“Messiah – the Peace and Victory of God”

Scripture: Zechariah 9:9-13; Philippians 2:9-11

During Advent, we have been considering some of the attributes of Messiah as revealed through Old Testament prophecy. We’ve seen that God’s grace will come to all who believe in Messiah and his teachings. We’ve seen how Jehovah God – his ways, his Spirit, his glory – will also be revealed to the people of earth through Messiah. The truth of God will be ours through the teaching of his Anointed One.

Today, we discover that the victory of Messiah will be found in his humble heart, and the peace of God will be received through the victory of Messiah.

Read Zechariah 9:9-10

This is a prophecy of joy, and one that calls Israel to proclaim that joy. But it is, above all else, a prophecy of victory.

In the days of the prophet, after a decisive battle, the victorious king would enter the capital of the conquered nation riding on a great charger. There would be a parade of victory which would let the people know that they were now under the authority of a new king and that they now lived in a new kingdom. A governor would be named, a new government would be established, and a new way of life would begin for the conquered people.

The king would return home, but when he entered his capital city, it would not be on a powerful war horse – it would be on a donkey. And while he wore his armor and battle regalia in the defeated land, here his entire war attire would have been place in storage. He entered the defeated city in a way to remind the people of just who they were and who their new king was. But here, he was proclaiming to his subjects that not only was he a victor, but that the people were also victors. And in that victory, it would be evident to all that war was over, and that peace had now returned to their lives.

Zechariah’s prophecy was telling the people this very thing – that Messiah the Victorious would also be Messiah the Peacemaker! Of course, Jesus Messiah’s first coming to earth was more than just a promise of what was to come, as some believe. He brought, in his coming, peace for the hearts and minds of all who would place their trust and faith in him. And his first coming is also a guarantee that at his second glorious arrival, the ultimate and final peace, as well as the great and perfect victory, will finally rest upon the entire world.

In Isaiah 2:4, in another prophecy, we read that “He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.”

When Messiah returns, Eternal Peace will finally rest upon this hateful and war torn world.

Read Zechariah 9:11-13

The Lord God made covenant with his people in a number of ways. The sign of his covenant with Noah was the rainbow (Genesis 9:8-17); the general sign of covenant with Israel was through circumcision (Genesis 19:9-10); the sign of covenant with Abraham was with fire passing through the sacrifice (Genesis 15); but blood was a very special sign - it was given as a sign of sacrifice for forgiveness (Leviticus 17:11). But Israel would have to make this sacrifice over and over again, for every time they sinned against Jehovah, they had broken the covenant made in blood at the altar of God.

But the blood sacrifice that Messiah would make, a sacrifice for life and forgiveness and peace, would only have to be made once – once for all people, once for all sin, and once for the total and permanent covenant of peace with God. It would bring a freedom from our bondage to sin – that captivity which provides no nourishment, no refreshment, no hope, no light, no joy, and no escape. The only hope for release is through the blood sacrifice that Jesus Messiah would make at Calvary.

The prophet also speaks about Judah and Ephraim, that Ephraim will be poured into Judah. First, a historical reminder of sorts. After King Solomon’s death, Israel was split into two nations – Judah, the Southern Kingdom, and Israel, or Ephraim, the Northern one. Ephraim was one of the 2 “half tribes” of Joseph, but the name would also be applied to the Northern Kingdom, the less faithful of the two. I believe that the prophet wants the people to know that on that day when Messiah comes, the two will truly be reunited in faith, and they will be “roused” up in faith against the Greeks, a reference to the faithless world, and through Messiah, evil will be defeated completely and for all time.

Israel, though, missed the entire point of Messiah’s coming. They saw Messiah as the means of Jehovah’s reuniting Israel through conquest and reclaiming them as his “chosen” nation. He would overcome the gentile world, and place them all under their authority. Messiah would accomplish all of this through power and strength, defeating the world and giving them all to Israel as the treasure of victory.

But Messiah would be far greater and much more important than all that.

Read Philippians 2:9-11

The Anointed One of God will be recognized as the ultimate Authority over all of earth – not so much as a conquer, but as a Victor who brings freedom! He will be honored by every person and every leader, of every nation, of every continent, of the entire world. ALL will bow before him, ALL will kneel before his grace and glory – regardless of who or where they are at the time, and ALL will speak that Holy Name and acknowledge him and him alone as the Mighty King over all of creation!

But only those who gave him that honor before his return will know his blessings. The rest of the people on earth will only know the condemnation that they have earned through the sinful and unforgiven life they lived.

Messiah is the faithful Son of God, not just an appointed representative.
Messiah is the King of Peace, not just a warrior king.
Messiah is the blood sacrifice of forgiveness that each and every person has to accept and acknowledge for themselves.
Messiah is the sole Judge of earth, and his Judgment will be perfect.
Messiah is the Hope of earth, the Promise of Heaven, and the glory that binds us all together.

Jesus is our salvation, and will be for all who come to him willingly and lovingly and expectantly. If you have yet to confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, don’t delay! Ask him into your heart today, and let him turn your personal condemnation into the freedom that he has held out to you for 2,000 years.