Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen One with Whom I am pleased. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations. Isaiah 42:1.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God (אלהים) says:
Let us resume our Christmas journey of remembrance from where we left off at the time John had appeared at the Jordan preparing the people for the coming of My Son, the promised Messiah.
Until the time of His appearance at the Jordan River to be baptized by John, Mary and Joseph continued to raise Jesus as He went through childhood in the town of Nazareth. Luke 2:39-40, 51. Each year He increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with Me and men, for My grace was upon Him. Luke 2:40, 52.
His childhood was like yours, not marked by great signs or wonders. Isaiah 53:2. Remember, that although My Son eternally existed in the form of God, when He took flesh to atone for your sins, He did not regard equality with Me a thing to be grasped, but rather emptied Himself and gave up His Divine privileges, taking the form of a bond-servant, being made in the likeness of men. Philippians 2:6-7. And being found in appearance as a man, My Son humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Philippians 2:8.
About this mystery, My Spirit inspired David to write in Psalm 40 the Words of Christ when He came into the world: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll— I have come to do your will, O God.” Psalm 40:6-8; Hebrews 10:7.
My Son, who with Me and the Holy Spirit is the One God, Matthew 18:19, had to take on humanity to save you and be your Kinsman Redeemer. Just as sin entered the world through one man (Adam), and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned, how much more did My grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Romans 5:12; 15-17.
Yes, My gift to you of a Savior cancelled out the result of the one man’s sin. The judgment upon Adam, and through him upon all of his descendants, followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. Romans 5:16.
You who have read the Old Testament, especially about the Passover Lam and the sin offerings and sacrifices of the Mosaic Law, which merely looked forward to fulfillment in Christ, should understand the death of My Son, as described in the book of My prophet Isaiah, as a sacrificial offering to take away your sins and to cleanse you from all wrong-doing. Leviticus 9; Leviticus 16:15-28, 30; Ephesians 1:7; 1 John 1:7.
The Law was only a shadow of the good things that have come to pass in My Christ—not the realities themselves. For this reason the animal sacrifices that had to be repeated endlessly year after year, never could make perfect those who drew near to worship. But those sacrifices were an annual reminder of sins and a temporary cover for them until the one true sacrifice was made that would cancel the debt of your sin forever, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Hebrews 10:3-4. But, I am getting ahead of what I wish to discuss at this point.
When Jesus reached the age of thirty years, the age of the Rabbi, He understood it was time for Him to begin His public ministry.
It was also about this time that I spoke My Word to John in the desert to make his appearance in Israel by the Jordan River and begin preaching repentance for sins to My people in order to prepare them for the Messiah. As we already discussed, crowds flocked to John to hear his message and to be baptized by him in the Jordan River. Mark 1:5.
At that time the people were expecting the Messiah to come soon, because of the prophecies of Daniel, and they were eager to know whether John might be the Messiah. But, as I told you in a prior Life Lesson, John answered their questions by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” Luke 3:16-17. John used many such warnings as he announced the Good News to the people. So you see I did all I could to prepare you to receive My Son. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected My Will for themselves by being too self-righteous to acknowledge they needed to repent and be baptized by John. Luke 7:30. They thought they knew and kept My Word, like the Pharisee that was praying to himself in the temple and telling Me how righteous he was compared to the tax collector. But he was proud of outward rituals but neglected to have love in his heart for Me or others. I am looking for hearts that love.
Jesus then came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. Matthew 3:13. At first, John did not recognize him, John 2:33, but when Jesus stepped up to be baptized, he knew He was the One.
Then John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you come to me?” But Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Matthew 3:14-15. Then John consented and baptized Jesus right there in the Jordan River. Mark 1:9.
As soon as Jesus was baptized, as He came up out of the water, heaven opened and My Holy Spirit descended like a dove upon Jesus and remained with Him. Then I confirmed My Word and spoke, “This is beloved My Son, in whom I am well pleased.” John then testified before the people: “The One who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, He is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ Now I have seen and testified that He is the Son of God.” John 1:33-34. Notice, what John foretold about Jesus, that He would baptize you in the Holy Spirit.
Now, if you recall from your study of Scripture, I had foretold all this to you. I had described this scene to My prophet Isaiah many years before it took place: “Here is My servant whom I uphold, My Chosen One with Whom I am pleased. Upon Whom I have put my Spirit . . .”Isaiah 42:1. And in Psalm 2 you have heard My Word, “You are My Son, today I am your father.” I therefore declared this over H.im at His baptism at the Jordan so you would know that the promised Redeemer had come to Zion. Isaiah 59:20.
I was well pleased in My Son and I had reason to make such a proclamation from Heaven. My Son became a servant, Isaiah 52:13; Isaiah 53:11; Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45, to redeem you from the curse of the law. Isaiah 59:20; Psalm 34:22; Isaiah 53:5; Galatians 3:13-14 Yes, He redeemed you from the curse that I told Moses about as I led your ancestors through the desert to the Promised Land. Deuteronomy 28:15-69. It grieves Me when you let the greatest gift I can give you, which was purchased with the Blood of My Son, 1 Peter 1:18-19, be of no effect in your life. Do not remain in depression, oppression or defeat another moment. Isaiah 62:11-12; Deuteronomy 28:1-14; Galatians 3:13-14. I have sent the promised Redeemer to Zion and made a Covenant with you who have received Him, that is, My Spirit which is upon you and My Words that I have put into your mouth. Isaiah 59:21.
Yes, My people, you must understand what I am showing you here, and do not harden your hearts. Psalm 95:7-9; Isaiah 29:13. I could not let you continue in darkness. Isaiah 9:2; Isaiah 42:7; Matthew 4:16; John 8:12; Ephesians 5:8; Colossians 1:13; 1 Peter 2:9. You need to be saved and filled again with My Spirit. Ezekiel 36:25-27; Joel 2:28; Acts 2:1-41. You needed to have back the authority over the earth that Adam had handed over to the evil one. Luke 4:5-7. Therefore, to redeem you and win your authority back, I had to intervene Myself. Isaiah 59:15-16. So I sent My Son, God Himself, My Word, to take flesh and dwell among you. John 1:14. Yes, I so loved the world I gave My only Son so that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but shall have eternal life. For I did not send My Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.
Grab hold of this while there is still time. Seek Me while I can be found, call to Me while I am still near! Isaiah 55:6. In order to enter My Kingdom your dead spirits must be born again. John 3:3-6; Ezekiel 11:19; Ezekiel 18:31; Ezekiel 36:25-27; Ezekiel 37:14.
But before we go on, I had not finished with the baptism of Jesus at the Jordan yet. In respect to this event, I would also like to point you to another Word I spoke to My prophet Isaiah about My Son, who we have seen was a descendant of David (whose father was Jesse) in His humanity, and it is the following passage:
There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD. His delight is in the fear of the LORD. Isaiah 11:1-3.
I opened the Heavens and sent down My Spirit upon the Messiah, My Son. I anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and power and He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil. Isaiah 61:1-3, Acts 10:38. He brought you good news and healing. Isaiah 61:1-3.
The Anointing, you understand it from the time of Moses when I directed that the priests, Exodus 29:7, be consecrated to serve Me by anointing them with the precious oil for which I gave Moses the ingredients. Exodus 30:22-30. I directed My prophets to anoint men as kings and prophets over My people also. 1 Kings 1:15-16. Remember when Samuel anointed David to be king of Israel and My Spirit rushed upon David from that day forward? 1 Samuel 16:13.
Therefore, when the appointed Messiah, the anointed One, came to lift your burden and break your yoke, I anointed Him with My Spirit without measure. John 3:34. I did this at His baptism at the Jordan. He would reveal this later on when He began His public ministry, quoting My prophet Isaiah:
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me, to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim a year of favor from the Lord. Isaiah 61:1-2; Luke 4:18.
Yes, I had anointed My Son as your high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek, Psalm 110:3; Hebrews 5:5-11; Hebrews 6:19-20, as your prophet, Deuteronomy 18:15, and as your King. Psalm 2:6-12; Psalm 110:1-3; Revelation 19:16. I anointed Him with the oil of gladness. Hebrews 1:9.
Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions. Psalm 45:6-7.
You see this passage was about God anointing God. I anointed My Son with the Holy Spirit. Acts 10:38. One God in three Divine Persons.
He is My beloved Son, and as He is, so are you in this world. Beloved.
I love you. Everything is for you. I made the world and all that is it, indeed all that is in the universe, and even Heaven for you. Without you it is not complete. And without Jesus you are complete. Know that you are loved and longed for more than you can fathom.