Where Messiah Will Come From

1 2 I WAS TALKING WITH A YOUNG MAN A WHILE BACK ABOUT GOD • HE WAS WHERE I WAS ABOUT 13 OR 14 YEARS AGO • HE BELIEVED THAT GOD EXISTS • AND HE HAD STUDIED MANY RELIGIONS. 3 • MANY PHILOSOPHIES. • HE HAD DONE JUST WHAT I DID • TAKEN BITS AND PIECES OF EACH • AND BUILD HIS OWN RELIGION 4 • I CALL THIS BUFFET RELIGION • PICKING AND CHOOSING WHATEVER LOOKS GOOD TO YOU • I ASKED HIM HOW LIKELY IS IT THAT YOU’VE CHOSEN THE RIGHT PARTS OF EACH • HE AGREED IT WAS NOT VERY LIKELY 5 • THEN HE ASKED WHY I TRUSTED THE BIBLE TO BE RIGHT • AND WHY I THOUGHT ALL THE OTHERS WERE WRONG • I STARTED OFF BY EXPLAINING THAT THE BIBLE • IS THE ONLY BOOK THAT TELLS IT LIKE IT REALLY IS 6 • EVERY OTHER RELIGION SAYS WE CAN EARN GODS LOVE • WE CAN BE GOOD ENOUGH HE HAS TO LET US IN HEAVEN • EVERY OTHER RELIGION SAYS WE ARE BASICALLY GOOD • AND JUST NEED TO DO A FEW THINGS TO EARN A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD • HE THOUGHT THAT WAS INTERESTING • BUT HE STILL DID NOT UNDERSTAND HOW I KNEW THE BIBLE WAS GOD’S WORD • THEN I BEGAN TO EXPLAIN PROPHECY TO HIM 7 • THAT GOD’S WORD ACTUALLY STATED WHAT WOULD HAPPEN BEFORE IT HAPPENED • AND THEN THE THINGS GOD SAID WOULD HAPPEN ACTUALLY HAPPENED • I EXPLAINED THAT NO OTHER RELIGIOUS BOOK DID THIS 8 • IN THIS LIFE THERE ARE NOT MANY THINGS THAT ARE CERTAIN • MOST OF THIS WORLD IS FILLED WITH MAYBE, MIGHT, AND WHO KNOWS • AS CHRISTIANS WE NEED TO KNOW • FOR CERTAIN, WITHOUT A DOUBT, THAT THE BIBLE IS GOD’S WORD 9 10 • ONE OF THE THINGS GOD HAS DONE TO HELP US BE CERTAIN • IS TO INCLUDE PROPHETIC STATEMENTS IN THE BIBLE • STATEMENTS THAT WE CAN SEE COME TRUE IN HISTORY • STATEMENTS WE CAN UNDERSTAND WILL COME TRUE IN THE FUTURE 11 • OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS • WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE PROPHECIES • ABOUT THE MESSIAH COMING, ABOUT JESUS CHRIST BEING BORN 12 • TODAY WE WILL LOOK AT A COUPLA PROPHECIES ABOUT • WHERE THE MESSIAH WOULD COME FROM • WE WILL START IN GENESIS 49:10 GENESIS 49:10 13 “THE SCEPTER SHALL NOT DEPART FROM JUDAH, NOR THE RULER’S STAFF FROM BETWEEN HIS FEET, UNTIL SHILOH COMES, AND TO HIM SHALL BE THE OBEDIENCE OF THE PEOPLES. 14 Θ PROVIDES PROPHECIES FROM THE FIRST BOOK • APPROXIMATELY 1700 YEARS BEFORE CHRIST JACOB PROPHESIED • THAT THE MESSIAH WOULD BE FROM THE LINE OF JUDAH • THIS VERSE IS FOUND IN A SET OF PROPHECIES BY JACOB • HE TELLS EACH OF HIS SONS WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THEIR LINE • IN VERSE 10 HE TELLS JUDAH THAT HIS LINE WILL RULE • AND WILL RULE UNTIL “SHILOH” COMES • “UNTIL SHILOH COMES” IS THE KEY PHRASE 15 • BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN? • MANY OF YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THE JEWISH WORD SHALOM • IT MEANS PEACE BE WITH YOU • SHILOH COMES FROM THAT SAME ROOT WORD 16 17 • SHILOH MEANS THE ONE WHO BRINGS PEACE • AND THE WAY THIS IS WORDED IMPLIES • THAT THE ONE WHO BRINGS THIS PEACE WILL COME FROM THE LINE OF JUDAH • AND INDEED THE LINE OF JUDAH DOES RULE RIGHT UP UNTIL HEROD 18 • WHEN JESUS CHRIST WHO WILL BRING PEACE WAS BORN • ONE OF THE NAME OF CHRIST IS THE LION OF JUDAH • WE FIND THAT IN REVELATION 5:5 19 AND ONE OF THE ELDERS SAID TO ME, “STOP WEEPING; BEHOLD, THE LION THAT IS FROM THE TRIBE OF JUDAH, THE ROOT OF DAVID, HAS OVERCOME SO AS TO OPEN THE BOOK AND ITS SEVEN SEALS.” 20 • AND THE MESSIAH, THE LION OF JUDAH WILL BRING PEACE • HE BROUGHT PEACE WITH GOD • WHEN HE DIED ON THE CROSS TO PAY FOR OUR SINS • HE WILL BRING PEACE TO THE WORLD WHEN HE RETURNS MESSIAH WILL RULE • JACOB PROCLAIMS IN HIS PROPHECY THAT • “ TO HIM SHALL BE THE OBEDIENCE OF THE PEOPLES.” • NOW CLEARLY THIS DID NOT HAPPEN AT HIS FIRST COMING 21 • AND IT CERTAINLY IS NOT HAPPENING NOW • BUT WE CAN KNOW THAT IT WILL CERTAINLY HAPPEN WHEN HE RETURNS 22 PHILIPPIANS 2:10–11 23 SO THAT AT THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, OF THOSE WHO ARE IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH AND UNDER THE EARTH, AND THAT EVERY TONGUE WILL CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER. 24 • BECAUSE THE FIRST PART OF JACOB’S PROPHECY • CAME TRUE IN A VERY LITERAL SENSE • THE MESSIAH CAME FROM THE LINE OF JUDAH • THE MESSIAH CAME AND JUDAH’S PHYSICAL RULE ENDED 25 • WE CAN BE CERTAIN THAT THE LAST PART OF JACOB’S PROPHECY • WILL COME TRUE LITERALLY • “ TO HIM SHALL BE THE OBEDIENCE OF THE PEOPLES.” • ALL THE WORLD SHALL OBEY CHRIST AS KING 26 WE DON'T CARE MUCH FOR KINGS THESE DAYS • OTHER THAN THE OCCASIONAL ROYAL WEDDING • WE DON'T REALLY THINK MUCH ABOUT ROYALTY AT ALL IN AMERICA. • WE DON'T REALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF SOMEONE RULING. 27 • I THINK THIS IS BECAUSE WE'RE TOLD OVER AND OVER HOW IMPORTANT WE ARE. • EVERYONE SELLING US SOMETHING • TELLS US WE'RE WORTH IT, WE DESERVE IT, • ONE COMMERCIAL LITERALLY SAYS IT'S ALL ABOUT YOU. 28 • I THINK THAT'S WHY WE DON'T LIKE THE IDEA • OF A KING RULING OVER US BECAUSE THEN IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT US. • THE TRUTH IS IT'S NOT ABOUT US, IT NEVER HAS BEEN. • IT'S ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT GOD. 29 • EVERYTHING HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT GOD. • WE NEED TO BE WILLING TO LET HIM RULE OVER US • TO LET HIM BE THE LORD OF OUR LIVES • THIS PROPHECY SAYS; • TO HIM SHALL BE THE OBEDIENCE OF THE PEOPLES. 30 • THIS WILL BE COMPLETELY FULFILLED AT HIS SECOND COMING • WHEN EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW AND VERY TONGUE CONFESS • BUT AS CHRISTIANS WE SHOULD BE OBEYING NOW • OUT OF LOVE, AND GRATITUDE, FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR US • WE SHOULD BE OBEYING IN THE GOOD TIMES AND IN THE BAD TIMES 31 JEREMIAH 23:5–6 32 “BEHOLD, THE DAYS ARE COMING,” DECLARES THE LORD, “WHEN I WILL RAISE UP FOR DAVID A RIGHTEOUS BRANCH; AND HE WILL REIGN AS KING AND ACT WISELY AND DO JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS IN THE LAND. 33 “IN HIS DAYS JUDAH WILL BE SAVED, AND ISRAEL WILL DWELL SECURELY; AND THIS IS HIS NAME BY WHICH HE WILL BE CALLED, ‘THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.’ Θ PROVIDES PROPHECIES IN ROUGH TIMES 34 • JEREMIAH PROPHESIED AT A VERY ROUGH TIME • THE JEWISH PEOPLE WERE TURNING TO OTHER GODS • THERE HAD BEEN SOME VERY EVIL KINGS RUNNING THE COUNTRY 35 • THEY WERE OPPRESSING THE POOR THERE WAS NO JUSTICE • AND GOD IS ABOUT TO SEND THEM INTO EXILE IN BABYLON • BUT IN THESE ROUGH TIME GOD PROVIDES A PROPHECY FOR THEM TO HOLD ON TO • JEREMIAH SAYS 36 • “BEHOLD, THE DAYS ARE COMING,” DECLARES THE LORD, “WHEN I WILL RAISE UP FOR DAVID A RIGHTEOUS BRANCH; AND HE WILL REIGN AS KING • MANY OF THE KINGS FROM THE LINE OF DAVID • WERE NOT A RIGHTEOUS BRANCH, MOST WERE BAD KINGS • GOD THROUGH JEREMIAH TELLS THEM A RIGHTEOUS KING IS COMING • THIS PHRASE “THE DAYS ARE COMING” • MEANS “ITS GONNA BE A WHILE” 37 • AND THIS RIGHTEOUS KING WILL BE FROM THE LINE OF DAVID • THIS IS WHY WE SEE IN THE GOSPEL OF MATHEW • BEGIN WITH THE WORDS; 38 MATTHEW 1:1 39 THE RECORD OF THE GENEALOGY OF JESUS THE MESSIAH, THE SON OF DAVID, THE SON OF ABRAHAM: 40 • MATTHEW IS ESTABLISHING THAT JESUS IS FROM THE LINE OF DAVID • TO SHOW THAT THIS PROPHECY HAS BEEN FULFILLED • THE PROPHECY SAYS THE MESSIAH WILL REIGN AS KING 41 • AND HE WILL REIGN AS KING AND ACT WISELY AND DO JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS IN THE LAND. • MANY MEN HAVE REIGNED AS KING IN THIS WORLD • FEW DONE IT WISELY • EVEN LESS DO IT WITH JUSTICE 42 • ONLY ONE WILL DO IT WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS IN THE LAND • THE PROPHECY SHOULD HAVE COMFORT THE JEWISH PEOPLE IN THIS ROUGH TIME • THE SAME PROPHECY SHOULD COMFORT US IN OUR ROUGH TIMES • THE REASON IT SHOULD COMFORT US IS BECAUSE 43 MESSIAH WILL BRING SALVATION • IN HIS DAYS JUDAH WILL BE SAVED, AND ISRAEL WILL DWELL SECURELY; • JEREMIAH SAID THESE WORDS OVER 2500 YEARS AGO • AND IN 2500 YEARS ISRAEL HAS NOT DWELT SECURELY • THAT PART OF THE WORLD • HAS BEEN IN VIRTUALLY A CONSTANT STATE OF WAR ALL THIS TIME • AND YET WE CAN KNOW FOR CERTAIN • THAT THIS PART OF THE PROPHECY WILL COME TRUE 44 45 • WE CAN TRUST THIS BECAUSE THE FIRST PART CAME TRUE • GOD DID RAISE UP A RIGHTEOUS BRANCH FROM THE LINE OF DAVID • JESUS CHRIST, WHO LIVED A SINLESS LIFE • AND DIED ON THE CROSS TO PAY FOR OUR SINS 46 • HE ROSE AGAIN AFTER THREE DAYS, HE ASCENDED TO HEAVEN • AND HE IS COMING BACK • AND WHEN HE COMES BACK • “JUDAH WILL BE SAVED, AND ISRAEL WILL DWELL SECURELY” REVELATION 21:4 47 AND HE WILL WIPE AWAY EVERY TEAR FROM THEIR EYES; AND THERE WILL NO LONGER BE ANY DEATH; THERE WILL NO LONGER BE ANY MOURNING, OR CRYING, OR PAIN; THE FIRST THINGS HAVE PASSED AWAY.” 48 • THIS IS TRULY DWELLING IN SECURITY • THESE PROPHECIES HELP US IN ROUGH TIMES • THEY HELP US BECAUSE WE CAN KNOW FOR CERTAIN • THAT GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF US 49 • THAT WE WILL KNOW PEACE AND SECURITY • WE CAN KNOW THIS BECAUSE PROPHECIES PROVIDE • DETAILS ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN ISAIAH 11:1–10 50 THEN A SHOOT WILL SPRING FROM THE STEM OF JESSE, AND A BRANCH FROM HIS ROOTS WILL BEAR FRUIT. THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD WILL REST ON HIM, THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING, 51 THE SPIRIT OF COUNSEL AND STRENGTH, THE SPIRIT OF KNOWLEDGE AND THE FEAR OF THE LORD. AND HE WILL DELIGHT IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD, AND HE WILL NOT JUDGE BY WHAT HIS EYES SEE, NOR MAKE A DECISION BY WHAT HIS EARS HEAR; 52 BUT WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS HE WILL JUDGE THE POOR, AND DECIDE WITH FAIRNESS FOR THE AFFLICTED OF THE EARTH; AND HE WILL STRIKE THE EARTH WITH THE ROD OF HIS MOUTH, AND WITH THE BREATH OF HIS LIPS HE WILL SLAY THE WICKED. 53 ALSO RIGHTEOUSNESS WILL BE THE BELT ABOUT HIS LOINS, AND FAITHFULNESS THE BELT ABOUT HIS WAIST. AND THE WOLF WILL DWELL WITH THE LAMB, AND THE LEOPARD WILL LIE DOWN WITH THE YOUNG GOAT, 54 • AND THE CALF AND THE YOUNG LION AND THE FATLING TOGETHER; AND A LITTLE BOY WILL LEAD THEM. ALSO THE COW AND THE BEAR WILL GRAZE, THEIR YOUNG WILL LIE DOWN TOGETHER, 55 AND THE LION WILL EAT STRAW LIKE THE OX. THE NURSING CHILD WILL PLAY BY THE HOLE OF THE COBRA, AND THE WEANED CHILD WILL PUT HIS HAND ON THE VIPER’S DEN. THEY WILL NOT HURT OR DESTROY IN ALL MY HOLY MOUNTAIN, 56 FOR THE EARTH WILL BE FULL OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD AS THE WATERS COVER THE SEA. THEN IN THAT DAY THE NATIONS WILL RESORT TO THE ROOT OF JESSE, WHO WILL STAND AS A SIGNAL FOR THE PEOPLES; AND HIS RESTING PLACE WILL BE GLORIOUS. 57 Θ PROVIDES PROPHECIES WITH DETAILS • GOD TELLS US WHAT THE MESSIAH WILL BE LIKE. • FIRST HE TELLS US HE WILL COME FROM THE STEM OF JESSE • THE STEM MEANS THE STUMP • AT THIS POINT THAT IS ALL THAT IS LEFT OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE 58 • GOD WILL RAISE THE MESSIAH FROM THIS RUINED AND OPPRESSED SATE • AND THIS BRANCH FROM JESSE’S ROOTS WILL BEAR FRUIT • NEXT THIS PROPHECY GIVES US SOME DETAILS ABOUT THE MESSIAH • THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD WILL REST ON HIM 59 • THE IDEA OF REST MEANS TO REMAIN ON HIM • SEE MANY FOLKS HAD THE SPIRIT COME UPON THEM FOR A TIME • BUT PRIOR TO CHRIST COMING • NO ONE HAD THE SPIRIT REST ON THEM • BUT THE MESSIAH WILL HAVE THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD REST ON HIM • ISAIAH DESCRIBES THIS SPIRIT AS • THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING 60 61 • THE SPIRIT OF COUNSEL AND STRENGTH • AND THE SPIRIT OF KNOWLEDGE AND THE FEAR OF THE LORD • THIS IS THE SAME SPIRIT THAT RESTS ON US (PAUSE) • THE PROPHECY THEN PROVIDES 62 DETAIL ABOUT HOW THE MESSIAH WILL ACT • THE PROPHECY SAYS THAT THE MESSIAH WILL • NOT JUDGE BY WHAT HIS EYES SEE, NOR MAKE A DECISION BY WHAT HIS EARS HEAR; • WE SEE JESUS DO THIS VERY THING IN 63 JOHN 2:24 BUT JESUS, ON HIS PART, WAS NOT ENTRUSTING HIMSELF TO THEM, FOR HE KNEW ALL MEN, 64 • HE DID NOT JUDGE THE SITUATION BY WHAT HE SAW OR HEARD • BUT HE KNEW THE HEARTS OF MEN • IT GOES ON TO SAY THAT • WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS HE WILL JUDGE THE POOR, AND DECIDE WITH FAIRNESS FOR THE AFFLICTED OF THE EARTH; • THIS WAS A MAJOR ISSUE IN ISAIAH’S DAY • JUST LIKE IT IS A MAJOR ISSUE IN OUR DAY • REALLY IT IS PART OF THE FALLEN NATURE OF THE WORLD • THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A TIME SINCE THE FALL 65 • THAT FAIRNESS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS HAVE REIGNED ON THE EARTH • BUT WE CAN KNOW FOR CERTAIN THIS WILL HAPPEN WHEN CHRIST RETURNS • ISAIAH SAYS THE MESSIAH 66 67 • WILL STRIKE THE EARTH WITH THE ROD OF HIS MOUTH, AND WITH THE BREATH OF HIS LIPS HE WILL SLAY THE WICKED. • IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION WE FIND A DESCRIPTION OF THIS VERY THING REVELATION 19:15 68 FROM HIS MOUTH COMES A SHARP SWORD, SO THAT WITH IT HE MAY STRIKE DOWN THE NATIONS, AND HE WILL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON; AND HE TREADS THE WINE PRESS OF THE FIERCE WRATH OF GOD, THE ALMIGHTY. DETAILS OF THE RESULT 69 • ISAIAH TELLS US THE RESULTS OF THE MESSIAH COMING • AND THE WOLF WILL DWELL WITH THE LAMB, AND THE LEOPARD WILL LIE DOWN WITH THE YOUNG GOAT, AND THE CALF AND THE YOUNG LION AND THE FATLING TOGETHER 70 • THIS IS A DESCRIPTION OF PEACE • THE KIND OF PEACE THE WORLD HAS NOT KNOW SINCE THE GARDEN OF EDEN • PREDATORS AND PREY LIVING TOGETHER IN PEACE • AND THIS PEACE WILL NOT JUST BE AMONG THE ANIMALS 71 • THE PROPHET SAYS • THEY WILL NOT HURT OR DESTROY IN ALL MY HOLY MOUNTAIN, FOR THE EARTH WILL BE FULL OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD AS THE WATERS COVER THE SEA. • THIS PEACE DID NOT COME AT HIS BIRTH 72 • IT DID NOT COME AT HIS DEATH • IT HAS NOT COME IN THE 2000 YEARS SINCE HIS DEATH • BUT WE CAN KNOW FOR CERTAIN • THAT IT WILL COME AT HIS RETURN • WE CAN KNOW THIS, WE CAN BE CERTAIN • BECAUSE THE OTHER PARTS OF THIS PROPHECY HAVE COME TRUE PROPHECY REPEATS WHERE MESSIAH WILL COME FROM • THEN IN THAT DAY THE NATIONS WILL RESORT TO THE ROOT OF JESSE, WHO WILL STAND AS A SIGNAL FOR THE PEOPLES; • THIS PROPHECY HAS BEGINS WITH THE STATEMENT 73 74 • THAT THE MESSIAH WILL COME FROM THE LINE OF JESSE • AND IT ENDS WITH THE STATEMENT • THAT THE MESSIAH WILL COME FROM THE LINE OF JESSE • IT IS KINDA LIKE BOOKENDS 75 • WE HAVE IT CONFIRMED IN THE GOSPELS THAT • JESUS CHRIST WAS OF THE LINE OF DAVID WHO IS JESSE’S SON • SO WE KNOW THE BOOKENDS OF THIS PROPHECY ARE TRUE • THEREFORE WE CAN TRUST ALL THE PROPHECY IN THE MIDDLE • TO COME TRUE LITERALLY • HE WILL BRING JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS • HE WILL END INJUSTICE AND OPPRESSION • THERE WILL BE PEACE ON THE EARTH 76 77 • THE EARTH WILL BE FULL OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD • THAT DAY IS NOT NOW, BUT THAT DAY IS CERTAIN • THE PROPHECIES THAT STATED THAT THE MESSIAH • WOULD COME FROM THE LINE OF JUDAH 78 • THAT HE WOULD BE A DECEDENT OF DAVID • THAT HE WOULD COME FROM THE ROOT OF JESSE • ALL THESE HELP US TO TRUST IN, RELY ON • HIS VICTORY OVER DEATH ON THE CROSS • HIS ASCENSION TO HEAVEN WHERE HE SITS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER • AND HIS INEVITABLE RETURN TO RULE ON THE EARTH 79 THAT YOUNG MAN 80 • HAD ASKED WHY I TRUSTED THE BIBLE TO BE TRUE • AND DID NOT BELIEVE IN ALL THE OTHER BOOKS • I TOLD HIM THE BIBLE IS THE ONLY BOOK THAT SAYS 81 • WE ARE SINNERS IN NEED OF A SAVIOR • EVERY OTHER BOOK SAYS WE CAN SAVE OURSELVES • HE WAS NOT CONVINCED • SO I TOLD HIM ABOUT PROPHECY 82 • THAT THE BIBLE IS THE ONLY BOOK • WHERE GOD TELLS US WHAT WILL HAPPEN • AND IT HAPPENS JUST LIKE HE SAID IT WOULD • THIS DID NOT CONVINCE HIM TO TRUST THE BIBLE • BUT HE DID UNDERSTAND WHY I TRUSTED THE BIBLE • AND HE DID BEGIN TO ASK ME MORE ABOUT • CHRIST AND HOW WE ARE CALLED TO LIVE (PAUSE) • ONE OF THE REASONS GOD PROVIDES PROPHECY 83 • IS TO THAT WE CAN KNOW THE BIBLE IS FROM GOD • THIS HELPS US TO TRUST IN HIM • IT HELPS US TO TRUST THAT HE CAME IN THE FORM OF A MAN • HE LIVED A SINLESS LIFE AND DIED ON THE CROSS TO PAY FOR OUR SINS.. 84 85