When you read the Gospels, you quickly see that this baby, this child, was born to die. He would become a sacrifice for the sins of the world on the cross. God knew that man would choose to go his own way and step out of the place of blessing, where we once walked with the Lord in the cool of the day. He knew we would sin and put ourselves in a position of responsibility for those sins.
Because of love, Jesus came to rescue us from the consequences of our sins. God the Father's reason for sending His Son was His love for us. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son (John 3:16). He did not spare His own Son but delivered Him up for us all (Romans 8:32).
The cross is the centerpiece of Christianity. I want you to understand that I believe the cross is paramount. It brings reconciliation between us and God. But the cross is not all there is to Christianity; there is more. We have examined the verses related to the birth of the Messiah and seen how they were perfectly fulfilled. But what about all those verses that speak of the Messiah with words like royalty, dominion, ruling, sitting on a throne, and government? We have not yet seen the fulfillment of those promises.
Because of love, Jesus came to rescue us from the consequences of our sins. God the Father's reason for sending His Son was His love for us. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son (John 3:16). He did not spare His own Son but delivered Him up for us all (Romans 8:32).
The cross is the centerpiece of Christianity. I want you to understand that I believe the cross is paramount. It brings reconciliation between us and God. But the cross is not all there is to Christianity; there is more. We have examined the verses related to the birth of the Messiah and seen how they were perfectly fulfilled. But what about all those verses that speak of the Messiah with words like royalty, dominion, ruling, sitting on a throne, and government? We have not yet seen the fulfillment of those promises.
Listen to this often-quoted verse about the Messiah from Isaiah: 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. There will be no end to the increase of His government or peace. On the throne of David and over His kingdom, to establish it and uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of armies will accomplish this (Isaiah 9:6-7).
We pray for this whenever we say the Lord's Prayer, “Thy Kingdom come!” We ask for the day when Jesus will return and begin His reign. His Kingdom will have a King, both on earth and in heaven. When we pray that prayer, we ask for His rule and for His government to be established on earth. He will bring peace to our world.
He will rule with a rod of iron. That phrase once sounded intimidating to me, but now I love the idea of righteous rule without graft, corruption, or lawlessness. I find comfort in knowing He will rule with perfect integrity, wielding His authority with justice and righteousness. His rule will be what we long for—a Kingdom established in peace and truth for all eternity.
Sweet little Jesus child, who are You?
We pray for this whenever we say the Lord's Prayer, “Thy Kingdom come!” We ask for the day when Jesus will return and begin His reign. His Kingdom will have a King, both on earth and in heaven. When we pray that prayer, we ask for His rule and for His government to be established on earth. He will bring peace to our world.
He will rule with a rod of iron. That phrase once sounded intimidating to me, but now I love the idea of righteous rule without graft, corruption, or lawlessness. I find comfort in knowing He will rule with perfect integrity, wielding His authority with justice and righteousness. His rule will be what we long for—a Kingdom established in peace and truth for all eternity.
Sweet little Jesus child, who are You?
When John—the gospel writer who knew Jesus closely during His earthly life—was an older man, he was exiled to the island of Patmos and sentenced to hard labor. One Sunday, as he was in the Spirit, he heard a voice behind him.
“Then I turned to see the voice speaking with me. I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet and wrapped around the chest with a golden sash. His head and hair were white like white wool, like snow, and His eyes were like a flame of fire. His feet were like burnished bronze when heated to a glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many glasses of water.
He held seven stars in His right hand, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and His face was like the sun shining in its strength.
“Then I turned to see the voice speaking with me. I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet and wrapped around the chest with a golden sash. His head and hair were white like white wool, like snow, and His eyes were like a flame of fire. His feet were like burnished bronze when heated to a glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many glasses of water.
He held seven stars in His right hand, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and His face was like the sun shining in its strength.
I fell at His feet like a dead man when I saw Him. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, ‘Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades’” (Revelation 1:12-18).
This is the glorious, resurrected Jesus—no longer the sweet little child in the manger, but the victorious King of Kings and Lord of Lords. John's reaction captures the awe of standing in the presence of such divinity; even he, who had walked beside Jesus, fell at His feet as if dead. Yet, Jesus offered reassurance, placing His hand on John and speaking words of comfort and eternal authority.
Who is this Jesus? He is the living One, the victor over death. He is alive forevermore and holds the keys to both death and Hades. This is His identity—unchanging, eternal, and worthy of all awe and worship.
This is the final description the Bible gives of the baby we sing about in the manger—he is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
This is the glorious, resurrected Jesus—no longer the sweet little child in the manger, but the victorious King of Kings and Lord of Lords. John's reaction captures the awe of standing in the presence of such divinity; even he, who had walked beside Jesus, fell at His feet as if dead. Yet, Jesus offered reassurance, placing His hand on John and speaking words of comfort and eternal authority.
Who is this Jesus? He is the living One, the victor over death. He is alive forevermore and holds the keys to both death and Hades. This is His identity—unchanging, eternal, and worthy of all awe and worship.
This is the final description the Bible gives of the baby we sing about in the manger—he is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Let's pray:
May we see You in the manger and remember who You truly are—Eternal Word, Creator of the universe, the Sustainer, Logos, who laid aside Your glory to become flesh and dwell among us.
You came to reveal the heart of the Father. You drew near and dwelt among us, Immanuel. You are our Redeemer. You are the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Alpha and the Omega, the One who was and is and is to come.
And You are coming back to crush the enemy of our souls, bring justice, and reign forevermore from the throne of David.
May we look at the Holy Child and be lost in worship because of Your goodness and glory. For at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
O come, O come, Emmanuel.
May we see You in the manger and remember who You truly are—Eternal Word, Creator of the universe, the Sustainer, Logos, who laid aside Your glory to become flesh and dwell among us.
You came to reveal the heart of the Father. You drew near and dwelt among us, Immanuel. You are our Redeemer. You are the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Alpha and the Omega, the One who was and is and is to come.
And You are coming back to crush the enemy of our souls, bring justice, and reign forevermore from the throne of David.
May we look at the Holy Child and be lost in worship because of Your goodness and glory. For at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
O come, O come, Emmanuel.