CHRIST'S INCREASING KINGDOM Early in history, God revealed redemption from the fall would come from within humanity itself – the offspring of the woman. The offspring would be unique, to be sure, yet would be altogether "the Son of man" as well as "the Son of God." Among other things, this meant the Savior would be discernible to men, and would be able to empathize with their condition. -- Tomorrow:
Devotion 7 of 36
SEED OF WOMAN. "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her Seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel" (Gen 3:15).
Here is the first promise of a Savior, and it was spoken to the devil, with the whole human race being present. In it both the greatness of God and the minuteness of salvation are seen. The demise of the devil would come from the appointed Offspring of the very one Satan deceived! The Rescuer of humanity would come from the race itself – the very race of which it is said, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Rom 3:23).
SEED OF ABRAHAM. "For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham" (Heb 2:16). "Now to Abraham and His seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy Seed, which is Christ" (Gal 3:16).
Abraham, a man, who prior to God appearing to him, was without a background of knowing God, whose lineage was traced back to idolatry (Josh 24:2), became the progenitor of a race through which the Savior would be brought into the world.
PROPHET FROM THE MIDST OF ISRAEL. "The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto Him ye shall hearken" (Deu 18:15).
From among the Israelites themselves, would come the Prophet bearing the message of salvation – the One through whom recovery from the fall would be accomplished. It would not come by an angel, but through a Man.
SON OF DAVID. "The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; He will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne" (Psa 132:11). "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham" (Mat 1:1). "Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh" (Rom 1:3).
Jesus Christ came from the kingly lineage of David. He was David's ultimate Offspring, who would sit upon the throne from which the salvation of men and the open subjugation of the enemies of God is to be accomplished.
A SON IS GIVEN. "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The ever lasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this" (Isa 9:6-7).
The ultimate "Jew" is the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus Jesus Himself affirmed, "salvation is of the Jews" (John 4:22). In a very real sense, He is the Son of that nation, the Child given to them by the Living God. Thus it is written, "Who are Israelites . . . of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen" (Rom 9:4-5).
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank You for fulfilling the promises You made of the Messiah.