The Christ would both a King and a Priest

For Unto Us A Child Is Born...

Prophecy Fulfilled in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth

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The Christ (Messiah) would be a prophet...

Prophecy:

"I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.

And the Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him."

Deuteronomy 18:15-19

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Fulfillment:

"And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee."

Matthew 21:11

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"Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world."

John 6:14

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"And he (Jesus) came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people."

Luke 7:14-16

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The Christ would both a King and a Priest

Prophecy:

"And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord: Even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both."

Zechariah 6:12-13

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Fulfillment:

"On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord."

John 12:12-13

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"NOW of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;"

Hebrews 8:1

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Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

Good News of Salvation

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,

To proclaim the year of the LORD's favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,

And provide for those who grieve in Zion-
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.

They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.

Isaiah 61:-13 NIV

Looking for that blessed hope

Looking for that blessed hope,
and the glorious appearing of
the great God and our
Saviour Jesus Christ;

Titus 2:13 KJV

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Declare what is to be, present it-- let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago, who declared it from the distant past? Was it not I, the LORD? And there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me.

Isaiah 45:21 NIV

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Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.

Psalms 68:19 KJV

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By dread deeds thou dost answer us with deliverance, O God of our salvation, who art the hope of all the ends of the earth, and of the farthest seas;

Psalms 65:5 RSV

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But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Luke 2:10-12 NASB

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God, Whose grace is all sufficient, be glorified!

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith that
saves is faith in Him.

Grateful for His Promise of Future Blessings!

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you.

I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

John 14:1-3 NIV

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By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

Hebrews 11:9,10,16 KJV

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"But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.

"He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

Revelation 3:4,5 NASB

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Thanks be unto God for his indescribable gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

Thanks be to God!

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

Romans 7:24-26 NIV

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Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.

1 Corinthians 10:16-17 NIV

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The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:56-58 KJV

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Thanks be unto God for his wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

Maintain Thankfulness

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Colossians 2:6,7 NIV

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And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Colossians 3:14-16 KJV

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Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.

Hebrews 12:28,29 NASB

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Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

Satisfy Hunger

I'm at a time in life when a lot of my friends are having their first child. And as I've watched these newborns, I've noticed that there are at least two things that are critical to an infant's growth: first, liquid nourishment and, as they get a little older, solid food.

And you know what? The same thing is true spiritually.

What Does the Bible Say

In John 3 we see Jesus describing our new spiritual life--our life in Him--as being born again. "Jesus answered him, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God'" (John 3:3 ESV).

Elsewhere in Scripture, we find that spiritual lives, like physical lives, need nourishment too. In Hebrews we see a description of this spiritual nourishment.

"For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil (Hebrews 5:12-14, ESV).

Our spiritual nourishment comes from the Word of God. And the Bible provides milk for those who are new in their relationship with Christ as well as solid food for those who have learned to discern between good and evil.

It's sad to see those who have been believers for years, yet are unable to answer simple questions from the Bible. These people need to move from the milk of the Word to the meat. How do we do that? It takes a little time and a healthy diet of God's Word.

My Thoughts

Read again Hebrews 5:12-14 above and think about the following questions:

What were the basic principles of God's Word called? Can you name one?

While we all start with learning the basic principles, what does the writer of Hebrews urge us to do?

What are those, who are mature, able to do that others can't do?

My Part

If you're reading these daily Bible Minute studies, you've already come a long way toward spiritual maturity. But make sure you're taking time to read God's Word and listening to what God has to say to you. Books about the Bible are good, but they're no substitute for the Word of God. Also, look around. Maybe at home or at work there are people you can encourage to become more spiritually mature. Ask God for wisdom as you seek to help them.

What Does God Say?

My Thoughts

My Part

Facts and Faith

Daily Bible Study

Topic: Salvation, Faith/Trust

Facts and Faith

Facts and faith are often thought of as contradictory; the two just don't go together. But the Bible teaches that, like the two wings of an airplane, both are necessary in our relationship with God.

What Does God Say?

"Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God's eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord's commandments and regulations. They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old.
"One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying.
"While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. But the angel said, 'Don't be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.'
"Zechariah said to the angel, 'How can I be sure this will happen? I'm an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.'
"Then the angel said, 'I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! But now, since you didn't believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time'" (Luke 1:6-20, NLT).

1. Why did Zechariah react the way he did to the message of the angel?
2. Were you surprised by the angel's response to Zechariah's lack of faith?
3. What example in Scripture should Zechariah have turned to (hint: it's in Genesis)?

My Thoughts

Are we related to Zechariah? Not by birth, but often by lack of faith? See how your faith accepts these facts.

"Jesus told her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.'"(John 11:25, NLT).

"[Jesus said,] 'Don't you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me." (John 14:10)

And here is a fact: if you will receive Jesus by faith, God will forgive your sins and give you a home with Him in heaven for all eternity. The apostle Paul tells us in Romans:

"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved." (Romans 10:9-10, NLT).

My Part

God could have done whatever He wanted to bring the message of salvation through Christ to this world. He could have written it across the skies so you and I could look up at the heavens and read it. He could have inscribed it on the palm of your hand so every time you uncurled your fingers, there you would see the message that God loves you and has provided a Redeemer for you.

Instead, God gave us His Word, the Bible. And He gave us His Holy Spirit to apply that Word to our hearts. And He gave us the gift of faith (Romans 12:3) that we might respond.

Take time today to thank God for all these wonderful gifts.

What Does God Say?

My Thoughts

My Part

Applied Faith

Daily Bible Study

Topic: Jesus, Obedience/Discipleship, Faith/Trust

Applied Faith

Some people just love numbers! They revel in figures, formulas and statistics. They're grounded in the reality of facts, eager to determine concrete solutions for problems. And that's great....unless Jesus is asking for more.

What Does God Say?

In John 6:5-14, Philip, one of Jesus' disciples, was busy with figures and facts. They were in a hungry crowd, with no pizza delivery and no money to pay the bill. For Philip, the problem was this: 5,000 people + 5 loaves of bread + 2 fish=big disaster!

"Jesus said to Philip, 'Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?'.... Philip answered him, 'Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little'" (John 6:5, 7, ESV). And he was right. But Philip only saw the facts before him, so he crunched out his formula and came up short.

Jesus had another idea. Look at John 6:6, the verse we skipped, "He [Jesus] said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do" (ESV). Jesus knew what He was going to do; He just asked Philip to give this disciple an opportunity to grow in faith. Jesus wasn't asking for solutions--He already had one in mind. He was looking for a heart that would trust Him. Philip was so busy considering his options and obstacles that he completely forgot who he was talking to.

Someone, however, did have an inkling of faith's possibilities. John 6:8-9 says, "One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, 'There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?'" (ESV) Andrew saw something Jesus could work with, but he wasn't sure what was possible. But as Jesus said at another time, "What is impossible with men is possible with God" (Luke 18:27 ESV).

Faith doesn't ignore the facts; it just adds Jesus. Faith is confident in what Jesus can do, who He is and what He promises. It views the facts or numbers through the lens of Jesus' power and places them all into His hands.

My Thoughts

There were other times when Jesus looked for faith from people who were caught up in facts and circumstances.

Mark 2:1-12

Mark 7:24-30

John 4:46-54

John 9:1-7, 24-38

• What are the facts?
• How was someone required to exercise faith?
• What were the results?

My Part

So, what about you? Caught up in the facts or numbers of your circumstances? Are you lost in a problem which seems to have no formula or solution? Then take a few minutes to make some notes:

• What are the "facts" or "numbers"?
• Strip it down to the essentials.
• Can you see two or three ways you might take a step in faith?
• Then add those to your notes.

Now, take your notes to Jesus in prayer. Remember, it's not that you disregard the facts, but that you ask Jesus to take care of the equation. Ask Him for His help; give the "five loaves and two fish" into His hands.

What Does God Say?

My Thoughts

My Part

Living in View of Eternity

How's your eyesight, your spiritual eyesight that is? We can have perfect 20/20 vision and still not see everything we need to see spiritually. Sometimes we get focused on our daily lives, the problems, the struggles and the successes of this world and live with an exclusively earthly vision when God has called us to live our lives in view of eternity, asking ourselves, what really matters?

What Does God Say?

"The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, 'Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?' So the people came streaming from the village to see him.
"Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus, 'Rabbi, eat something.'
"But Jesus replied, 'I have a kind of food you know nothing about'" (John 4:28-32, NLT).
What were the disciples thinking about?
What was Jesus thinking about?
What happened as a result of Jesus taking the time to talk to the Samaritan woman?

My Thoughts

Because Jesus took the time to meet the need of an immoral woman, who was not even a Jewess but part of a nation shunned by the Jews, a great many people heard about Him and came to see Him. Jesus lived in view of eternity. He lived his life on earth focusing on what really mattered--and what mattered most at that moment was not Jesus' need for physical food (Although that's what the disciples were thinking about.) His eternal view required Him to meet the needs of the woman. Imagine the kind of impact we could have if we did the same

Ask yourself:

Do I take time to look around and see the needs of others?
If I don't, how can I slow down enough to become aware of other peoples' needs?

My Part

A lot of us have appointment books and electronic calendars. We map out our schedules, and we like to stick to them. In fact, our lives seem to run more smoothly if we do stay in a routine. But a problem occurs when we've scheduled our lives so closely that we don't see another person who needs a little encouragement or a helping hand. Today think about those around you. Who is in need? Who can you help? Pray that God will give you a vision like His--to see the needs of others. In the end, that's what really matters.

What Does God Say?

My Thoughts

My Part

Renewing the Mind

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Romans 12:2

Recommended Reading 2 Corinthians 10:1-5

The Autobiography of Martin Luther King Jr. is a book based on Dr. King's speeches and writings. "I went to high school on the other side of town," he once said, "to the Booker T. Washington High School. I had to get the bus in what was known as the Fourth Ward and ride over to the West Side. In those days, rigid patterns of segregation existed on the buses so that Negroes had to sit in the backs of buses . . . I would end up having to go to the back of that bus with my body; but every time I got on that bus, I left my mind up on the front seat. And I said to myself, ‘One of these days, I'm going to put my body up there where my mind is.'"

And he did.

Our lives always end up where our minds are. If our brain thinks depressed thoughts, dirty thoughts, or bitter thoughts, that's what we'll become. How important to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

Today take every thought captive for Christ.

Our defeat or victory begins with what we think; and if we guard our thoughts, we shall not have much trouble anywhere else along the line.
Vance Havner

Forgiveness

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive
us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." --1 John 1:9

God, thank You for Your forgiveness. I know that I don't deserve
it, but I praise You for faithfully forgiving me.

Help me to clear any roadblocks in my path that may be preventing
me from forgiving others.

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Ask God to shine His light into the darkness of your heart

BIBLE MEDITATION:
“Lord, lift Thou up the light of Thy countenance upon us.”
Psalm 4:6

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
How easy it is to be deceived when we are not walking in the light of God’s Word. Charles Lindbergh tells about the time he was flying in a dense fog over Newfoundland. He noticed moisture beginning to freeze on the wings of his plane and thought, “This great adventure is going to come to an untimely end. What shall I do?” Then, he had a moment of inspiration. He pulled his plane up and out of the fog and burst into the dazzling sunlight. Have you ever felt like you were living in a fog? Friend, He has a word of encouragement for you. You can get near to the heart of God. His light can shine even in the darkest corner of your heart.

ACTION POINT:
Ask God to shine His light into the darkness of your heart. Ask Him to reveal your doubts and fears. Ask Him to reveal your sin that lies covetously in your heart. Then, get ready for a blessing. Draw up close because when you repent, He’ll reach in with healing forgiveness.

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A Long Haul

I beseech
you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your
bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your
reasonable service.

Romans 12:1

Recommended Reading Mark 15:21-26

When
we've dedicated our bodies as living sacrifices to Christ, we don't
just sit around and enjoy the experience. We constructively go out and
serve.

One Sunday in
Copenhagen, Corrie ten Boom, 80, spoke from Romans 12:1, urging her
audience to present their bodies to Christ as living sacrifices. After
church, two nurses invited her to their apartment for lunch, and Corrie
went with them—only to discover they lived on the tenth floor, and
there was no elevator. The task of mounting those stairs was almost
more than she could stand, and she wondered if she might die en route.
"Perhaps I am leaving earth to go to heaven," she complained to herself.