Watching & Waiting

The prophets of old spoke of a day when Jesus would be born. The detail of their prophecies was fulfilled exactly as it was given by God. The prophet Hosea lived 750 years before Christ was born and wrote that God the Father would call His Son out of Egypt. We know Jesus was hidden there from Herod until Herod had died, then His Father called Him back to Israel (Hosea 11:1). 

Another prophecy, an ancient one, out of Numbers 24:17, recorded by Moses though spoken by Balaam, 1400 years before Christ was born, states, “I see Him, but not now: I behold Him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob. A scepter will rise out of Israel.” The prophecy was far off, but exactly as the Spirit of God gave it, the star led the wisemen to Jesus, in Bethlehem, and a scepter (a King) DID rise out of Israel - our King of kings and Lord of lords. 

The prophet Isaiah lived 700 years before Christ was born and wrote, “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots” (Isaiah 11:1). In detail this was fulfilled as Jesus was born in the lineage of King David, whose father was Jesse. Jesus, Himself declares, “I AM the root and offspring of David, the bright and morning star” (Revelation 22:16). 

Prophecy reveals to us the inerrant Word of God, over and over and over… every Word is trustworthy, and we can root our hopes in His promises. Each one WILL come about exactly as He has promised. We are told to be “watchful” and to “wait with patience,” for His return, but KNOW this, He is coming! His Words are without fault and no demon in hell or scheme of man can stop it.

Just as the prophets of old looked ahead to the star, the birth, the death, the resurrection, we, too, live on the precipice of a mighty move of God… and soon the trumpet will sound, and we will shout this truth to the world, just as Joshua did, “Not one word has failed of all Your promises!” Not one! (Joshua 21:45) 

You can rest in that.

(Devotional by Chery Hall-Laos)