12/12/2022
Jesus is More than a Baby
Pastor Jerry Miller
Southtown Commentary
With the passing of Queen Elisabeth, her son Charles became the king of England. The succession of kings has been taking place in England for many years. Similar succession took place in Israel/Judea from the time of King David. After many kings, the kingdom eventually fell and the people were taken into captivity. Eventually the captivity ended and the people returned to their land, but were ruled by governors under other countries rather than having their own nation with their own king.
Still the people remembered stories of a time when they were an independent nation. While they were in captivity, the prophet Daniel had predicted that a new king would eventually come and he even gave the date (Daniel 9:25). The date was 33 years after the birth of Christ. Of course we do not expect a person to become king as soon as they are born, so if the scholars knew that a king would be coming in about 30 years, it would not be a surprise for them to expect that he would be born any time.
As we read the first chapter of Matthew, we find out that Joseph, the step father of Jesus, was a direct descendant of King David and the other kings and that he had the royal blood to be able to be the king if they were an independent nation. So would his son- even an adopted son. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem he became Joseph's adopted son. Further, Jesus' mother Mary was also a descendant of King David (Luke 3:23-31).
So we have baby Jesus being born at just the right time according to Daniel's prophecy and he is born into a family that would qualify him to be their king. Further he ends up being born in the precise place where the prophet Micah had said that the one they were waiting for would be born. "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." (Micah 5:2)
The wise men end up coming from the east to bring gifts to the baby. They are bringing gifts because they know he is a king. Hundreds of years earlier Daniel had been a captive in a land to the east. It is likely that these wise men were aware of his prophecy and of the date. When they arrive in Israel after Jesus' birth, they ask where he is. The chief priests and scribes are asked and they site Micah 5:2 and say that he must be in Bethlehem. (Matthew 2:1-6). In other words, those who knew the Scripture the best understood that their king would be born in Bethlehem.
Thus the wise men go and worship Jesus, but they are worship more than a king. Daniel had made it clear that Jesus was not an ordinary leader when he said, "I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. "And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations, and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:13-14)
The prophet Isaiah had also made a clear statement about King Jesus when he said, “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.” (Isaiah 9:6)
The wise men were not just coming to worship a king, they were coming to worship our Mighty God.
As we remember Jesus birth, let us realize that he was more than a baby, he is a king. But he is also more than a king, he is God. God came to earth as a man because God loved us enough to come and pay for our sins. Our sins are paid for when we believe Jesus has the authority of God and King and we surrender to that authority. Trust him, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) www.southtownchurch,com
