The Greatest Prophecy?
Notes
Transcript
ILLUST: Great predictors - Almanc, Caterpillars, Rain on Easter??
God never misses
Prophecy - miraculous, divine predictors
READ Matthew 2:13-18 passage - STAND
TYPES OF PROPHECY
TYPES OF PROPHECY
….and how they tie to Jesus’ birth account
Single Fulfillment
Single Fulfillment
Specific to Jesus’ birth (just sticking to this event…)
Location - Micah 5:2
“But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.”
The person of the Savior - Isaiah 9:6
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
(Four names/titles/positions…)
Double Fulfillment (Near/Far)
Double Fulfillment (Near/Far)
Some prophecies have a near/far fulfillment aspect, such as…
“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.
Fulfilled in Hezekiah’s birth, and also in Matthew’s using this related to Jesus- Matt 1:23
“Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.”
Context is crucial with prophecy
Thus says the Lord, “A voice is heard in Ramah, Lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; She refuses to be comforted for her children, Because they are no more.”
Context was mothers in Israel saddened by separation from children exiled to Babylon
Also seen fulfilled in Herod’s execution of baby boys in area of Ramah/Bethlehem
Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi.
(Verse 17 tells us the Hosea prophecy was fulfilled with this
THE MAGI VISIT - retell the account - notably the latter part
Familiar with the account? Of course.
ASIDE: Herod was paranoid - the Jews considered him to be illegitimate - he was descended from Esau, not Jacob
Angel warns magi to return home different way
Then…Miraculous warning from an angel, for Joseph to take Jesus to Egypt (OUR FOCUS)
(An awesome type of prophecy)
Prophecy that Tells the Story
Prophecy that Tells the Story
For instance- Hosea 11:1
When Israel was a youth I loved him, And out of Egypt I called My son.
Fulfilled, right? Yes, well, maybe, or maybe much more to this one….
As some prophecies point directly to Jesus, this one…?
It is important to tell people why we celebrate Christmas - important for children to know, for sure
Matthew quotes Hosea 11:1 in conjunction with Jesus being protected in Egypt
Then told to move safely to Nazareth - “Out of Egypt…”
But what did this passage mean to Hosea’s audience
And what should it mean to us?
Understanding Hosea
Hosea- prophet to Israel
Israel’s big problem? Idolatry, always
Yahweh used Hosea to illustrate a lesson to Israel
He was told to marry a prostitute - Gomer
A woman paid to have sex with anyone paying
Hosea was told to have children with her
With a woman consistently unfaithful to him
That’s what typically comes to mind when Hosea is brought up
She leaves, he goes after her, time and time again
He and Gomer have three children (check this out…)
Jezreel (valley of judgment)
Jezreel (valley of judgment)
the name of a valley where God judged Israel through a military defeat
Lo-ruhama (“no compassion”)
Lo-ruhama (“no compassion”)
name means “no compassion”
Lo-Ammi (“not my people”)
Lo-Ammi (“not my people”)
name literally means “not My people”
God uses Hosea’s family as prophecy
Illustrating Israel’s unfaithfulness to Him - their idolatry
Gomer chased men, people of Israel chased after false gods
And Yahweh pursued them and pursued them
This is how God is going to deal with Israel
They have broken their covenant with God - Hosea 1
He will judge them (Jezreel)
Showing no compassion (Lo-ruhama)
No longer considered His people (Lo-Ammi)
Then, immediately after:
This curse, judgment, will be reversed
Hosea then pronounces the prophecies…
The day of Jezreel will be great!
Tell your brothers…you are My people!
Tell your sisters…you have received compassion!
Hosea was told to love Gomer, even though she was unfaithful
The point of Hosea…
In spite of Israel’s unfaithfulness…
Yahweh never stops pursuing His people
Yahweh never stops loving His people
Yahweh never…gives…up…on…His…people!
Hosea spoke to a people in the middle of suffering, pain, sorrow - God’s judgment
They deserved that judgment, and He provided HOPE
In Hosea 11, Yahweh is described as a loving parent toward His child
Hosea 11:1 - notice, this son, is a child Yahweh loved!
God was reminding His people, He loved His people so much He called them out of Egypt!
He delivered them out of slavery in Egypt, they were a growing nation (they were a child)
They were acquainted with suffering - their history
They associated pain and suffering with Egypt (recurring story through Bible)
Matthew brings this passage up, quotes Hosea 11:1
Jesus came into this world willingly - into this pain, suffering, and sorrow
Fulfilling the Father’s will
Jesus came to experience it all, the fun and wonderful things…
…and the pain and suffering of the world
To deliver us from bondage
To call His people out of the slavery of sin
To provide HOPE
Where Israel failed in their faithfulness- Jesus Christ was victorious in His
Jesus came to repair what was broken, to reconcile a relationship
Yahweh never gave up on His people
Even when Yahweh sent Messiah
Sadly…many of His people gave up on Him
Yahweh has never left you without hope
Do you get that? One author recalled slaves, singing from joy, not from happy circumstances
Negro spiritual - “Were you there…?
Slaves, knowing their lives were nothing more than picking cotton
“Sometimes, I feel like shouting GLORY, GLORY, GLORY!”
Friends, sometimes, knowing this life can disappoint, trouble, and hurt you
Remember the HOPE that is Jesus
“Sometimes, I feel like shouting GLORY, GLORY, GLORY!”
Yes, Jesus was spared through Egypt, and called out of there, to Nazareth, to continue on His mission
True
And yet…It’s deeper, it’s about HOPE
Not in things of this world, but in Christ!
The good news, no matter what!
Yahweh knew exactly what His people needed in the middle of suffering
That has not changed
Jesus is exactly Who we need
“Out of Egypt I called My Son”
This may be the most powerful prophecy!
Challenge:
Have you answered that call to trust in Him?
Try as you might to ignore His calling, He will still love you, pursue you
Have you surrendered to Him your efforts to overcome pain?
Try as you might to be strong on your own, He will still love you, pursue you…
…to remind you of Hope
How will you respond to Him this Christmas?
Please, see the beauty of the Gospel in the middle of the simple, humble account of the birth of our Savior.
Believers, now called His people - 1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
As he called Israel from Egypt, He called us from darkness
How you respond to that call…that’s what Christmas is meant to stir in you.
And… we have this prophecy still to come
He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
We deserved wrath and punishment, He provided HOPE
HOPE in Jesus, Who will soon return!
Maranatha! Come LORD!
