HE Comes

As we finish the last few books of the Old Testament this week, I want to draw your attention to the fact that so far we have read dim angles and snapshots of the future Savior. We have seen that He is coming as a servant (Isa. 52:13), and He will be King over all (Isa. 9:6). But as yet, if we did not know the New Testament of our Lord, we would be in comparative darkness. David did not understand the saving plan of the Lord. He knew that God was abundantly merciful, but did it really ever occur to David that God would and could only do that through the death of His Son? A fountain would soon be opened for sin and for iniquity (Zech. 13:1), but who would know what that really meant? Abraham knew after seeing the covenant that God made with him (Gen. 15). This Hebrew custom said that whoever broke the covenant would pay with his own blood, and Abraham was terrified of walking through the blood and was given exemption from doing so in a completely unprecedented manner. God alone walked through that blood; and thus regardless of who broke the covenant, God would pay with His life. But even this illustration could not contain the whole of the mystery of the God-Man.

Have you ever thought of the solemn scene we are about to see. In a dark land, true Light is about to dawn. It is very dark in Israel. 400 years separate Malachi from Matthew. No word from God. No salvation—yet. Come with me to see the throne room. It is a grave occasion. The Son, Father, and Spirit converse with great seriousness. And the Son begins to remove His royal garments. Majesty, glory, splendor—all are set aside. The rags of humanity are taken up. The angels whisper in wonder and confusion at this. And, with a last sending word from the Father, the Spirit takes the Son down to earth into the womb of a woman.

This is what the world had been waiting for. The King is coming. The candle of the prophets and priests is about to be overwhelmed by the Sun in its zenith. Here come the disciples. Here comes genuine, clear religion. Here comes power, and gifts, and truth and grace upon grace. Here comes the Son of God!