Christmas 2020, Main Street, Waukomis, OK |
When I wish someone Merry Christmas, my mind generally thinks: "Merry Christmas: Shiloh Has Come!" (truthfully, that is what I think!)
Let me explain. The Old Testament is full of amazing prophecies foretelling the advent (coming) of the Messiah into the world. Those prophecies are fulfilled in minute detail in the Person of Jesus from Nazareth.
That is why Jesus is called the Christ, for Christos in Greek means Messiah. Christ is not Jesus' last name; Christ is the title of Jesus.
Jesus is the Messiah. He is Jesus Christ.
The Hebrews (Jews) had another title for the Messiah in their Scriptures. They used Shiloh as a synonym for Messiah. Shiloh means "peace or rest." The Messiah would be the Prince of Peace, the King of the World, and Shiloh would usher into this world a Kingdom known for its righteousness, justice, and peace.
Jesus is Shiloh.
Shiloh has come.
One of my favorite prophecies about the coming of the Messiah is found in Genesis 49:10.
The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes, and to Him shall be the obedience of the people.For the longest time, I had little understanding of this prophetical utterance from Jacob, a prophecy of the Messiah that Jacob gave to his twelve sons as he lay dying.
No other "religious" books but the Bible, including the Koran, the Book of Mormon, and any other religious book you can mention contain one prophecy of a future event that was fulfilled hundreds of years later. The Bible has hundreds. Don't make the mistake of ignoring biblical prophecies that have been fulfilled for an infatuation with a few biblical prophecies that have yet to be fulfilled.
1. The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem --- (Micah 5:2).2. The Messiah would be born of a virgin --- (Isaiah 7:14).3. The Messiah would be existent before His birth --- (Micah 5:2).4. The Messiah would suffer and die for His people by crucifixion --- (Isaiah 53:12).5. The Messiah would become the righteousness of His people --- (Jeremiah 23:6).
Shiloh --- is the Jewish idiom (or name) for "the Messiah," and was often used by ancient Jewish writers in place of "the Messiah."
Judah --- is the name of one of Jacob's sons, but even more importantly, Judah became the name of the entire Southern Kingdom of Israel, the nation of Judah.
Sceptor --- is the tribal staff or the tribal identity of Judah. Its modern equivalent would be our "national flag" that would cease to exist if we were captured or conquered as a nation.
A lawgiver from between his feet --- is the ability of Judah (or the Southern Kingdom of Israel) to apply and enforce the Mosaic laws by means of capital punishment (death) for disobedience. Throughout the history of ancient nations, kings sat on throne with the nation's laws "under his feet," symbolizing the king's power to punish lawbreakers. In essence, for Judah to have a "lawgiver between his feet" was an idiomatic expression that spoke of the nation of Judah's ability to adjudicate and administer capital punishment for violations of the Mosaic laws.
"The national identity of Judah shall not depart from Judah, nor the ability to enforce Mosaic law, including the right to administer capital punishment shall leave Judah, until Shiloh comes." (Genesis 49:10).Two questions must now be asked:
A little more than forty years before the destruction of the Temple, the power of pronouncing capital sentences was taken away from the Jews. The Talmud, folio 24.
Woe unto us for the scepter has departed from Judah and the Messiah has not come.The Sanhedrin as recorded by the Babylonian Talmud, Ch. 4, folio 37.
"You must make your choice. Either this man was and is the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to."
8 comments:
Merry Christmas to you too, Wade.
" 6 For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
(Isaiah 9:6)
Wade,
Another reason we celebrate today is because TRUTH came to the world. “Jesus said…you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 7:31-32 (NLT)
Amen, Rex!
Christiane and Rex and Sojourn - could all three of you send me your personal email addresses? I would like to thank you for your comments on my blog and send you a personal Christmas message from Rachelle and me, but I could not find your email!
My email is wwburleson@gmail.com
Merry Christmas to you all! I appreciate your support of Istoria!
Wade
Wade,
I sent my email. I hope it goes through since my server says it is having problems.
Got it, Rex!
Thank you!
Wade,
What happened to your 1-1-21 Post?
Rex,
I was sending people to my blog for the General McLain post (hundreds of people) via text (without the link) - just www.wadeburleson.org and they couldn't find it (because it wasn't at the top).
I'll put up the 1.1.2021 post later this week (again).
Thanks for asking.
glad you're okay, Wade - after your recent alarming comment that went missing, was worried 'til I read your note to REX RAY
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