Title: The Faith of Immanuel
Contents
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6. O ye flee from the land of the north, saith the LORD, for I have scattered you like the wind in the four winds of heaven, saith the LORD.
7. You must flee now, O Zion who dwells in the city of Babylon.
8. For this is what the LORD of hosts says: For glory he has sent me to the nations where I plundered you; whoever transgresses you transgresses the pupil of his eye.
9. I will move my hand over them, and they will become a prey to those who served him. You will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me.
10. Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, says the LORD, for I will come and dwell among you.
11. In that day many nations will belong to the LORD and become my people, and I will remain among you, and you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you.
12. The LORD will take Judah as his possession in the holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem.
13. All flesh shall be silent before the LORD, for the LORD rises from his holy dwelling place."
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18. This is the birth of Jesus Christ: His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, and before they lived together, it was found that she had been conceived by the Holy Spirit.
19. Her husband Joseph was a righteous man, and he wanted to cut off her secretly,
20. As he was thinking about this, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife, for she who has been conceived is of the Holy Spirit.
21. You will give birth to a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.
22. All these things took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken through the prophets, saying,
23. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and he shall call his name Immanuel, which is translated, God with us.
24. And Joseph awoke from sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded, and brought his wife.
25. They did not lie with her until she gave birth to a son, and when she gave birth, he called his name Jesus.
Content
Title: The Faith of Immanuel
Text: Zechariah 2:6-13, Matthew 1:18-25
During the Babylonian captivity, a life was born to the priestly family of Iddo. The parents named the baby Zechariah. The baby's name means 'the one remembered by the Lord'. It seems to be a name that contains the wishes of parents that make them think about the historical situation of the Israeli nation. He seems to have been carrying out the vocation of a prophet from a young age (Nehemiah 12:1-4, Zechariah 2:4). A younger contemporary of the prophet Haggai, the governor Zerubbabel, and the high priest Joshua, he is said to have accompanied him during the first return from the Babylonian captivity (537 B.C.). He is a prophet who was active until around 470 B.C. before the 2nd return to the Babylonian captivity (458 B.C.). The rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, which started with Zerubbabel, has come to a halt due to internal and external obstacles. His prophetic work was characterized by many visions like Ezekiel (8). These are the revelations necessary for the history you want to fulfill.
In this historical background, today's Old Testament text (Zechariah 2:6-13) is located. Salvation always comes from God. This is the word of the LORD Almighty. 'Come back to me. I am the LORD of hosts, saith the LORD. Then I will return to you. saith the LORD of hosts” (Zechariah 1:3). Do not imitate the habits of your ancestors (Zechariah 1:4). The older a habit is, the harder it is to overcome. Listening to the word of Jehovah anytime, anywhere is the way to live. If there is no fire, the opportunity of salvation becomes a crisis of destruction (Jeremiah 6:19). These are the words given to Zechariah at that time. He says the period of darkness is over (Zechariah 2:6). The end of the Babylonian captivity. The truth is, even when your people faced historical judgment, Jehovah God's love continued. At that time, he also said that he looked at you like the pupil of the eye (Zechariah 2:8).
It is a declaration of salvation history. Here, ‘Zion’ is not a place name (Zechariah 2:7), but a title for each of the chosen people. ‘Sing and rejoice, daughter of Zion. for I will come and dwell among you” (Zechariah 2:10). This is the next word. “I will dwell among you” (Zechariah 2:11). “The LORD rose from his sanctuary” (Zechariah 2:13). The people's response to God's promise of salvation is 'rejoicing'. Of course, this is just a promise, even though the realization is at the point of 'not yet'. Whenever He speaks of Messiah's salvation, He makes the same request (Zechariah 9:9). Such a response is possible only if you have faith in the God who has spoken. Faith in God's faithfulness (Numbers 23:19). Such faith not only pleases us, but also pleases God (Hebrews 11:6). This is possible only in a relationship of true faith.
Today's New Testament text (Matthew 1:18-25) is the account of the birth of Jesus written by Matthew. Joseph, a young man who was betrothed to Mary, was a rare young man at the time (Matthew 1:19). The title of the angel of the Lord who appeared, “Joseph, son of David,” also speaks of this. He says that the life in Mary's womb is life through the Holy Spirit, and even gives the name of life to be born. ‘Call Jesus. for he is the one who will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). “All these things happened that the word of the Lord might be fulfilled through the prophet” (Matthew 2:15,23; 4:14; 8:17; 12:17; 13:35). “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). Through the Old and New Testaments, the grace of Immanuel is the grace of the highest and the highest. It is the meaning of the coming of the Messiah in the flesh and the coming of the Holy Spirit.