a political figure. Or a celebrity. It may just be bits and pieces we’re picked up here and there, not even sure what’s influencing us.

The essential question for us is - are they Jesus’ words? Do we listen to and know and live by his teachings? Because if we don’t, we will be held to account - these are the words of God, why didn’t you listen to them?

But God’s word to us through Jesus doesn’t come to us simply as a stick, but a carrot as well. And it’s why, again, the Lord is so adamant about us listening to what he is saying to us through his Promised Prophet, Jesus. Because the word Jesus came to bring us is good news. That’s what the word “gospel” means - the gospel of Jesus Christ is the good news of Jesus Christ.

And as Jesus himself tells us in John, I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. Jesus didn’t come to point the finger of accusation, condemning us - he came to offer us life. He came saying, if you listen to me, what I teach, what I show you, you will experience full and forever life. “I know that his command leads to eternal life.” Why he’s so insistent - because he knows that no one else can offer that to you.

Jesus words seem foolish. They turn things upside down. Often we hear them and think, that’s can’t be right, they can’t be true. Humble yourself to be exalted. Forgive your debtors. Don’t worry about food you’ll eat, clothes you wear - seek first the kingdom of God. It is by grace that you are saved.

Yet over and over again, I’ve discovered, as I put into practice what Jesus teaches, I discover (again) he’s right. No matter how much I resist it (and I do - I don’t want to forgive them! I want to be right!…), it’s always for my good when I surrender - and the good of others.

Join with Peter and the disciples who stuck with Jesus - as many of his disciples were leaving him because of the things Jesus was teaching (I am the Bread of Life). When Jesus asks them if they want to leave as well, John 6:68-69, Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”

It is Jesus who has the words of eternal life. That’s what he speaks, because he is the Holy One of God, the Messiah, the Promised Prophet.

Spiritual Discipline

Advent Devotional - each daily lesson is on Grace. A bit of Scripture, there’s a story, a reflection on that passage. Great way to form the habit of being daily in God’s word. Then begin to think and pray about a plan for the new year, a way to be engaged in God’s word every single day (New Testament through the year). So there’s no shortage of daily devotions available.

Keep coming back - learn new ways, deeply entrenched patterns

Jesus comes to us as the Promised Prophet - the one who came to speak everything to us that God commanded him to speak. Why we cannot know God except by knowing Jesus, listening to him. Let’s be people who listen to the words Jesus speaks to us.

Communion - the words Jesus speaks to us