False Expectations

 "And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins."

Matthew 1: 21 NKJV 

I spent some time this week looking through the scriptures on the birth of Jesus looking for where it was written that the Son of God would be a great military leader.  Of course, I could not find such a verse no matter how long I searched.  Yet, in the years leading up to the birth of Christ, this was the prevailing view among many of the Jewish faith.  It seemed that the birth of Jesus would bring forth the defeat of the Roman occupation, the rebuilding of the temple which the Romans had destroyed and the restoration of the kingdom of David to it's former glory.  These events were not part of the prophesy of the birth of Jesus.  In fact, the medieval sage Maimonides laid out specific events in his Mishneh Torah which the Jews believed would confirm the identity of the Messiah.  Maimonides wrote that, "If he is not successful with this, or if he is killed, it's known that he is not the one that was promised by the Torah."  So, since Jesus has been crucified, are we to now believe that He is not the risen Messiah?  Well, that's a good story if you can sell it.  The truth of the matter is that the prophesy concerning Jesus never mentions that He would be the military leader who would lead the Jews against the Roman occupation of the holy lands.  But what does that prophesy say about Jesus?  That Jesus should reign as king {Jeremiah 23:5}.  Jesus is the image of God {Colossians 1:15}.  The prophesy told of the coming king of Israel {Zechariah 9:9}.  Nowhere is it mentioned that Jesus would defeat the occupying Romans.  Well, nowhere but in the writings of Maimonides.  

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder.  And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9: 6 NKJV 

I find it hard to believe that, having the writings of the prophets in the years leading up to the birth of Jesus, that many Jews continued to believe that their promised Messiah would deliver them from the Romans.  I get it.  I have watched a few popular movies on the birth of Jesus, and I am always intrigued that among the population of Jerusalem there is a movement of those opposed to the Roman occupation.  These zealots, apparently founded by a man named Judas, were opposed to the Roman occupation and fought against them.  What is important to remember, however, is that Jesus Himself never advocates for this insurrection.  Instead, He calls on His followers to bless those who persecute them {Luke 6:28, Matthew 5:11-12}.  Jesus represented a radical shift in the old ways, something the Jews of His day were definitely not expecting.  While the Jewish leaders prepared to stone a adulterous woman, Jesus called on the one who had never sinned to cast that first stone {John 8:7}.  Indeed, many of the long accepted ways from the days of the old testament were at odds with the radical new teaching which Jesus was bringing to the table.  This was no longer an eye for an eye, but the expression of the Lords love for His people through Jesus.  In fact, were it not for Jesus, the Lord God might never be seen at all.

An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.

~Scott~