From Ancient Days

Micah 5:2 spoke of the Messiah being born out the Bethlehem, the Messiah that had been foretold from the ancient days. What ancient days? The ancient days of the Jewish people. Even the ancient world had its own ancient days.

The book of Numbers is part of the Pentateuch, of the Five Books of Moses; the Law, the Torah. Those first five books of the Scriptures go by many names and while it may be up for debate whether or not Moses wrote them, they are still attributed to him and these writings are most certainly ancient.

"I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel;" Numbers 24:17a

A star appears in the sky and leads the wise men to the Jesus. Jesus is the King and kings use scepters. This prophecy not only speaks of the time when Jesus would be born, but perhaps it also speaks a bit to the second advent, Christ's Second Coming when he returns as King overall the earth.

It's amazing to think that for centuries, even thousands of years, the people of God waited and waited for the coming Messiah. This faith in the promises of God reminds me of Hebrews 11.

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen [ . . . .] By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going [. . . .] These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on earth [. . . .] And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets - who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises [. . . .] Women received back their dead by resurrection [. . . .] And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had promised something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect."

That something better was Jesus Christ. The promised Messiah from the ancient of days. The promised deliverer that God eve spoke of back in Genesis when He cursed the serpent. Now we Christians also look with faith towards the promises we've been given. Of Christ's forgiveness, of his healing, his redemption. Of his return. His second advent.

Therefore, let us celebrate this season as a season of fulfilled promises, and promises yet to come. Promises we know will be fulfilled.

Come, Lord Jesus, Come.