Yahweh's Anointed One

Yesterday morning, as part of my Bible reading, I read Judges chapters 7 and 8, along with John chapter 3. Each time I read it, I’m always fascinated with the way God used Gideon and the men of Israel to fight against and conquer the Midianites, but it was the third chapter of the book of John that really struck a cord with me yesterday when I read it. And while I’ve read John 3 countless number of times, it never gets old.

Even those with only a cursory familiarity with scripture are usually able to remember John 3:16, "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." This often remembered verse of scripture is a statement that Jesus made to a very well educated Jewish man, Nicodemus, who came to speak with Him one evening. And those of us who recognize the Bible to be inerrant and infallible, believe that this meeting between Nicodemus and Jesus is a real event that happened a little over 2000 years ago.

This encounter really is a compelling story. Nicodemus, a highly regarded Jewish leader (a Pharisee), comes to speak with Jesus, and the first thing he does is to tell Jesus about how he and others recognize Him to be a teacher who has come from God. Here’s how the Amplified version puts it: "we know and are certain that You have come from God [as] a Teacher" (John 3:2). I like this translation because, whether or not any Jewish leader other than Nicodemus was ever willing to admit it, it tells us that these leaders knew that the finger of God was upon Jesus. But what they didn’t know, and couldn’t understand, is why. And what’s marvelous about this particular story is the fact that Jesus doesn’t even wait for Nicodemus to ask: “So what’s the deal Jesus, why are you here doing all this stuff?”

You need to realize that the Jews of the Old Testament, as well as the Jews of the first century, anticipated that God would some day raise up “Yahweh’s anointed one” (Messiah). However, their entire understanding about what this Messiah would be all about was limited to the idea that through the Messiah Israel would somehow be restored socially and politically to the splendor of David’s kingdom. I highly doubt that Nicodemus, in his wildest dreams, associated Jesus with this long awaited Messiah. But Jesus was the Messiah. You see, the purpose behind why God raised up a Messiah among the Jewish people wasn’t to raise up someone among the Jewish people who would lead the nation of Israel into some political and social superpower; God’s purpose was to redeem humankind to Himself. And this is what the good news about Jesus coming into this world is all about.

Jesus explained this to Nicodemus during this encounter. Not in so many words, mind you, but this is what all that born again language is about. It’s no wonder Nicodemus was confused. Nicodemus hadn’t even asked a question; but he nevertheless walked right into Jesus’ answer about what exactly determines whether a person experiences or doesn't experience the kingdom of God. Jesus told him that unless a person was born again, he or she would not experience the kingdom of God (John 3:3). And when Nicodemus didn’t understand, Jesus explained that He wasn’t referring to physical birth, but spiritual birth.

Regardless of whether we believe it or understand it, we are all spiritually dead as a result of Adam’s sin in the Garden. And that’s why every human being is in need of being redeemed into right standing with God. And the problem most people have is that even when they come to grips with the fact that they are in need of being in right relationship with God, they think this “right standing” is accomplished by trying to please God enough that He’ll eventually let us experience His kingdom. No, no, no, a thousand times no! God certainly wants us to try and please Him, and I’m sure He is disappointed when we fail in this area, but it has absolutely nothing to do with our eternal standing before God. This eternal relationship hinges only upon our recognition that God’s plan for our redemption was to send Jesus (the Messiah) into the world to die on a cross (to once and for all pay the penalty for sin), and on our decision to confess Jesus as Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead after Jesus was crucified and buried (Romans 10:9).

Leading godly lives and trying to please God is something that we all should aspire to, but it has nothing to do with our salvation. What I’m saying is that it is all about God sending Jesus to us, and Jesus' sacrifice on the cross; we can’t work our way into right standing before God no matter how hard we try (Ephesians 2:8-9). John the Baptist sums this up nicely in a conversation he had with his own followers, which is also recorded in John chapter 3. John said,"It’s not possible for a person to succeed—I’m talking about eternal success—without heaven’s help. You yourselves were there when I made it public that I was not the Messiah but simply the one sent ahead of him to get things ready." (John 3:27-28, MSG).