Kingdom of God: Already, But Not Yet

In this episode, Brother Jonathan talks about the already, but not yet aspect of the Kingdom of God.

 

 

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Matthew 2:3-23

In this episode, Brother Jonathan continues going through the book of Matthew.

 

Remnant Bible Fellowship

S3EP15

Matthew 2:3-23

• When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
  (Mat 2:3)
  • You can see why Herod was troubled. Here were these very notable and influential men coming and asking, in essence, where the real king of the Jews was.
  • Herod the Great was a very jealous man who even killed several of his own sons. Before his death he gathered some prominent Jewish men and put them in prison and ordered them to be put to death after he died so that there would be weeping in Jerusalem. It was an order that was not obeyed.
• And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
  (Mat 2:4-6)
  • It is interesting to me that the Magi, wise men, did not know where the Messiah would be born. They knew enough of prophecy to know that He would be born, that He would be King of the JEWS, and that a star would be associated with His birth. It’s interesting to me that they didn’t know where He would be born because Micah the prophet tells us.
  • The scribes knew this passage and told Herod and them. It was written in Micah 5:2:
    • “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”
  • Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
    (Mat 2:7-8)
    • Herod’s inquiry into the time the star appeared would allow Herod to estimate the age of the child. This enables him to know which children to kill. Herod pretends to want to worship the new King also and sends the wise men on their way.
    • There is contrast going on here by Matthew that seems to be intentional:
      • The Jewish (self-proclaimed) “king” wants to kill Jesus, the true King.
      • The religious leaders know where the Messiah is to be born, but weren’t aware of His arrival like the Magi, and DID NOT join the Magi to go worship Him.
      • It was pagan Gentiles who were notified, searched for, and worshipped the Jewish Messiah.
    • When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
      (Mat 2:9-10)
      • It’s clear that the star had disappeared, maybe not long after they had initially seen it. Now that they were approaching Bethlehem it reappeared to guide to the exact place where Jesus was. The wise men are psyched and rejoicing because it was God Himself who was directing them.
      • This star could only have been something supernatural. This behavior itself shows us. It was not a natural object.
      • Bethlehem was actually only 6 miles from where Herod’s palace was in Jerusalem. You can walk that in less than two hours. The religious leaders didn’t come. On a clear night they say that you could’ve SEEN Bethlehem from Herod’s palace. That’s how close it was.
    • And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.”
      (Mat 2:11-12)
      • So we notice that it was a house and not a stable and manger. Enough time had elapsed for Joseph to find residence. Jesus wouldn’t have been a newborn at this time.
      • Gold, frankincense, and myrrh were standard Eastern gifts. Some have suggested some typology, or OT pictures, here.
      • Their falling down and worshipping was more than Jews would’ve allowed for a mortal ruler, possibly more than the Persians would’ve commonly thought also. This already implies divinity being recognized in Jesus.
      • The fact that the Magi had to be warned by God suggests that they were a little naïve about Herod. At the very least, they certainly didn’t know his character.
    • “And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.” (Mat 2:13-15)
    • “Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.” (Mat 2:16)
      • Herod finds out that the wise men, the magi, are not going to come tell him where the infant Messiah is. He’s furious and sends soldiers to kill every child two years old and under. This would be because of his asking the wise men when they saw the star.
    • “Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.” (Mat 2:17-18)
      • Matthew references Jeremiah 31:15. Rachel, the beloved wife of the patriarch Jacob, was buried in Bethlehem. Ramah was six miles to the north of Jerusalem and Bethlehem was six miles to the south of it. When the Babylonians came through and destroyed Jerusalem, they lead the Jewish exiles out on a road that went through Ramah. Some Jewish rabbis actually talked about Rachel weeping for the exiles that were led to captivity. Matthew kind of applies some Jewish interpretive method here, called gezerah shewah, to say that as Rachel wept over the Jewish exiles she now weeps over this slaughter that happens much closer. But, Jeremiah also goes on to ascribe hope to the situation which culminates in the new covenant.
    • “But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life. And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.” (Mat 2:19-23)
      • The Lord, in His wisdom, guides Joseph to settle in Nazareth. A very obscure place. It was a conservative, politically insignificant town. This would allow Jesus to grow up relatively without notice.
      • The name “Nazarene” has been much argued about. Some people try to say that it was a typological reference to Samson, but that appears strained and unlikely. The best answer is that Matthew is using a play on words. This was common in Jewish interpretation and application of scriptures at times. The Hebrew word “nazir” means “holy to God”. An appropriate place and application to the place where the Messiah grew up.

 

 

Here's our new episode:

Psychology or God's Word?

In this episode, Brother Jonathan asks two questions: Is Psychology Scientific? And, Is it Effective? With numerous quotations from secular psychologists these two questions are answered.

 

Psychology or God’s Word?

S3EP14

Remnant Bible Fellowship

 

1. Introduction
   1. There are ultimately only two ways of looking at the world and mankind: God’s way, or some other way. Everything that is not God’s way is incorrect. God is the one who made the world and all things in it, including human beings. If God made man in His own wisdom and power then we should take it as a matter of fact that God is correct in His description and handling of man and man’s issues. To say anything else is to call God a liar, incompetent, non-existent, or evil.
2. The Real Issue
   1. The real issue behind psychology is sufficiency: is what God said really sufficient for us in our life and eternity? We have been promised all that we need:
      1. “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” (2Pe 1:3-4)
   2. The part that troubles me most about this issue is that it’s main argument comes very close to what Satan himself said in the garden of Eden: “Yea hath God said…?” His very first act of deception recorded in the scriptures was to convince people that God’s Word was not sufficient or correct. Anything that resembles this line of thinking therefore shows its origin.
   3. In one sense, the issue of psychology is very similar to the issue of the theory of evolution. There is a great deal of indoctrination that happens in the modern world without our knowledge. In cartoons about dinosaurs it always begins with “millions of years ago”, and in horror/thriller movies the ‘person of reason’ is a psychiatrist or an academic atheist/agnostic. These things associate in our minds reason or science with these ideas. So we grow up already thinking of them as reasonable. We have been programmed by the culture and this is exactly what the Lord tells us to overcome. We are told to change our minds and how we think:
      1. “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Rom 12:2)
      2. “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” (Eph 4:22-24)

• “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” (Rom 8:6)

1. “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” (1Pe 1:13-16)

1. There is a way that God sees things and describes them and there is a way that the world sees things and explains them. When we come to a point of decision we are going to choose one or the other. When you are challenged you are going to default to the one you actually believe: God or the world. When I look at the Grand Canyon I see evidence of the worldwide flood of Noah. When an unbeliever looks at the Grand Canyon they see evidence of millions of years. When I see someone who delights in adultery I see a wicked person who is living after the flesh. When the world sees the same things they may not like it but they consider things like: were they justified? What was their motive? Or, who are you to judge? The world does this because it doesn’t believe God’s Word which says it is wicked. In every opinion or choice we make we are going to place faith in either what God says or what some human says.

• A Fundamental Problem
  1. There are almost 500 psychotherapeutic approaches and thousands of techniques. At the heart of every one of these schools of thought is the opinion of one person who thought they knew how to explain what’s wrong with you and how to fix you apart from God. The question you have to ask is: what is the authoritative opinion of what man is supposed to be like? Everyone knows that man has problems, but who is the person who can legitimately, objectively, and authoritatively declare what a healthy human mind is supposed to look like? Any answer that is not “God” is a denial of His authority, creation, and power. This goes back to what I was saying when I said if you accept psychology then you must alter your view of God to be either a liar, incompetent, non-existent, or evil. If God exists then He is the absolute authority of man and His opinion is law and true. If we accept any view of man that is contradictory to God’s Word then we must necessarily deny God in some sense. This can be seen most clearly in how we describe man’s nature. There are really only three common views:
     1. Tri-partite – Body, Soul, and Spirit (Biblical)
     2. Bi-partite – Body and Mind
     3. Naturalistic – Body only

1. Is Psychology Scientific?
   1. “With the decline of religion and the growth of science in the eighteenth century, the cure of (sinful) souls, which had been an integral part of the Christian religions, was recast as the cure of (sick) minds, and became an integral part of medical science.”
      1. (Thomas Szasz. The Myth of Psychotherapy. Garden City: Doubleday/Anchor Press, 1978, p. xxiv.)
   2. “In plain language, what do patient and psychotherapist actually do? They speak and listen to each other. What do they speak about? Narrowly put, the patient speaks about himself, and the therapist speaks about the patient. In a broader sense, however, both also speak about other persons and about various matters of concern to their lives. The point is that each tries to move the other to see or do things in a certain way. That is what qualifies their actions as fundamentally rhetorical. If the psychotherapist and his patient were not rhetoricians, they could not engage in the activity we now conventionally call ”
      11. (Thomas Szasz. The Myth of Psychotherapy. Garden City: Doubleday/Anchor Press, 1978, p. 11.)
   3. A little over fifty years ago in the US there was no state licensing, no insurance reimbursements (less than forty years ago), no uniform graduate programs, and no Bible college, Christian university, or seminary programs promoting psychotherapy. In California psychologists were first licensed in 1958 and Marriage and Family therapists in 1964.
   4. “The field of psychology today is literally a mess. There are as many techniques, methods and theories around as there are researchers and therapists. I have personally seen therapists convince their clients that all of their problems come from their mothers, the stars, their bio-chemical make-up, their diet, their life-style and even the “kharma” from their past lives.”
      14. (Roger Mills, “Psychology Goes Insane, Botches Role as Science,” The National Educator, July 1980, p. 14.)
   5. One science writer contends that: “… there exists in psychology no systematic body of laws or principles, no basic units of analysis, and not even a commonly accepted methodology for investigating behavior from which credible deductions about the unobservable events could be made.”
      51. (Henry D. Schlinger, Jr., “Of Planets and Cognitions: The Use of Deductive Inference in the Natural Sciences and Psychology,” Skeptical Inquirer, Vol. 22, No. 5, p. 51.)
   6. “In attempting to evaluate the status of psychology, the American Psychological Association appointed Sigmund Koch to plan and direct a study which was subsidized by the National Science Foundation. This study involved eighty eminent scholars in assessing the facts, theories, and methods of psychology. The results of this extensive endeavor were then published in a seven volume series entitled Psychology: A Study of a Science. Koch describes the delusion from which people have been suffering in thinking about psychology as a science: ‘The hope of a psychological science became indistinguishable from the fact of psychological science. The entire subsequent history of psychology can be seen as a ritualistic endeavor to emulate the forms of science in order to sustain the delusion that it already is a science.’”
      1. (Psychoheresy, Bobgan, pp. 103-4)
   7. “Koch says: “Throughout psychology’s history as ‘science,’ the hard knowledge it has deposited has been uniformly negative.”12 (Italics his.) He contends that much of psychology is not a cumulative or progressive discipline in which knowledge is added to knowledge. Rather, what is discovered by one generation “typically disenfranchises the theoretical fictions of the past.” Instead of refining and specifying larger generalizations of the past, psychologists are busy replacing them. He adds, “I think it by this time utterly and finally clear that psychology cannot be a coherent science.”
      1. (Psychoheresy, Bobgan, p. 104)
   8. ‘One reason why psychotherapy cannot legitimately be called a coherent science is because it attempts to deal with deep human complexities that cannot

be directly observed or consistently predicted.’ (p.105)

1. Dr. Gordon Allport says: “The Individual, whatever else he may be, is an internally consistent and unique organization of bodily and mental processes. But since he is unique, science finds him an embarrassment. Science, it is said, deals only with broad, preferably universal, laws…. Individuality cannot be studied by science, but only by history, art, or biography.”

1. The fact of the matter is that science can accurately describe HOW someone is behaving but as soon as we move from HOW to WHY they are behaving that way we are entering into an area that is opinion and not observable, testable, and repeatable science.
2. “Research psychiatrist E. Fuller Torrey, in his book The Mind Game, says, “The techniques used by Western psychiatrists are, with few exceptions, on exactly the same scientific plane as the techniques used by witchdoctors.”
   8. (E. Fuller Torrey, The Mind Game. New York: Emerson Hall Publishers, Inc., 1972, p. 8.)
3. “In a book titled The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Mary Stewart Van Leeuwen, a professor of psychology, reveals “that the apprenticeship of psychology to natural science ... does not work.”
   91. (Mary Stewart Van Leeuwen. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1982, p. 91.)
4. “Psychiatrist Lee Coleman titled his book about psychiatry The Reign of Error. In this book he demonstrates that “psychiatry does not deserve the legal power it has been given” and that “psychiatry is not a science.” He says: ‘I have testified in over one hundred and thirty criminal and civil trials around the country, countering the authority of psychiatrists or psychologists hired by one side or the other. In each case I try to educate the judge or jury about why the opinions produced by these professionals have no scientific merit.’”
   1. (Psychoheresy, Bobgan, p. 109)
5. Is Psychology Effective?
   1. “Whether the magnitude of the psychotherapy effect is medium or small remains a moot point; no one has claimed that it is large.”
      1982. (APA Commission on Psychotherapies. Psychotherapy Research: Methodological and Efficacy Issues. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association, 1982.)
   2. In the same study the authors stated: “Unequivocal conclusions about causal connections between treatment and outcome may never be possible in psychotherapy research.”
   3. Martin Seligman, a past president of the American Psychological Association, says that “by and large, we produce only mild to moderate relief.”
      51. (Mary Sykes Wylie interviewing Martin Seligman. “Why Is This Man Smiling?” Psychotherapy Networker, Vol. 27, No. 1, p. 51.)
   4. “Research often fails to demonstrate an unequivocal advantage from psychotherapy.”
      1. (Prophets of Psychoheresy, Bobgans, quoting from Brain-Mind Bulletin, p. 67)
   5. “…an experiment at the All-India Institute of Mental Health in Bangalore found that Western trained psychiatrists and native healers had a comparative recovery rate. The most notable difference was that the so-called ‘witch-doctors’ released their patients sooner.”
      1. (ibid. p. 68)
   6. One of the world’s leading psychologists, Dr. Hans Eysenck, said after examining over 8000 cases of those who were treated with psychotherapy that: “…roughly two-thirds of a group of neurotic patients will recover or improve to a marked extent within two years of the onset of their illness, whether they are treated by means of psychotherapy or not.”
      1. (ibid. p.68)
      2. He went on to remark: “From the point of view of the neurotic, these figures are encouraging; from the point of view of the psychotherapist, they can hardly be called favorable to his claims.” (same page as former)
   7. Eysenck presented the results of his reviewing the history of cures for mental patients from the hospital in which he worked as far back as the late 17th century in 1979. In spite of the fact that psychotherapy did not exist at the time, about two-thirds of the patients were released as cured. This means that the improvement rate was about the same even though psychotherapy had not yet been invented. Treatments at the time even included the use of fetters (chains), cold baths, solitary confinement, and the extraction of teeth for extreme punishment. If these methods produced the same “cure” percentage perhaps we should bring them back!
   8. Some so-called Christian psychologists have tried to say that this is not true and that treatment is better than none at all—i.e. Collins. But this is not what the evidence testifies to, and observable science is based on evidence,
      1. “…it is disheartening to find that there is still considerable controversy over the rate of improvement in neurotic disorders in the absence of formal treatment.” (Bobgans quoting Bergin, Prophets of Psychoheresy I, p. 69)
   9. When Smith and Glass released the results from a study that used a meta-analysis approach the psychological community rejoiced in what they thought was finally support for their field. Later though, Dr. Morris Parloff stated that there was one disconcerting finding in their results: “all forms of psychotherapy are effective and that all forms of psychotherapy appear to be equally effective.”
      1. This means that no matter how contradictory, unscientific, or even at times mystical, the psychotherapeutic approaches are they are all equally effective. In short, none of them were really effective at all because none of them were any different in their results. This, coupled with the fact that the rate of “cures” is the same as the non-treated, shows that complete lack of effectiveness of psychotherapy.
   10. Both the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychopathological Association give mixed reports about the effectiveness of their field. Why then do so many lay-people believe it to BE so effective?
   11. In fact, researchers have determined that the positive results from therapy have more to do with the person receiving therapy’s desire to change and the warmth of the relationship than on any theory or technique or experience of the therapist.
       180. Allen E. Bergin and Michael J. Lambert, “The Evaluation of Therapeutic Outcomes,” in Handbook of Psychotherapy and Behavior Change. Sol L. Garfield and Allen E. Bergin, eds. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1978, p. 180.
       181. Allen E. Bergin, “Psychotherapy and Religious Values.” Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, Vol. 48, p. 98.

• Parloff, op. cit., p. 288.

1. In fact, Placebo studies have indicated that almost any interesting activity (such as listening to music, being in a current affairs discussion group, reading plays, etc.) can be substituted for therapy with equal results.
   1. (Bobgans, Prophets of Psychoheresy, p.71)
2. “We are thus left to conclude with the sad and paradoxical fact that for the diagnostic category in which most psychotherapy is applied—that of neurosis—the volume of satisfactory outcome research reported is among the lowest and the proven effectiveness of psychotherapy is minimal.” (Nathan Epstein and Louis Vlok)
3. “It has to be admitted that the scarcity of convincing findings remains a continuing embarrassment, and the profession can regard itself as fortunate that the more strident advocates of accountability have not yet scrutinized the evidence. If challenged by external critics, which pieces of evidence can we bring forward?...The few clear successes to which we can point, are out-numbered by the failures, and both are drowned by the unsatisfactory reports and studies from which no safe conclusions can be salvaged.” (Rachman and Wilson)
4. Michael Shepherd from the Institute of Psychiatry said: “A host of studies have now been conducted which, with all their imperfections, have made it clear that (1) any advantage accruing from psychotherapy is small at best; (2) the difference between the effects of different forms of therapy are negligible; and (3) psychotherapeutic intervention is capable of doing harm.”
5. Dorothy Tennov, author of Psychotherapy: the Hazardous Cure, said: “…if the purpose of the research is to prop up a profession sagging under the weight of its own ineffectiveness in a desperate last-ditch effort to find a rationale for its survival, we might prefer to put our research dollars elsewhere.”
6. Again, Dr. Hans Eysenck said:
   1. “It is unfortunate for the well-being of psychology as a science that…the great majority of psychologists, who after all are practicing clinicians, will pay no attention whatsoever to the negative outcome of all the studies carried on over the past thirty years but will continue to use methods which have by now not only failed to find evidence in support of their effectiveness, but for which there is now ample evidence that they are no better than placebo treatments.
   2. He continues: “Do we really have the right to impose lengthy training on medical doctors and psychologists in order to enable them to practice a skill which has no practical relevance to the curing of neurotic disorders? Do we have the right to charge patients fees, or get the State to pay us for a treatment which is no better than a placebo?
7. Donald Klein and Judith Rabkin of Columbia University said: “A core, covert issue in the specificity debate is the uncomfortable realization that if all psychotherapies work about the same then all of our elaborate psychogenic etiological hypotheses are called into question.”
8. If all of the psychotherapeutic theories and approaches are equally ineffective, and sometimes harmful, then how is it that a pastor, preacher, teacher, or everyday Christian, who is not trained in the ineffective pseudoscience of psychotherapy but well-versed in the scriptures, cannot be more effective? The only way to deny this is to deny the Word of God as being the Word of God.

Here's our new episode:

Matthew 1:17-2:2

Brother Jonathan continues going verse by verse through the book of Matthew.

 

Remnant Bible Fellowship

S3EP13

Bible Study through Matthew

 

1. “So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.” (Mat 1:17)
   1. The number of generations is only meaning those included by Matthew in the genealogy. It was common for genealogies to skip generations as long as there was a connection (grandfather to grandson, etc.).
   2. Matthew has emphasized Abraham and David as key points in the genealogy because of the covenants promised through them:
      1. Abrahamic covenant – “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.” (Gal. 3:13-16)
      2. Davidic covenant – “And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.” (2Sa 7:12-16)
   3. Both of these titles for Jesus were pointing to Him as the Messiah. The “anointed one” of God who was going to be the King of the Jews.
   4. “carrying away into Babylon” – This had happened around 586 b.c. during the time of the prophets Daniel and Ezekiel. God had warned the Israelites for hundreds of years about what would happen if they didn’t serve Him. He sent prophets to warn them, He sent plagues and enemies to chastise them, and they refused to listen as a nation.
      1. “And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it. And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone.” (Deu 28:63-64)
      2. “And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations.” (Jer 25:11-12)

• “In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.” (Dan 9:2)

2. “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.” (Mat 1:18)
   1. “espoused” – Jewish espousal custom was different than what we think of as an “engagement” in western culture. If you were espoused to someone and they died you were considered a widow. Espousal was a legally binding procedure with witnesses, documentation, and a prenuptial agreement. It could only be broken by divorce proceedings.
   2. “she was found with child” – At this point she was about 3 or 4 months pregnant having spent three months with her cousin Elizabeth as we read in Luke 1:35, 56.
3. “Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.” (Mat 1:19-20)
   1. “her husband” – Notice that Joseph, though the wedding ceremony hasn’t happened yet, is already referred to as her husband.
   2. “a public example” – Joseph, as well as others for sure, believed that Mary had committed adultery. The punishment under the law for this was very serious.
      1. “If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her; Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbour's wife: so thou shalt put away evil from among you.” (Deu 22:23-24)
      2. At this time, public stonings for adultery were not actually being carried out. Possibly because of Roman control. The religious leaders had to ask Pontius Pilate for permission to have Christ executed. There were certain things that happened though:
         1. She could be divorced and forfeit her dowry and any bride price must be paid back to the groom.
         2. She would almost certainly never be married again. This was a very serious matter that made sure that she would live in poverty the rest of her life.
         3. Her family would be greatly shamed and the groom’s family would be greatly dishonored.
      3. “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” (Mat 1:21)
         1. “JESUS” – This was a common Hebrew name. It’s the same name as the “Joshua” who succeeded Moses after his death. The Hebrew form is “Yeshua”. When it is translated over into Greek it becomes “Iesous”. When this is translated into our English language it becomes “Jesus”. The name means “Yahweh/Jehovah saves”. This is understood to be prophetic about the child. It was showing what He would accomplish. He was going to save His people from their sins.
         2. Notice the pronoun use by Matthew. His name will be Yeshua (Jehovah saves) for HE shall save his people from their sins. Jehovah is the one who saves Matthew applies this to Jesus saying it is HE who will save. Matthew is pointing out that Jesus is God. The OT prophets point out that there is only one Savior.
            1. “I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.” (Isa 43:11)
            2. “Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.” (Isa 45:21)

• “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.” (Zec 12:10)

5. “Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” (Mat 1:22-23)
   1. Oftentimes, an OT passage or prophecy had a direct historical application and then a future ultimate fulfillment. This was how Hebrew prophecy worked. There would be a pattern or “type” given in a true historical setting, and then this pattern would occur once or multiple times until a true ultimate fulfillment happened. Because of this there is a long line of pictures that prophetically pointed to what Christ would do and accomplish throughout the OT. This enabled the Jews, and us also now, to be able to look back and identify God’s hand in these things.
   2. Matthew consistently points out when something about Jesus life or ministry is fulfilling an OT prophecy or passage. His point in writing his gospel is to show that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah. Here he references Isaiah 7:14 and applies it to Jesus being born of a virgin. There is debate—especially by Jewish rabbis—about how Matthew applies this verse from Isaiah. (Read Isaiah 7:1-14)
      1. “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isa 7:14)
      2. The immediate historical fulfillment was probably Isaiah’s own son cf. Isa 8:1-4. But we are told that Isaiah’s children were for “signs”:
         1. “Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.” (Isa 8:18)

• Even in the context Isaiah again uses the name Immanuel:
  1. “And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.” (Isa 8:8)

1. Next, Isaiah uses a phrase that is directly applied to Christ elsewhere by other apostles:
   1. “Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.” (Isa 8:13-14)
   2. “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.” (Isa 28:16)
   3. “Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.” (1Pe 2:6-8)
2. Isaiah continues the prophecy into chapter 9 where he states this about this child:
   1. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” (Isa 9:6-7)
3. “Emmanuel” – This title shows us that not all aspects of prophecy were meant to be fulfilled literally. The Messiah’s name was named literally called “Emmanuel”. It was Yeshua, or Jesus. This is a title describing an aspect of the character or accomplishment of the coming Messiah. He was to be “God with us”, God manifest in the flesh. This is reinforced consistently throughout the scriptures.
   1. “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” (Col 2:9)
   2. “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” (1Ti 3:16)

• “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:” (Col 1:13-15)

6. “Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.” (Mat 1:24-25)
7. “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.” (Mat 2:1-2)
   1. Luke’s gospel gives a more detailed account of Joseph and Mary and the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. (Luke 1)
   2. “Bethlehem of Judaea” – Bethlehem was a small town about 6 miles south of Jerusalem. It was the hometown of King David, because Joseph was descended from David he had to travel back to Bethlehem on account of a Roman decree made by Caesar Augustus that the whole empire should be taxed. This forced Joseph and Mary to travel to Bethlehem while Mary was right on the cusp of time to give birth.
      1. Judaea is the NT form the Hebrew Judah. Bethlehem is in the area of the tribe of Judah. This also was prophesied in the OT that the King of the Jews would come from Judah.
         1. “The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.” (Gen 49:10)
      2. “in the days of Herod the king” – This is not the same Herod as the one who killed John the Baptist, nor is it the same Herod who Paul testified before in the book of Acts. This was Herod the Great who ruled from around 37 BC to 4 BC. He was a very wicked man who bribed his way to the throne by getting favor with the Romans who were currently over the Jews. He had his wife murdered, several of his kids murdered, and he would even try to kill the baby Messiah.
      3. “wise men” – This is translated from the Greek word “magos”. It is where we get the word “magic” from. These were oriental scholars, who were wealthy, and had a great deal of respect abroad. They occasionally would be called upon to choose who would be king of a kingdom, and they even had their own army. The arrival of these men to Jerusalem would have cause quite a stir.
         1. This is especially true given what they asked Herod.
      4. “from the east” – It is generally believed that the magi came from the region of Persia, possibly even Babylon.
   3. “Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.” (Mat 2:2)
      1. The magi show an understanding of Jewish OT prophecy. There may be a good reason for this. The prophet Daniel at one time was made ruler of the “wise men” of Babylon:
         1. “Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.” (Dan 2:48)
      2. Daniel was possibly the only prophet in the OT who was given a very specific prophecy about the timeframe when the Messiah would arrive.
         1. “Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” (Dan 9:25-27)
      3. This prophecy gives a clear timeline for when the Messiah shall be “cut off”. This supposes that the Messiah is already present at that time. The magi quite possibly were aware of this prophecy by Daniel and had understood enough to get an idea for when the Messiah should arrive.

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