MESSAGE OF THE MESSIAH

“Overthrown, overthrown, I will make it overthrown! It shall be no longer, until He comes whose right it is, and I will give it to Him” (Ezek. 21:27 NKJV).

The promise of Israel’s restoration under the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, has been a constant theme throughout the Old Testament. Four things are said here about the coming of the Messiah’s kingdom - ruin, right, return, and reign.

Ruin - “Overthrown, overthrown, I will make it overthrown! It shall be no longer.” The word translated “overthrown” speaks of ruin. It speaks of something being overthrown and turned into rubble, so completely wrecked that it can no longer function normally. Before the Messiah comes to reign over Israel, great destruction will come to the land.

Right - “Whose right it is.” The throne of Israel belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ the Messiah. According to the genealogies listed in Matthew and Luke, He alone had the right to claim the throne of Israel. All the critics had to do was check the records and they would know that Christ had the rights to the throne.

Return - “Until He come.” The Lord Jesus Christ is coming back to earth. And “until he comes” there will not be peace in Israel. The future of Israel lies in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ on the throne as King. This return is not the rapture. Rather, this return deals with the Lord Jesus Christ coming to earth to end war and bring peace.

Reign - “I will give it Him.” The Lord Jesus Christ has the right to the throne of Israel, and one day it will be given to Him by God. To our shame, instead of giving the

Lord Jesus the throne the first time He came to earth, mankind crucified the Lord Jesus Christ. The second coming will be different!

(Adapted from Butler's Daily Bible Reading 3)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“When the day of recompense comes, our only regret will be that we have done so little for Him, not that we have done too much!”

George Muller (1805 – 1898)

Christian Missionary, Evangelist and Director of Orphan Houses

Word Study

Eager

In Rom. 1:15 we read, “So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome” (NASB).

Eager is the Greek word prothumos (πρόθυμος = proth'-oo-mos). It is made up of two words: “pró” which means before, and “thumós” which means passion. The word denotes a willingness, a predisposition, a readiness, or an inclination. It means to be prompt to be of service. In classical Greek prothumos describes one who is predisposed to do something, being willing, eager, or ready for the task at hand. In the Septuagint, prothumos also has the sense of being willing and eager. In the New Testament prothumos is also used to indicate a willingness. Hence the Apostle Paul’s eagerness and willingness to preach the gospel in Rome also.

Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus

Old Testament Prophecy – Messiah would die a violent death (Zech. 13:7).

New Testament Fulfillment – Mark 14:27

Did You Know…

The Bible states that the Lord Jesus is the only One who went up to heaven (John 3:13).

Bible Quiz

In 1 Peter 2, what does the use of the word “tree” symbolized?

**Answer to last week’s Bible Quiz: If you couldn’t bring a lamb for your sin offering what did the law allow in its place? “Two turtledoves, or two young pigeons” (Lev. 5:7).

Names For God Found in the Bible

“Arm of the LORD”

"Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?” (Isa. 53:1).

1. Meaning – Arm of the LORD speaks of God’s awesome power.

2. Insights – Arm and hand are often paired in the expression “a mighty hand and outstretched arm.” It indicates the strong arm of God intervening in the affairs of men. Hence the expression indicates the decisive action of God. The arm of The Eternal works both deliverance and salvation.

Did You Know...Christian History

Johann Jacob Herzog was born September 12, 1805 in Basel, Switzerland. He was a Swiss Protestant theologian, church historian, encyclopedist, and teacher.

Herzog was left an orphan at a young age and was raised by relatives. He showed himself an apt pupil of the sciences and then of theology, studying with such notable individuals as the mathematician Christoph Bernoulli and with theologians Schleiermacher and Neander. He became an educator at Lausanne, specializing in historical theology. Herzog issued works on several of the major reformers, including Zwingli, Calvin and Ocolampadius.

Herzog stood for the faith against damaging influences, including attempts to rewrite Christ's life so as to rob Him of his deity. When Plymouth Brethren began spreading their message in Germany, Herzog opposed them because he considered their teaching as too individualistic for the good of the church.

When the government made demands that overstepped the bounds of church and state, Herzog refused to go along. He resigned his position at Lausanne and worked as a private scholar for much of 1846 and 1847. He then accepted an invitation to teach at Halle, where he developed a close relationship with the well-known Protestant theologian Friedrich August Gottreu Tholuck.

The same year that Herzog resigned his job at Lausanne, Roman Catholic scholars issued the first volume of the Catholic Encyclopedia. Protestants immediately felt the need to produce an encyclopedia of their own to counterbalance the Catholic version. Political troubles slowed down the project and its editor died. Tholuck recommended Herzog for the vacant position.

Herzog was liked by all parties - in part because of his ample treatment of Reformation figures. His vast knowledge of church history made him the perfect editor. In fact, he wrote 500 of the articles that appeared in the first edition. Later, he was co-editor of a second edition.

Philip Schaff was well-acquainted with Herzog, who asked him to adapt the encyclopedia for American use. Schaff agreed to undertake the huge project. And that is how we got the famous and useful Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge. Herzog died in 1882.

A Little Humor

Judge: “Well, Sir, I have reviewed this case and I’ve decided to give your wife $775.00 a week.”

Husband: “That’s fair, your honor. I’ll try to send her a few bucks myself.”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“To face Christ as judge is to know Him as a friend!”