The Messiah
Notes
Transcript
The Messiah
The Messiah
Tonight we look at the Christ, the Messiah!
A word that is often associated with Jesus, but we’ll get to that later. Let’s first look at the Old Testament. We don’t have much time, so we will be moving quickly this evening.
The Hebrew word is:
Literally means anointed or anointed one
So what is this anointing?
13 ‘I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar, where you made a vow to Me; now arise, leave this land, and return to the land of your birth.’ ”
18 So Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on its top.
6 oil for lighting, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense,
So we see this anointing as pouring oil over.
There are both people, places, and things that get anointed, but for our limited study this evening we’re going to be looking at the who get’s anointed.
41 “You shall put them on Aaron your brother and on his sons with him; and you shall anoint them and ordain them and consecrate them, that they may serve Me as priests.
7 “Then you shall take the anointing oil and pour it on his head and anoint him.
So we see this anointing provided for the priests and further for the high priest. Also worth noting, is that a prophet, someone who speaks truth, does the anointing.
10 Since that time no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face,
Moving forward in time, Hannah moves to have her son Samuel dedicated to the Lord.
27 “For this boy I prayed, and the Lord has given me my petition which I asked of Him. 28 “So I have also dedicated him to the Lord; as long as he lives he is dedicated to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.
Part of Hannah’s prayer - Israel has no king at this time.
10 “Those who contend with the Lord will be shattered; Against them He will thunder in the heavens, The Lord will judge the ends of the earth; And He will give strength to His king, And will exalt the horn of His anointed.”
Samuel’s Role is defined
20 All Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the Lord.
This is what Samuel goes on to do.
27 As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Say to the servant that he might go ahead of us and pass on, but you remain standing now, that I may proclaim the word of God to you.” 1 Then Samuel took the flask of oil, poured it on his head, kissed him and said, “Has not the Lord anointed you a ruler over His inheritance?
And Again:
13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah.
So what we’ve seen is that the priests are anointed, the kings are anointed, and were initially anointed by prophets. You maybe beginning to recognize this threefold office as those that the Christ, the Messiah would fulfill, but that is another study.
In the New Testament with the exception of 2 instances, the word χριστοσ is used.
This is where we get the word Christ. So when you see Jesus Christ in Scripture, it is a proclamation, Jesus the Anointed One. This is the proclamation of Peter:
20 And He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered and said, “The Christ of God.”
Jesus’ teaching in the Synagogue:
17 And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written,
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are oppressed, 19 To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”
20 And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
Jesus recognizes Himself as the anointed one. He’s not the only one, later in the same chapter:
41 Demons also were coming out of many, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But rebuking them, He would not allow them to speak, because they knew Him to be the Christ.
Further in Luke, others recognize Jesus’ claim:
2 And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.”
and then finally upon the cross:
35 And the people stood by, looking on. And even the rulers were sneering at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One.”
This proclamation of Jesus as the Anointed One, is clearly recognized and claimed by Jesus, demons, apostles, and His claim is recognized by unbelieving people. Jesus’ claim of Messiahship goes beyond Jewish thought though.
44 BC - Caesar Augustus - Golden Age
Pax Romana
Eternal Rome
Deification from Julius to Claudius (54 AD) - Golden “Messianic” Age of Rome
Outside of Jewish culture, Messiahship was corollary to Kingship
If we turn to Acts 17, we see this understanding in action
1 Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.”
This is Paul’s statement: “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah”
Here’s the result:
4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading women. 5 But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people.
Some were persuaded - - - - Some formed a mob
6 When they did not find them, they began dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have upset the world have come here also; 7 and Jason has welcomed them, and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.”
These people recognized the truth of the proclamation of Jesus being the Messiah, that is that Jesus is the King.
We see this pronouncement at Jesus’ birth as well.
Balaam, believed to be a seer of what would eventually become Babylonia, says:
Numbers 24:17 (NASB95)
17 “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; A star shall come forth from Jacob, A scepter shall rise from Israel
Balaam then departs and goes back to his people and his place as told by the rest of the chapter. It is believed that this description, is what led the wise men the follow the start to Jesus.
1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 2 “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”
3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.
You see, Herod the Great, an Edomite by lineage, a proselytized Jew in religious circles, a loyalist and servant to Rome politically, understood the tie of the Anointed One, the Messiah, the Christ with the one who would be King.
So what do we celebrate in the Messiah at Christmas?
First Advent
Gospel
He has provided the basis for Hope - resurrected with Him
He has provided the offer of Peace - restored relationship
He has provided the example of Love - value of mankind
He has provided the source of Joy - abiding in Him
Second Advent
Hope Fulfilled
Peace Established
Love Perfected
Joy Abounding
In this, Jesus the Messiah, the Anointed One, has invited us to participate. Not only today as provided in His first advent, but in anticipation of His kingdom coming in the millenium and forever in the new creation!
Let’s Pray!
Benediction Scripture:
13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which He will bring about at the proper time—He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.
Merry Christmas!
