Previously - Part 1
The Hope of a Savior King
Jeremiah 23:
5 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’
יְהֹוָה צִדְקֵנוּ Yĕhovah tsidqenuw
Matthew 1:
20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying,
“Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.
The Messiah Prophets Predicted
His Name IS Jesus, the Christ and Messiah. Only a remnant of faithful would come to the Messiah and recognize this King of righteousness. Many are called; few are chosen. He came to his own, yet they received him not.
In the seventh and sixth century before Christ idolatry would replace worship of the Lord. The Temple would fall, though prophets warned the people of the error of their ways.
Are we so much less idolatrous?
Do more than a few, a mere remnant, even now remain faithful to God?
In addition to holding out the hope of a Messiah to come, Jeremiah warns against evil leaders and false prophets:
Jeremiah 23:
Their course is evil,
and their might is not right.11 “Both prophet and priest are ungodly;
even in my house I have found their evil,
declares the Lord.
Lies of evil leaders and false Prophets
- Do shepherds of these last days seem ungodly? Do false prophets since Christ yet stir hatred into the evil hearts of violent men?
- Will any nation, shepherd, priest or prophet endure the wrath of the LORD when judged apart from the holy, sinless and risen Savior of lost sheep?
Jeremiah 23:16
Thus says the Lord of hosts:
“Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord.
17 They say continually to those who despise the word of the Lord,
‘It shall be well with you’; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, ‘No disaster shall come upon you.’”
21 “I did not send the prophets,
yet they ran;
I did not speak to them,
yet they prophesied.
23 “Am I a God at hand, declares the Lord, and not a God far away? 24 Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord. 25 I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’
Power Prevails against False Prophets and Evil Shepherds
Yes, men seeking power will claim gods or prophets of their own desires. Idolatry against the Living God!
Men seeking power will always deny the Lord.
Evil men will always lead others toward their own destruction, rejecting the Lord who forgives through Christ’s sacrifice. They do not bow down to to God’s own love for those He made in His own Image, but rather wallow in their own inevitable hopelessness. Vain hopes.
God only will judge!
He will lead. And to those called to His love, the Lord will redeem them in love with great grace through His own sacrifice.
True Prophets such as Jeremiah and true kings such as David have spoken the word of the Lord.
They have pointed to the truth of the Messiah, truth for those ‘with ears to hear‘ of His great love and mercy.
To be continued…
Next: Amos
