CHRISTMAS STORY: The word MESSIAH comes from the Hebrew word "mashiah" or "anointed one". The origin of this word is entirely Jewish. The Messiah was the expected king of the Davidic line who would deliver Israel from foreign bondage and restore the glories of Israel's golden age. The Old Testament mentions "Messiah" in only one place: Daniel 9. However, in the New Testament the word "Messiah" is a frequent buzzword: people all over Israel were asking, "Where is the Messiah?"
The Jewish people were desperate for relief from the brutal oppression of the Romans, and the only hope they could think of was the Messiah that God had promised. They asked John the Baptist if he was the Messiah. John replied, "I am not the One, but He is coming soon." AND JESUS DID come at that critical time in Israel's history. But the Jews had an idea of how the Messiah would be, and God had a different plan. God intended to save them from ALL sin and wickedness; not just the evil of the Roman empire.
That is exactly what the angel told Joseph in Matthew 1:21: "You shall call his name Jesus (God Saves), for it is he who will save his people from their sins." And, in I John 3:8 "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil." We live in similar times! People are talking about the second coming of Jesus, saying, "He will surely be here soon!" The prophetic signs are all in place, and Christians are expectant as we see the world becoming more and more troubled. But God doesn't intend to save the world from corrupt and oppressive rulers. The book of Revelation tells us that during end times, God is primarily interested in gathering a "good harvest" of souls who are willing to repent of their sins and follow Jesus.
If we are too focused on the corruption and conspiracies of our time, we will miss out on God's real purpose for our generation: to share the good news of Jesus Christ, which sets us free from sin and death.
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