Sunday Devotion - 12/20/20

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

Ezekiel 16v62..” And I will establish My covenant with you. Then you shall know that I am the Lord, that you may remember and be ashamed, and never open your mouth anymore because of your shame, when I provide you an atonement for all you have done,” says the Lord God.””

Luke 2v10..”Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day..A Savior, who is Christ the Lord..v14 “Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men !..”

Matt.1v21..”And you shall call His name Yeshua for He will save His people from their sins..” ..Yeshua (Gk. Jesus) means The Lord is Savior..

​Ezekiel 16, like much of the OT, demonstrates man’s inability to remain faithful to the God who created him. Man is inherently sinful by nature. Born dead in his trespasses and sin. He is a reviler, one who complains against his Creator. He is an impure thinker and a blasphemer of God. Yet God according to His riches in mercy, sees fit to rescue men.
When Moses had led the children of Israel to the second rock to receive water from it..It had a different name than the first rock at Mt.Horeb. (Ex.17)Mt. Horeb’s rock in Heb. meant jagged rock.(“And when we see Him, no comeliness that we should desire Him”) But this second rock meant Elevated Rock.(Christ’s time on the cross, lifted up and judged for our sin) Both Rocks are obvious pictures of the Messiah, the Savior. God could have wiped out the Israelites right there for their continuous complaining and lack of faith but instead He showed great mercy to them and gave them the living water. (Numbers 20)
All along, man has been desperately lost and by his nature has warred against God and His goodness. And on the day of Christ’s birth, mankind is given a gift far beyond anything he ever deserved or could understand. “Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is Given, and the government shall be upon His shoulders,and His name shall be Wonderful, Counsellor, Almighty God, and Everlasting Father,.” We deserved judgement and instead God gives us peace.
The shepherds never knew that they had no hope until Hope arrived, The Magii never realized they had no wealth or purpose until the King’s star arrived! God’s only Begotten was placed on earth at a specific time and place so that all people of all time would have the opportunity to be saved from their sins. Like men of old, men today are born lost and unaware that the Messiah has been born in a manger in Bethlehem to live a sinless life in order to rescue them..The Savior that we didn’t know we needed, to spare us from the judgement we so deserve..
“Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel, Shall come to thee O Israel..”
Pray...Father, Thank You for the Gift You sent to earth so long ago. Your Son, the only One who could save me from my sin. I didn’t even know I needed Him or how terribly I have treated You my Lord, Sovereign, and Creator. Have mercy on me anew as I remember the work that has been done for me on the cross. The Innocent life spent for me, the guilty..I rejoice in the Name of Yeshua, Immanuel..Jesus my Savior! Amen!