The infant’s cry shattered the stillness of the night. The voice of Immanuel, a life-giving voice reverberates throughout eternity. One must only hear the words of His voice and believe Him to pass from death to life. In the prophecies written of the coming Messiah we read of His authority to judge, His healing powers and the call to live. In the Book of John we read of the fulfillment.
His Authority to Judge
Jesus makes clear in His teaching to the Jews, He is the judge. His judgement is righteous because He judges as He hears from His Father. It isn’t about His will or how He sees it. His judgement carries out the will of God. Daniel 17: 13 and 14 speaks of One like the Son of Man brought before the ancient of Days where He is given a dominion, glory and an everlasting kingdom. Jesus is the fulfillment. Yet as John records the words of Jesus, we need not fear His judgement: “he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me .. shall not come into judgement.”
His Healing Power
The prophet Isaiah (35: 5&6) foresaw the blind seeing and the lame leaping. Jeremiah saw the lame and the blind (Jer. 31) among those He will call to walk by rivers of waters! When righteousness is restored healings occur. Already John has written of Jesus as the healer. Those who heard His voice and responded with faith were restored to health such as the nobleman’s son and the man by the pool. Perhaps you are among them.
The Call to Live
In Daniel 12:2 we read “and many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Isaiah (26:19) writes of the Saviour, “Your dead shall live; together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing you who dwell in dust; For your dew is like the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.”
While man became a living being after God breathed life into him, Jesus, like His Father, had life in Himself. While Adam became a living being, Jesus became a life giving spirit. He tells the Jews of an hour coming when the dead will hear and live. He also speaks of a time when all will hear His voice and come out of their graves. At that time judgement will come. The cry of the baby becomes the voice of the Messiah whose word is power. In the prophecies of the coming Messiah we read of His authority to judge, His healing powers and the call to live. Hear His voice of life giving power this Christmas and believe!