Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory—the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father.
John 1:14
Into the Text
After the exiles returned to the land of Israel, there was much hope that things would be different. Unfortunately, the people didn’t want to listen to God, so He gave them what they wanted. God didn’t speak to His people for 400 years, but He was still at work.
As we turn the page from Malachi 4, we are met with Matthew’s profound opening words “The record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1).
All of our longing and waiting is met in the tiny baby of Jesus Christ. Born to a young virgin in a no-name town, the Savior of the world makes His entrance.
He didn’t come as anyone expected. The people knew they needed rescue, but their idea of rescue was far from what God would do. They expected a grand arrival of one who would overthrow the Roman government.
Instead, God in the person of the Son Jesus Christ, left heaven to become one of us. The people wanted physical rescue, but God came to rescue them from sin and eternal destruction.
Jesus became incarnate, fully God and fully man. He would reflect God’s character and glory completely and would bring hope to all men. Our rescue and redemption were met in the eyes of a baby that night in the little town of Bethlehem.
Prayer
Jesus, thank you for becoming human to rescue and save that which was lost. May I never grow tired of hearing the story of your birth. Amen.