Jesus is the Messiah-King appointed by God to reign, and his Kingdom will never fade or come to an end. As our Epiphany anthem We Three Kings suggests, he will be “King forever, ceasing never, over us all to reign.” In Jacob’s final prophetic blessing over his sons, he tells Judah, “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples” (Gen. 49.10, ESV). Jesus was from Jesse’s clan, David’s family, of the tribe of Judah, and the scepter of God’s kingdom rule will never depart from his side; to him all the nations will ultimately bow down and serve.

To see Jesus as he really is represents the highest ideal and basic goal of all discipleship and spirituality. At the time of his birth, only a few acknowledged him as he truly was – the Lord and Messiah prophesied of old.

Lord, give us eyes to see and hearts to understand who Jesus of Nazareth truly is, the Messiah, the Son of the living God. Amen.

“In Jesus, the believing community has seen the glory of God, which in the Old Testament was associated with Mount Sinai (Ex. 24:15–16), the tabernacle (Ex. 40:34) and then the temple in Jerusalem (1 Ki. 8:10–11; Is. 6:1–4) and which, it was believed, would be revealed to ‘all mankind’ in the new age (Is. 40:5). Ezekiel’s vision of the glory of God filling the restored temple (Ezk. 44:4) has been witnessed in Christ. God has pitched the ultimate tabernacle in the flesh of Jesus and in this way made his glory visible!”

~ David G. Peterson, Engaging with God: A Biblical Theology of Worship. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1992. pp. 93-94.

Let God Arise! Seasonal Focus
Jesus Fulfills the Law, Matthew 5.13-20

Book Reading
Peterson, Engaging with God