Isaiah and Zechariah Foresee Jesus’ Government
Jesus’ Kingdom-building work was the essence of his Messiahship. If it had borne fruit in terms of social and political influence during his lifetime, it would have been in fulfillment of numerous prophecies in the Hebrew Bible (the Christian Bible’s Old Testament).
During his lifetime, Jesus ultimately expected “the government [to] rest on his shoulders” (Isaiah 9:6). Moreover, he believed that, during his lifetime, “there would be no end to the increase of his government of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore” (Isaiah 9:7). He anticipated that, during his lifetime, he would “establish justice in the earth; and [that] the coastlands [would] wait expectantly for his law” (Isaiah 42:4). Indeed, he expected that, during his lifetime, he “[would] speak peace to the nations; and [that] his dominion [would] be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth” (Zechariah 9:10).
These verses relating to Christ’s Advent are often interpreted as relating to the Second Advent, when Christ will come again. Not true. When Jesus was born, God had no expectation that Christ would need to come again—provided Israel followed Jesus, which Jesus tried desperately to help the Israelites to do. Jesus clearly stated that “The Law and the Prophets [the central portions of the Old Testament] were proclaimed until John [the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin and contemporary]; since then, the gospel of the kingdom of God is preached” (Luke 16:16).
How This Helps Us Have a Real Relationship With the Real Jesus
When we come to know that Jesus lived with the hope of fulfilling in his lifetime Old Testament prophecies of the reign of godly love on earth, we feel how urgent Jesus’ heart was to fulfill those prophecies, and how anguished he was when the Israelites, especially the Israelite leaders, failed to respond. It adds a whole new dimension of poignancy and pathos to our prayer life in relation to Jesus.
Spiritual Exercises
Again, find a quiet place to pray undisturbed.
● Connecting with the Old Testament prophecies that Jesus sought to fulfill, read and reflect on passages like Isaiah 11:6-9 or Micah 4:1-4. Imagine how Jesus might have seen these prophecies as blueprints for the Kingdom of God. Journal about your own hopes and dreams for a world transformed by love and justice.
● To connect with Jesus' emotional state as he encountered resistance and rejection from the Israelites, spend time meditating on Jesus' parables and teachings that reflect his frustration with the religious leaders and the people's lack of faith. Pray for comfort for Jesus and ask for the strength to overcome similar obstacles in your own life.
● To see your own life as a part of the ongoing symphony of God's Kingdom, reflect on how your own actions and choices contribute to the building of God's Kingdom on earth. Commit to living a life that reflects the values of love, justice, and compassion.