September 2024: The Kingdom, the King and His Forerunner

Published on 09/01/2024 by Dr-Shirley-Cheng.

What's God's plan for the world?

In the Tanakh, Yahweh described His plans for humanity, and those plans revolve around one figure (the Messiah) and one place (the Kingdom of God). He plans for all the righteous remnant to inherit the Kingdom of God, and only the Messiah can bring that about as His anointed King.

In the Hebrew Scriptures, the identity of Messiah is shrouded in secrecy, though this does not mean that Yahweh didn't give any clues. On the contrary, through His prophets, Yahweh pronounced hundreds of prophecies regarding His Messiah to help His people recognize him when he came into the world. If one man fulfilled every one of the prophecies, then based on mathematical logic and probability, that man has to be the Messiah. In the New Testament, God reveals to us who His Messiah is by pointing out to us how the man fulfilled His prophecies. Hence, the New Testament identifies the mysterious figure that the Old Testament prophesied, and that figure is Jesus Christ.

The New Testament commences with the four Gospels, which we began studying last month.

How the Gospels Came About

"Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled among us, even as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus; that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were instructed." (Luke 1:1-4, WEB)

Before the divinely inspired Gospels were written, there would be oral traditions of Jesus Christ's accounts passed on from his personal disciples to others. Oral traditions were a popular, common mode of communication in ancient Middle East. It was so common that many people from childhood were disciplined to memorize long teachings and able to recite them word-for-word. So in the first few decades, the Christian faith grew and spread by word of mouth, while some eye witnesses did write down accounts, but most of them were not divinely inspired accounts. A testimony doesn't have to be divinely inspired to be accurate, obviously. All of us write with our friends "uninspired," sharing our own experiences with no divine illumination.

Yet, four of the Gospel recordings are divinely inspired, and they became part of the Scriptures: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. In today's study, we'll focus on the writing of Luke.

Luke addressed his writing to a gentleman named Theophilus. "Theophilus" means "lover of God." This man had apparently recently heard and perhaps accepted the gospel of the Christ, and was of high social class or importance, for Luke addressed him as "most excellent," a title used by governors. Theophilus seemed to be a friend of Luke, and Luke felt it would be a great idea to help his friend to fully understand his new faith as much as he could, so he took the liberty to write an orderly account of the life and ministry of the Messiah. What a good friend!

Luke indicated that many people had already written accounts of the things that were fulfilled in and by Jesus; some of the former writers were eyewitnesses or servants of the Gospel from whom Theophilus and Luke had received the gospel. Though he himself was not an eyewitness or an original servant of God's word, Luke had thoroughly researched all things from the beginning, and with his knowledge, he thought it good to write an orderly account to assure Theophilus of the certainty of everything he was instructed in. Simply put, Luke wanted to assure his friend that everything he was taught in was true and accurate so he wouldn't have any doubt or misgiving. Thank God for the good heart of Luke, who has left his Gospel for all of us to read and study! Each and every one of us is a "Theophilus"--a lover of God. (For your information, Luke addressed the book of Acts to Theophilus as well.)

Angelic Announcement of the Birth of the Forerunner

Luke did not begin his account with Jesus but with the parents of John the Baptizer since John was Jesus' forerunner, the one who physically came before Jesus to announce Jesus' pending earth-shaking arrival and ministry. John's parents were Zacharias and Elizabeth, both of whom were advanced in years. They were childless, for Elizabeth was barren.

Zacharias was a priest, being a descendent of Aaron. Elizabeth was also a seed of Aaron. Luke noted that they "were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord." (Luke 1:6) "Lord" speaks of Lord Yahweh. By this time, the Jews had stopped pronouncing the name of Yahweh for fear of defiling it, so we will not run into God's personal name in the New Testament. Both Yahweh and His Son are called "Lord" in the Greek Scriptures, so we must study the context to see to which Lord the writer was referring.

1 Chronicles 24 tells us that from the time of David, all the priests were divided into twenty-four courses, and each course served God by lot. By Jesus' day, it's apparent that the duty of incense burning was also determined by the casting of lots. Since there were many priests, not all the priests could burn incense to Yahweh on the same day. So each day, the priests cast lot to see which priest was chosen by God to burn incense to Him.

On the particular day in Luke's account, the lot fell to Zacharias. Zacharias would have felt immensely humbled and honored to be chosen by Yahweh for this privilege as he stepped inside the temple to burn incense to Yahweh. A multitude, including his fellow priests, were outside in the court, praying to Yahweh.

As Zacharias was burning incense to Yahweh, an angel appeared before him to the right of the incense altar. When the priest was startled and became fearful, the angel told him not to fear, for he was sent to give him good news, as he said, "Don't be afraid, Zacharias, because your request has been heard, and your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. You will have joy and gladness; and many will rejoice at his birth." (Luke 1:13-14)

Rather than rejoicing at the good news, however, Zacharias expressed doubt and questioned the angel, saying, "How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years." (Luke 1:18) We see here that even a highly righteous person who observed the Torah could experience doubt in Yahweh. This is one effect of the sin nature in each person.

The angel rebuked Zacharias for his disbelief. He said to the priest, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news. Behold, you will be silent and not able to speak, until the day that these things will happen, because you didn't believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time." (Luke 1:19-20)

The angel identified himself as Gabriel. Quite likely, he was the same Gabriel who was sent to the prophet Daniel to reveal to him the events of the world before and during the second advent of the Messiah (Daniel 8-9). By identifying himself as Gabriel, the angel was implying that to question his words was to question the promise of Yahweh. This sin of doubt would not be pardoned. Due to his disbelief, Zacharias would be struck mute. He wouldn't be able to talk until the day that all of Gabriel's prophecies came to pass, and all of them would be fulfilled in God's appointed time.

As the angel and the priest conversed, the people waiting outside were growing alarmed. Zacharias would have normally completed the incense burning by now; what was taking him so long? Could something have happened to him? Indeed, they knew for certain that something did happen to him when he finally came out of the temple, unable to speak; he could only gesture to them with his hands. They concluded that he must have seen a vision from God. Little did they know that they were part of the Earth-rattling history. Yahweh was about to do something marvelous in their sight.

After he completed his priestly duties allotted to him in a certain period, Zacharias returned home to his wife. In no time, Elizabeth conceived the promised child in her old age. Once she knew that she was finally pregnant, she praised Yahweh for removing her reproach. Society viewed women dishonorably when they couldn't bear children for their husbands. Now that she was pregnant, shame no longer cloaked her.

The Ministry of the Forerunner

To Zacharias, Gabriel revealed the marvelous plans Yahweh had for his firstborn son: "For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord, their God. He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to prepare a people prepared for the Lord." (Luke 1:15-17)

John would be great in the sight of Lord Yahweh. God perhaps ordained him to be a lifelong Nazarite, so he could not drink any wine or strong drink all the days of his life. God would fill him with His Holy Spirit, even when he was still in the womb, to empower him to fulfill the mission for which He chose him.

Through the prophet Malachi four centuries ago, Yahweh told the Jews that He would send Elijah before His day of judgment in order to turn the hearts of people to one another, to reconcile family members. Gabriel revealed to Zacharias that John would come in the spirit (power and attitude) of Elijah to fulfill his God-given task, to turn people to one another in humility and repentance, and to turn the people to Yahweh their God. When we reconcile with one another, we're doing God's will and God is pleased with us. We should get our relationship with people right before we can get our relationship with God right. God won't accept us if we hate others without cause.

"Elijah" would prepare the people for Yahweh. These people were prepared by God as His chosen or sanctified people, but their hearts would be prepared by John. Through his ministry, the Jews would come to repent and humble themselves before God. Their stubborn heart and their disobedience would turn to the wisdom of the righteous; they would yield to the teachings of the just.

Isaiah was the earliest prophet who prophesied the mission of John. He foresaw:
"The voice of one who calls out,
'Prepare the way of Yahweh in the wilderness!
Make a level highway in the desert for our God.
Every valley shall be exalted,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low.
The uneven shall be made level,
and the rough places a plain.
The glory of Yahweh shall be revealed,
and all flesh shall see it together;
for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken it.'" (Isaiah 40:3-5)

This voice exhorted people to level the road of Yahweh and prepare a smooth path for Him to come to reveal Himself to all peoples in His full glory. In those days, forerunners went before kings and other important people to announce their master's arrival and ensure that the roadway was proper and safe to travel.

Figuratively, the voice admonished others to level all rugged paths. To prepare a way before God's arrival is to promote His truths to straighten out any untruths and lies. To prepare His path is to preach His Word to others so people can prepare themselves to meet God. We must repent before we can meet God if we don't want to receive His wrath. We must welcome His truths before we can welcome Him. Valleys (humble people) are to be exalted, and mountains (proud people) shall be humbled. All the crooked people will be straightened, and the rough will be refined with God's truths.

John the Baptizer applied the voice to himself, where he pointed out that he was the prophesied voice crying out in the wilderness in addition to being the actual forerunner; but he was the forerunner of Jesus Christ the Son of God (John 1:23). When Jesus came into the world, he came in the name (glory and power and attributes) of Yahweh. So being a forerunner of Jesus is essentially equivalent to being the forerunner of Yahweh, for to know Jesus is to know Yahweh, as Jesus is the image of God. In short, Yahweh manifested Himself in the person of His Son.

Angelic Announcement of the Virgin Birth of the Christ

When Elizabeth was five-month pregnant, Gabriel was sent to a town in Galilee called Nazareth. He entered the home of Mary, a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, a carpenter. Joseph was from the line of David, making him a Judahite. When the heavenly being appeared before her out of the blue, Mary was more than startled. He graciously greeted her with, "Rejoice, you highly favored one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women!" (Luke 1:28) Even these words did not calm her fear, as she wondered what the angel meant. Highly favored one? She must have wondered how such an insignificant person as she could be so favored in the sight of God. Gabriel's greeting tells us that Mary was an extraordinarily righteous person whom God favored immensely, and Mary's reaction tells us that she was humble, not puffed up with self-righteousness.

Knowing of her fear, Gabriel quickly assured Mary with the most remarkable news: "Don't be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and will call his name ‘Jesus.’ He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father, David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom." (Luke 1:30-33)

Gabriel pointed out to the virgin that she had found favor with God, so she had no reason to fear. In actuality, Yahweh was about to do something spectacular in her, something that He had never before done in anyone: He would make her bear the promised Messiah from the line of David to fulfill the eternal Davidic covenant. Her child will be called Jesus, and he will sit on the throne of David to rule over the house of Jacob (Israel) forever, and his Kingdom will never end. Jesus will be great, being the Son of the Most High. It's God who will give the throne of David to him.

At this, Mary asked the celestial messenger, "How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?" (Luke 1:34) Though her question sounds similar to the one Zacharias asked, she did not ask in doubt but in sheer curiosity, for the angel did not rebuke her question, as he had rebuke Zacharias.

Gabriel explained that Yahweh would make her conceive Jesus miraculously, saying, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God." (Luke 1:35) God's Holy Spirit would come over Mary to make her conceive the baby in her womb, so she would become pregnant and bear a son despite being a virgin. Since it's God who would enable her to conceive and since no man would play a part in her conception, then her child will be holy and will be called the Son of God. Hence, Jesus is the Son of God twice--first, as the unique eternal only begotten Son of Yahweh, then as a human child whom Yahweh "transferred" into the womb of the virgin Mary.

Indeed, nothing is impossible for Yahweh to do, as Gabriel stressed, "Behold, Elizabeth, your relative, also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For everything spoken by God is possible." (Luke 1:36-37) Any time Yahweh says something, He will accomplish it. Nothing He determines will not come to fruition.

Upon hearing this, Mary declared, "Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it to me according to your word." (Luke 1:38) This is a beautiful declaration of faith. She expressed her willingness for Yahweh to do what He had planned through her; she presented herself as His handmaid, surrendering herself to His will entirely. She completely believed in Gabriel's message. She knew that her God can do anything He so chooses. Hers is a faith all of us should have and exhibit. It is a faith that accepts Yahweh's plans as the truth, without doubting His powers.

Prophetic Praises of Two Blessed Women

Shortly after Gabriel departed, Mary hastily went to Elizabeth's and Zacharias' home in Judah. From Gabriel's words, we learn that Elizabeth was related to Mary. Elizabeth was a descendent of Aaron, so her father would have been Aaron's seed. It's likely that her father married a woman from Judah, and this woman was a blood tie to Mary, and ultimately to David, for we'll see that Mary was also a descendent of David. Learning from the angel that her kinswoman was pregnant despite her age, Mary naturally would have desired to share in Elizabeth's joy. Plus, she had her own marvelous news to share with her!

Yet, Mary had no need to open her mouth to share with Elizabeth her good news, for as soon as she greeted Elizabeth, the Spirit-filled baby in her womb leaped for joy and Elizabeth herself was empowered by God's Holy Spirit to know of Mary's divine election to bear the Son of God and the Messiah. She proclaimed to the virgin, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord [Jesus] should come to me? For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy! Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord [Yahweh]!" (Luke 1:42-45) Elizabeth felt highly privileged to have the mother of the Son of God come and see her. She knew that Mary would go down in history as the blessed one of God. Of all the million Jewish women, Yahweh chose the humble Mary to bear His Messiah. Truly, no other woman has been more blessed than she, and it was a tremendous honor for anyone to meet her.

Mary echoed Elizabeth's words as she broke out in praises of God:
"My soul magnifies the Lord.
My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,
for he has looked at the humble state of his handmaid.
For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed.
For he who is mighty has done great things for me.
Holy is his name.
His mercy is for generations of generations on those who fear him.
He has shown strength with his arm.
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down princes from their thrones.
And has exalted the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things.
He has sent the rich away empty.
He has given help to Israel, his servant, that he might remember mercy,
As he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and his seed forever." (Luke 1:46-55)

Mary joyously praised the mighty and holy God for showing singular favor upon her. Yahweh humbles the proud and exalts the lowly, and her own exaltation is a prime example. From an ordinary girl, she would become the mother of the Messiah, and everyone will thus call her blessed. Yahweh shows an abundance of mercy to those who fear Him, and Mary was one such person who received God's mercy.

By having the Messiah be borne of Mary, Yahweh was bestowing mercy upon Israel. He promised their forefathers that Israel shall possess the Promised Land forever. Though Israelites have been scattered throughout the world, God will gather them up and restore them to their land, and their Messiah will reign over them to bring them everlasting peace. Yahweh promised that David's throne will stand forever, and He would start to fulfill His promise through Mary.

Both Israelites and gentiles who trust in the Messiah and look up to him will be part of that wondrous Kingdom. Will you be part of it? Put your faith in Lord Jesus today! Repent of all your sins--your pride, your selfishness, your belief that you could be better off without God. Turn to God, turn to His Messiah; embrace Lord Jesus as your own Lord and Savior for the cleansing of your sins and eternal fellowship with him that can begin today!


~*~ Q&A with Dr. Shirley ~*~

Question: What is the doctrine of original sin?

Answer: God made Adam and Eve perfect, with free will. They used their free will to disobey Him in Genesis 3. For their sin, they received penalties, the main one is death. This is how death entered into the world--through the sin of Adam. Genesis 5 shows that people died, when people were not meant to die.

In Genesis 8:21, God said that every person's imagination is evil from youth. This means that the once-sinless Adam became corrupted through his sin and then passed on his corrupted, sin nature to all his seed. So all his seed are sinners and receive death for their sinfulness. That's the concept of the original sin.

God determined that the penalty of any sin is physical death which is preceded by spiritual death. Spiritual death is alienation/separation from God. Sin ruins our relationship with God, because God is holy and cannot fellowship with sinners.

Let me give you an analogy. If your friend did something terrible to you--let's say falsely accuse you of crime that sent you to jail--that would ruin your friendship, wouldn't it?

Likewise, our sins push God away from us, even though God Himself is not harmed by us one bit. But He hates sins since He is holy. Those who sin are considered dead in His eyes (Ephesians 2).

Jesus on that cross exchanged places with us. He, as the sinless human, took our place as the sinner to go through both spiritual death and physical death that's intended for us, so that we would not die forever, if we repent of our sins and trust in him for our salvation. On that cross, God treated Jesus as a condemned sinner. On that cross, Jesus experienced the alienation of God. That's where God temporarily forsook His Son for our sake.

Thank God for forsaking His Son that day! Thank God Jesus traded places with us! Through his willing sacrifice, anyone from anywhere can be forgiven of their sins as soon as they repent and believe in Jesus as the Messiah and Lamb of God who takes away our sins. So repent today. Repent of all your sins, and the root sin is pride which produces rebellion against God. Turn from your sins and turn to the Messiah in faith, through which you'll be entirely forgiven and enjoy eternal sweet fellowship with your loving Creator!

Do you have Bible questions and want answers? Contact Dr. Shirley and she'll be happy to answer your questions by the grace of God.

Did you enjoy this newsletter? Then you may subscribe to Dr. Shirley's newsletter by filling out the contact form at the bottom of this page.

Do you have Bible questions and want answers? Contact Dr. Shirley and she'll be happy to answer your questions by the grace of God.

Did you enjoy this newsletter? Then you may subscribe to Dr. Shirley's newsletter by filling out the contact form at the bottom of this page.