As we enter into this Christmas season when we celebrate the birth of the Messiah, sometimes we forget that there are two views to the prophecies of His coming. We as Gentiles see Immanuel (God with us) as coming to this world to live a perfect life as an example to us as Christ-followers, to die on the cross as a perfect sacrifice for our sins, and to prepare a way for us back to a right relationship with God. But to the Jews, the Messiah was going to be a Deliverer and King. What did the prophecies about the birth of the long-awaited Messiah actually say He had come to earth to accomplish? Let’s look at a prophecy from Isaiah about the coming of the Messiah:
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or 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. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:6-7
Isaiah says there will be “no end to the increase of His government or of peace.” Additionally, He will sit on the “throne of David…from then on and forevermore.” Neither of these could be said to have occurred during Jesus’ time on earth 2000 years ago, so they must still be future occurring events that will come to be in the future. Isaiah prophesied of a coming King who would rule from the Throne of David in Jerusalem with justice and righteousness forever.
The angel Gabriel told Mary the mother of Jesus this about her soon to be born child:
Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” Luke 1:26-33
Gabriel tells Mary that her baby will be “great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” Now, Jesus was seen as great and acknowledged as the Son of the Most High by many during His time on Earth, but not by all. And, again, Jesus did not sit on the throne of David and reign over the house of Jacob, especially not forever, a kingdom with no end. So, these must also be future events that will occur in the end times. Gabriel confirmed to Mary that her child would would be acknowledged as the Son of the Most High by all created beings, and that He would reign over Israel on the throne of David forever.
John the Baptist’s father Zacharias prophesied about the soon to be born Messiah:
And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of David His servant. As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us; to show mercy toward our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant, the oath which He swore to Abraham our father, to grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days. “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways; To give to His people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, with which the Sunrise from on high will visit us, to shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” Luke 1:67-79
Zacharias says of the coming Lord that He "accomplished redemption" by raising up "a horn of salvation in the house of David." He prophesied that the Lord would bring to Israel "salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us." After being rescued from the hand of their enemies, the Jews could then "serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him" all their days. And, that the "Sunrise from on high" would visit mankind to "shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death", and to guide their "feet into the way of peace." Obviously, the Jewish people have not been rescued from the hands of their enemies. There are those who hate the Jews, and call for their destruction continually even to this day. However, at some point in the future, they will be able to serve the Lord without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all their days. These days for the Jews are not yet, but they will be at the end of days after the Lord returns to fulfill all His promises to the descendants of Abraham. The Messiah will “give to His people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of sins.” And He will guide their feet into the way of peace forever and ever.
Simeon said of the Lord Jesus when seeing him as an eight day old baby:
There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking forward to Israel’s consolation, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, he entered the temple complex. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform for Him what was customary under the law, Simeon took Him up in his arms, praised God, and said: "Now, Master, you can dismiss your slave in peace, as you promised. For my eyes have seen Your salvation. You have prepared it in the presence of all peoples—a light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory to Your people Israel." His father and mother were amazed at what was being said about Him. Then Simeon blessed them and told His mother Mary: “Indeed, this child is destined to cause the fall and rise of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be opposed—and a sword will pierce your own soul—that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” Luke 2:25-36
Simeon declared after seeing Jesus that He would be a "light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory to Your people Israel.” Moreover, Simeon told Mary that Jesus was "destined to cause the fall and rise of many in Israel.” The Messiah was indeed a light of revelation to the Gentiles. Through the Lord Jesus Christ, the wild olive tree branches (Gentiles) were grafted into the cultivated olive tree root (Israel), as Paul says to the Church at Rome (Rom. 11:17). However, as we know, the Jews rejected Christ as the Messiah, a “sign that will be opposed." Therefore, He was “destined to cause the fall and rise of many in Israel” depending on whether the Jews accepted or rejected Jesus as God’s Messiah. Jesus will eventually be the glory of the people of Israel though as during the last days, the Jews finally accept Jesus as their one true Messiah.
It is important for us Christ Followers to remember during this time of year when we celebrate the birth of Jesus that the prophecies concerning His birth have a dual fulfillment. To Gentiles, Jesus is the Redeemer that comes to bring salvation, a light to us who were lost in darkness. But, to the Jews, the Messiah’s prophetic role is yet to be fulfilled. The prophecies of the coming Messiah told of a suffering servant (Isaiah 53) and of a conquering king. This was so hard to understand that many rabbis taught that there were actually two different Messiah's, fulfilling two separate roles with the Jewish people. They were looking for the conquering king to free them from the oppression of the Roman rule and as a result, rejected the suffering servant Messiah, Jesus Christ.
Jesus came to proclaim the "gospel of the kingdom" (Matthew 4:23), His kingdom, to the Jews. The gospels speak often about Jesus dealing primarily with the Jews, and in many instances excluding Gentiles to a point. However, after the rejection of the Messiah by the Jews, a change occurs. A "partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in" Romans 11:25 explains. This "fullness of the Gentiles" is known as the Church Age. It is the time we are now living in, roughly 2000 years from the time of Jesus resurrection and ascension until the rapture.
After the rapture, the Church Age ends and the seven year tribulation period begins. The Bride of Christ (the church) is removed from the world, and the focus once again returns to the Jews and the gospel of Jesus' kingdom. During the last three and a half years of the tribulation, the "Great Tribulation" or the “time of Jacob’s trouble,” the Messiah will once again come to His chosen people Israel. This time however, they will accept Him as Messiah. In fact, we are told that they will mourn over the one they pierced (Zechariah 12:10). After Jesus preserves and protects the Jews through the Great Tribulation, He will then return as conquering King (Rev. 19). Christ the Messiah will physically rule on the Throne of David in Jerusalem during the one thousand year millennial reign here on earth, fulfilling the prophecies of the Messiah as King on David's throne.
