The Ruler Has Arrived
When you look into the manger, what do you see? A baby. I suppose that is a safe answer. It is obvious in every nativity scene. There are animals like donkeys and cows, even camels. There is also the usual cast of characters—shepherds, Mary, Joseph, and, of course, the infant, front and center.
But more, much more than a baby. He is Mary’s Son, born of a virgin (Is 7:14). And he is God’s Son, true God taking on human flesh, true man (Col 2:9). That acknowledgement is significant. He is Jesus—the Messiah, the Christ—Prophet, Priest, and King. God guaranteed him through prophet after prophet down through the years (Lk 1:70)—Immanuel, “God with us” (Is 7:14; Mt 1:23), born in the little town of Bethlehem (Mi 5:2), The LORD our Righteousness (Je 23:6). The faithful were to be watching and waiting for him. And now he is born.
But there were others, like Jacob, who revealed a Ruler who was to come. It was on his deathbed at age 147. He gathered his 12 sons around him while they were still in Egypt and spoke words that are both blessings to them and predictions about them (Ge 49:1). He made known that it would not be from Rueben or Simeon or Levi that the Messiah would trace his family tree, but Judah, the fourth son of Leah. The honor would be his. And others would praise him for it (Ge 49:8). So like his grandfather Abraham passed along the blessing to his son, Isaac, and Isaac to his son, Jacob, Jacob was about to do the same with Judah.
Jacob speaks of a scepter—a symbol of authority—and a staff—a sign of power that when the one in charge sat on his throne, the top of the stick or rod laid on his shoulder and the bottom went between his feet. Those things would not go away (Ge 49:10).
David comes to mind, a descendant of Judah many years later. He was certainly a great king in Israel. He came and conquered. Unfortunately many after him did not fare so well. But One would appear—the One to whom it, this ruler’s scepter and staff, belonged. On the night before we commemorate Christ’s birth, we consider him.
He is David’s greater Son, really his greatest Son. Zechariah called him “a horn of salvation … in the house of his servant David” (Lk 1:69). It was the angel Gabriel that referenced that when he announced to Mary that she would have a son. He not only expresses his name—Jesus, but also explains his nature. “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; his kingdom will never end” (Lk 1:32.33). This is no common King, but a real Ruler.
And he didn’t symbolize power, he showed power. He was no mere figurehead. The King would go to the cross where he would crush the devil’s head (Ge 3:15). And then three days later, victorious over all of our enemies, he would come out of the grave. He saved his people from their sins (Mt 1:21). He rescued us. We now have rest, complete rest—between us and God. And so our Savior invites us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28). He refreshes us with the good news that he has removed all of our wrongs.
This rest is not a short break or slight breather from the flurry, or better, the frenzy of activity around Christmas—“we got to buy this” or “we got to bake that.” And now that the gifts are all wrapped and cookies are all sprinkled, we step back and finally let out a huge sigh of relief—mission accomplished. There is more to Christmas Eve tonight and Christmas Day tomorrow than that.
But this rest is for our souls. Our guilt no longer weighs us down because Jesus lifted it off of us. All is right between us and God. No wonder the angel chorus belted out their song: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests” (Lk 2:14). All because of Jesus, our “Prince of Peace” (Is 9:6). His reign will never end (Re 11:15). Our God has brought us to believe this and we bow before him in glad obedience, eager to do what is good (Ti 2:11-14). We worship him with appreciation on earth and with the anticipation of eternity.
When you peer into the feedbox, what do you spot? A baby. Yes. And more. The promised Ruler has arrived with perfect rest. He is Christ the Lord (Lk 2:11), our King. Merry Christmas Eve.
We read from Genesis 49:10:
The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his.
December 24, 2016
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