Christ Has Come [Day 18]

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is one of the greatest literary achievements in western history.  Basically, it is the GRANDADDY of all English Dictionaries.

It took around 70 years to complete from the time the work started to its final publication date.  Why so long?  Because understanding what people mean with the words they use is complicated.  In other words, the OED project involved figuring out how words were used throughout the history of the English language.  That meant lots of people reading lots of old books.  It also meant taking a lot of notes that recorded how a given word was used in a complete sentence.  Seventy years sounds about right!

What does this matter for Christmas?

If you don’t understand what 1 key word in the Bible means then you’ll run right past the monumental significance of Christmas.  Any guesses?

Christ is the word our English Bibles use for the word, “Messiah.” Matthew 1 and 2 are obsessed with the concept.  It is the title for God’s promised King who would come from David’s family line. But to really appreciate what Christ means you have to come at the Bible like an OED research assistant.

In other words, what was the Old Testament promising about the reign of the Christ?  Here’s the tip of the iceberg:

1. Every part of life would be marked by goodness and unity instead of strife, futility and pain (Micah 5:4-5).
2. Supernatural counsel and wisdom, ideal leadership, perfect and permanent peace would be the norm for God’s people (Isaiah 9:6,7).
3. The poor would have good news proclaimed to them, broken hearts would be healed and ultimate comfort would break in. (Isaiah 61:1-4).

How would this ideal life be possible in such a broken world?

The Christ would be crushed by God, receiving the penalty of God’s anger against the sins of His people.  His wounds would make us whole (Isaiah 53:5-6, 8).

What was God saying at Christmas?  The world is His and He is willing to go to unspeakable lengths to restore it, even offering His eternal Son in the person of Jesus the Christ.

Christ has come.  He will surely come again.  All things will be made new!

Guest Writer, Brandon Williams