Messiah

“And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for Himself.” — Dan. 1X..

PERHAPS you thought this name did not

sound interesting, and had nothing to do with you. Let us see!

“Messiah” is in Hebrew the same as “Christ” in Greek; and the English of both is “Anointed.” Many times in the Old Testament God speaks of Jesus as “His Anointed.” You know how kings were anointed with oil; Queen Victoria herself was anointed with oil when she was crowned. And the high-priest was always anointed with oil when he was consecrated (Exod. eXix. ). And sometimes the great prophets were anointed before they began their e work (1 Kings xix. ). So the name ‘Messiah” teaches us at once that Jesus is our Prophet, Priest, and King, all three in one.

But we never read of the Lord Jesus being anointed with oil. Oil is only a type of something else, and not any good in itself. So we are told in plain words that “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power” (Acts x. OE course the Lord Jesus as God did not need it; for Father, Son, and Spitit are one God. But it was as man, and for our sakes, that He received it; and God gave it to Him without measure (John iii. ). Now turn to Psalm cxxxiii., and there you will see (ver. ) how plentifully Aaron, the high-priest, was anointed, so that the precious ointment went down from the head to the skirts of his garments. That was to show us that the Holy Spirit, which was poured out upon the Lord Jesus, our Head, flows down

from Him even to the feet, the lowest mem: e bers of all. Vow do you see how this name has to do with you, if you have to do with Jesus? The blessed Spirit, whose work it is to make us holy, is given to us because of Jesus, and comes down to us from Jesus, and reaches in holy and constant flow every one who is joined to the Lord Jesus by faith. There could be no gift of the Holy Spirit if it were not for the gift of Jesus, the Anointed One. F

The name Messiah always reminds us too of God’s faithfulness in sending Jesus. For it was by this name that the Jews expected Him for hundreds of years. How glad Philip must have been when he could say, “We have found the Messias!” (Johni. ). Ought not we to be glad too? For “we know that the Son of God is come” (1 Johnv. ), and we know, too, that He is just as surely coming again (Acts i. ). The Jews do not believe it even yet, because the veil is upon their heart (2 Cor. iii. ). They can not make it out, because they know the time of which Daniel spoke is past long ago. We ought to pray that the veil may be taken away, that they may see that Messiah is come, and that He was cut off, not for Himself, but for them. And for you /

Messiah’s name shall joy impart,
Alike to Jew and Gentile heart;
He bled for us, He bled for you,
And we will sing Hosanna too!