1:26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,
27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary.
28 The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
30 But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.
31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.
32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,
33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."
Who is this messiah? What will he be? What is it that will be born among us?
The very first words about Jesus announce that he is the fulfillment of an ancient proclamation - the fulfillment of David's family promise. He is a King and shall be the King of God's promise to David -- get this, over 1000 years before!
David was a King for a time, a season of history, and yet is considered Israel's greatest King. David was called "a man after God's own heart". Flawed and faithful, he was a human who saw God as central to all of life. In 2 Samuel 7, David announces he is going to build a house for God. God says "No" - "You won't, but your son Solomon will"; AND THEN, God says the words that find their fulfillment a 1000 years later:
7:11 "...'The LORD declares to you that the LORD himself will establish a house for you: 12 When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom." 2 Samuel 7:11-12 (NIV)
In the immediate history this is Solomon, but it is Gabriel before Mary that the promise comes to it's fulfillment.
Here is the deeper meaning of God's purpose - the Kingdom of God - and here is the King that shall reign over God's Kingdom.
Jesus:
Name of wondrous love, name all other
names above,
Unto which must ever knee bow in deep humility.
Jesus:
Name decreed of old to the maiden mother told -
Kneeling in her lowly cell--by the angel Gabriel.
Jesus:
Name of priceless worth to the children
of the earth
For the promise that it gave, "Jesus shall his
people save."
Jesus:
Name of wondrous love, human name of
God above;
Pleading only this, we flee, helpless, O our God,
to Thee.
Amen.
- William W. How, 19th century
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