Title: Jesus, the Messiah (Isaiah 11:1-9)
Contents
Title Jesus, He is the Messiah / Scripture Isa 11:1-9 / Space Daebok Church
*** Introduction
Although they have a small body, there are creatures that threaten the life of all animals. ‘Rattlesnake’. Rattlesnakes can take down even elephants with their deadly fangs that spit venom. However, they do not use poisonous fangs to fight other rattlesnakes. Even lions and wolves fight for dominance in their territory, but do not kill their opponents. Although they are small creatures, they have their own laws of coexistence.
The word “peace” is a symbol of peace, which is an ideology of peace that expresses the shape of two hearts coexisting side by side. In the Japanese character for harmony, 禾 (rice flower) is attached to the side of 口 (entrance). In other words, it means 'economic peace' that there is rice in the mouth. If there is enough food for both people and animals, there will be no fighting.
But why is it so noisy in today's world where everything seems to be affluent? The fact is not the affluent, but the absolute majority, more than half of the world's population, are poor. But the human world doesn't just fight because it's poor. The desire to have more. People who are called the lords of all things are committing acts that are even worse than the smallest things.
The whole world is covered with tidings of concern and concern rather than tidings of peace. Greenhouse effect reduction negotiations, mine ban negotiations, trade pressures, disarmament negotiations, resource depletion, alternative energy development, space exploration, ocean development, etc. Indeed, it makes us realize that the Lord of Peace is a desperate season.
Environmentally, extreme weather events due to global warming occur all over the world. Socially, violence is rampant, human rights are violated, the threat of war continues, economic instability, economic crisis, job insecurity, etc. There is no peace anywhere. Rather, the vicious circle of problems has reached a point where we cannot solve it on our own.
In this age, the Messiah's peace is desperately needed. Nevertheless, people do not seek the Messiah. The people of this age make money the Messiah, power the messiah, knowledge the messiah, resources and material the messiah.
is a Hebrew word, meaning “the anointed one.” But the expression we are familiar with is Christ (Χρ στ ), which is the Greek translation of Χρ στ . The word 'Jesus Messiah' means 'Jesus is the anointed one of God'.
This idea of the Messiah was the sentiment of the people of Israel. After the fall of the southern kingdom of Judah in 586 B.C.E., no more kings could come out of Israel. And you will spend 400 years of spiritual darkness without the word of God and no prophets until Jesus comes. Therefore, the people were expecting a divine being to appear to destroy the enemies and save the nation. They looked forward to the fulfillment of God's promise to send the Messiah through the prophets. The Israelites saw the Messiah as the one who destroyed their enemies and saved them. This is called this, and it has become the sentiment of the nation of Israel. They did not expect a weak, cross-bearing Messiah, but a political Messiah armed with strength and power. When Jesus died on the cross and the disappointing disciples were scattered, we can confirm that fact through the two disciples who went to Emmaus. In Luke 24:21, the first half says, “We hoped that this man would be the one to redeem Israel.”
Today, this age is a spiritually dark night, just like the situation at the time when the Israelites looked forward to the Messiah. Thousands of people call ‘Jesus’, but each sees it as a means to fulfill their desires. So, who is Jesus on the cross?
1. Jesus is the Messiah.
Jesus came to this earth as a descendant of David as prophesied by the prophets of the Old Testament. The coming of the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament is said to be in the last days. Therefore, the fulfillment of the prophecy indicates that the end has come. In Hebrews 9:26, “… Now he has appeared at the end of the world to take away sins by the sacrifice of himself once for all.”
The coming of Jesus is a clear proclamation of the end times. And it is a proclamation that man should no longer be a wandering being, dwelling in sin. In other words, we must not struggle in pain and suffering, but stand confidently as a victor through Jesus Christ.
That's right. The coming of Jesus is a declaration that man is no longer a refuge from sin, and that his lost relationship with God has been restored. In this way, Jesus is the Messiah who leads people out of the seat of death and into a new order in which they have life. Therefore, believers must boldly fight against sin and defend and preach freedom and life.
The salvation of Jesus was accompanied by grace that overflowed with grace. He not only gave us life, but also sent the Holy Spirit so that we can enjoy a more abundant life. The event of the coming of the Holy Spirit does not happen through man's self-development and exploration. This is the total grace and gift of God to those who have believed and accepted the Messiah. Look at Acts 2:38. “Peter said to him, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
The saints of the last days can do all things through the Holy Spirit. He Himself intercedes with groanings that cannot be uttered, even until we fail to pray. This is so that the saints can follow Jesus Christ to the end (Romans 8:26).
2. Jesus is the Ruler.
Let's look at verses 3-5.
One of the important functions of the Messiah is that of a king, the supreme ruler. The title of Messiah is used 39 times in the Old Testament. Of these, 30 were used to refer to the king. Therefore, it can be seen that the original function of the Messiah is that of a king to rule.
Among the functions of the king, the foremost function is to save the people from the threat of war. Judges in the period of the judges played a similar role. Judges such as Othniel, Gideon, and Samson also worked to save Israel from their enemies. However, these judges were not called Messiah, but 'saviors'. The judges were commanded by God to go and save the people, but they did not achieve perfect rule.
But the kings were anointed by God to be the Messiah, to save the people, and to rule over them. Furthermore, the Messiah as King is the peacekeeper, the one who puts an end to wars and makes peace. Then, although the Messiah has already come, the wars on this earth do not stop, and why is there no peace? Why is there not peace on this earth? To understand the reason, we need to know the background of today's text.
In 733 BC, the king of Israel and the king of Syria formed an alliance and attempted to attack Assyria. At that time, they asked the king of southern Judah to make an alliance with them. However, he refused the alliance. The Israeli and Syrian allies then attacked southern Judah before attacking Assyria. In this crisis, God sent a prophet to preach the prophecy of Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:3-4, “Then the LORD said to Isaiah at that time, You and your son Shealjashub, at the end of the waterway of the Upper Lake, go out on the road to the launderer's field, and meet Ahaz and say to him, Be careful and be quiet. Although Rezin king of Syria and the son of Remaliah are very angry, do not be afraid and do not lose heart, for they are but two poker stumps that smoke. … 14 Therefore, the Lord Himself will give it to you as a sign. Purple. The virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and he shall call his name Immanuel.”
But Ahaz rejected this and resorted to the power of the Gentiles. It is a natural fact that people who rejected God's grace were destroyed (Isaiah 7:12, 8:6-8). What is the sign of Immanuel here? It means that God will not be with King Ahaz, who relies only on human strength and distrusts God.
In other words, the way to overcome the crisis of war or the crisis of national existence is possible only with absolute trust in God. It is not only applicable to countries or peoples, but also to individuals. When applied to individuals, it has the function of a shepherd. The shepherd's job is to guide the sheep and protect their lives from external threats. In this way, peace is possible only when we believe and trust in God.
3. Jesus is the Messiah who creates a just world.
Let's look at verse 5.
In the text, the Messiah is described as one who rules with “justice and integrity.” This means fair judgment and no injustice. The goal is to create a society where there is no one who suffers unfair treatment by treating it unequally, and there is no one who has any ties to it.
Looking at our society today, are there one or two things that make you cry? Wealth and power are at odds. If you have money and power, you can kill a lot of people and be calm. But how often are weak, petty citizens treated as their scapegoat?
Indeed, the world wants peace, but there is no peace anywhere except for the rumors of war. Only the Messiah can solve this problem. That is why he said that the peace of the Lord springs forth from those who have the Lord.
-John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. What I give to you is not as the world gives. Let not your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid.”
What we Christians have to do in this unstable generation is to create a world where integrity and justice are recognized. Because Christians are people in the image of the Messiah.
Jesus is the Messiah of this generation. And we are like a follower of this Messiah. If that is the case, then Christians who are under the Messiah's rule now will have to build a just society on this earth that the Messiah will complete in the future.
Now, as followers of the Messiah, I pray in the name of the Lord that we preach this Messiah and become soldiers of Christ who build integrity and justice in this generation.