God’s Grace in the Old Testament Study 6 in a series of 7 The Promise key as Messianic Prophecies

The key to unlocking the grace of God in the Old Testament comes when we understand what the concept of promise is about. It is because of God’s covenant love for us that he promises to save, guide and direct us. This demonstrates his grace.

Over recent weeks we have looked at ‘promise’, ‘blessing’, ‘covenant’, ‘love’ & prophetic prediction. These are some of many aspects of the central key of promise in the Old Testament.

The concept that expresses God’s promise in the Bible that we looked at last time was: prophetic prediction. The Old Testament prophets spoke God’s Word with boldness. Their prophetic word was likened to a lion’s roar (Amos 3:6-8).

It is surprising, that given the importance of the prophet’s role in Ancient Israel to provide the king with hope and guidance, that there is no future tense in biblical Hebrew (the language the prophets used).

However, people of the ANE were well aware of the future (or eschatology). Biblical authors referred to future events by using key phrases such as: “on that day” (89 times in the OT prophets). O

The phrase “at that time” is found 20 times in the OT prophets.

The phrase: “the day of the LORD” is found 19 times in the OT prophets.

The phrase: “in those days” is found 13 times in the OT prophets.

The phrase: “the days are surely coming, says the LORD” is found 11 times in the OT prophets. O

The people of Israel were given instructions concerning the raising up of prophets in their midst. Any prophecy that contradicted God’s Word or proved to be wrong was the sign of a false prophet Deuteronomy 18:18-22.

We thought about how we might experience more of God’s prophetic word.

The Old Testament prophets were very much concerned about their hearers being obedient to the Lord’s covenant. This shaped their message.

Predictive prophetic material is about the promise of what will happen in the future.

We thought of experiences when we might have had a sense of something that would happen in the future? A word of knowledge? A word of wisdom?

The prophetic message is about forth-telling (or proclamation) rather than fore-telling (or prediction). More than ninety percent of canonical prophetic material addresses the current needs of God’s people. That leaves only a small amount of prophetic material that focuses on the future.

We shared what we hoped would be the future of our church.

We identified some of the prophets in our church.

Tonight we examine the concept of ‘Messianic Prophecies’, as a symbol of grace in the Old Testament.

Most Christians today assume that the Old Testament contains strong and clear promises about a coming messianic figure. This is an unproven assumption.

We need to understand that the word Māšîaḥ only occurs 38 times in the Hebrew OT. Of those occurrences, only once is it used in a direct reference to a future messianic figure (Dan 9:24-26).

Māšîaḥ (Messiah) = Christos (Christ) = anointed one. So, the terms ‘the Lord’s Anointed’/ ‘his Anointed’/ ‘Anointed One’ (26 times in the OT) means the one who has been set apart by anointing with oil.

In the ANE, the weather was hot and dry. Olive oil was commonly used on the skin as a cosmetic barrier against the sun, or as a moisturiser on dry skin (Ps 104:15). It was used to refresh guests (Ps 23:5), and to pamper oneself (Proverbs 21:17). With the addition of spices, oil was often used as a deodorant (Ruth 3:3).

But the practice of anointing with oil as a sign of consecration was of spiritual significance and a ritual that was unique to Israel in the ANE.

But for those without a Jewish background who read the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible in the second century BC (Septuagint = LXX), the word christos meant ‘someone who uses a deodorant’. 1940’s ad for ‘Mum’

Can you think of any words that have changed in meaning in your lifetime?

‘Anointed ones’ were priests (Leviticus 4:1-3) and prophets (Psalm 105:15), and later the kings of Judah and Israel (1 Samuel 10:1). A special- recipe sacred anointing oil was used to set these people apart for their duties (Exodus 30:22-25). Use conversion chart in NIV Study Bible.

During the first temple period (monarchy), the incumbent king was always understood as ‘the Lord’s Anointed’. So messianic prediction in the OT is sometimes confused with what the prophets said about the current king. Broadly speaking, we could call all of the kings of Israel ‘messiahs’, as they were all anointed at their enthronement.

Regardless of what the people thought or the prophets foretold, a human king could never live up to the expectations of a divine or perfect king.

The promises of a future Messianic figure were couched in different metaphors. Some of the metaphors referred to horticulture.

Branch: Isaiah 4:2; Jeremiah 23:5-6; Zechariah 3:8-10 Shoot /Root / Stump: Isaiah 11:1-5, 10; Sprig: Ezekiel 17:22-24

Another metaphor for the messianic figure is The Servant of the Lord. There are 4 ‘Servant Songs’ in Isaiah. 42:1-4 justice to nations 49:1-6 save all peoples 50:4-9 he is humiliated 52:13—53:12 redemption thru his pain

Another important metaphor is sonship. In Ancient Israel, the firstborn son was the heir and the spiritual head when the father died. Israel as a nation was seen as God’s son (Hosea 11:1). Also, the king was seen as God’s son (2 Sam 7:13-14). But a messianic figure will be the son of a virgin and called Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14).

How has an encounter with God’s Son impacted your life?

*In what way are we humans sons and daughters of God (Genesis 1:27)?

*What is the difference between us being sons / daughters of God and God’s only begotten Son (John 3:16)? * If we are already sons and daughters of God, why do we need to have the right to be God’s children (John 1:12-13)?

This messianic son will be given a divine name as well as authority (Isaiah 9:6-7). He will be the new Son of David (Hosea 3:4-5). His birth will be in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). He will come in glory as the Son of Man (Daniel 7:13- 14).

Further to this, repeatedly through the OT, the promise God made to David in 2 Samuel 7:12-16 would be repeated (Psalm 132:10-18; 89:38-45). There would be a Davidic king on the throne over God’s people forever.

There are about 44 direct Old Testament messianic prophecies that deal with a coming Messiah and Saviour. These passages do not say much when taken individually, but if we take these promises together, they paint a vivid picture of what Christians interpret as a description of the person and work of Jesus Christ.

What could be a statement of faith that we can make about the Messiah?

Of course we can say with faith, based on the New Testament, and in the wisdom of hindsight, that Jesus is the Messiah and that because we trust him we may receive forgiveness of sins (Matthew 26:28) & life in his name (John 20:31).

In our last study we hope to look at the concept of ‘expectation’, as a symbol of grace in the Old Testament.

© 24 th October 2011, K. Sarlow