The government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV)
In the Old Testament, the Israeli people were well aware of prophecies regarding a Saviour that would come one day to set them free. They had many different names for Him, including a few covered in our verse today.
They knew He was coming, but they never guessed how. Most assumed that He would be a political liberator who would free them from the Roman oppression. But instead of the grand saviour they had in mind, Jesus was raised in Nazareth, a town that prompted people to say, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (John 1:46, NLT). Scholars believe the city was a small, filthy, middle-of-nowhere village of largely-illiterate people.
Isn’t that just like God? He often comes through for us in unexpected ways!
The religious leaders of the time knew these prophecies inside and out, but they were blinded by pride. Because they followed all the religious rules, they felt superior and they certainly didn’t think they needed this undesirable man from Nazareth.
That’s what pride does—it separates you from God. Of course God wants us to be moral, following His principles and guidelines, but if we start to feel superior because of our good behaviour, we’re in trouble. It is through Jesus that we become acceptable to God, not through our behavior.
Guard your heart against the tendency to compare yourself to others or measure your sin against theirs. We are all the same in God’s eyes, so stay humble and grateful to Jesus. And keep your eyes open for the unexpected ways He may show up in your life!
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