Behold, God Is My Salvation; I Will Trust And Be Not Afraid - Part 1636

"And one of the elders saith unto me, "Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders stood a Lamb as it had been slain ..." (Revelation 5:5-6)

It has always been a source of amazement for me (that even without any foreknowledge of the events concerning God's salvation, which were to follow) that the prophets of old trusted the Word of the Lord to be true when it came unto them, and they would speak openly about how the Lord hath been sore displeased with the fathers. And similarly, even when the prophets themselves would not understand the meaning -- because that which was perfect had not yet come, so neither would these prophets have fully understood the totality of God's salvation plan for us -- these still recorded the Word of the Lord, without question.

We see a similar example of prophecy with John on the isle of Patmos after Jesus death, burial and resurrection, when he records the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto His servants the things which must shortly come to pass. Indeed, he bare record of the Word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw so that we (as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ) would not be caught unaware of the times in which we live. (Revelation 1:1-2)

And yet, here we are today, in the 21st century, with more than sufficient scriptures to verify what the Lord of hosts was saying herein (because that which was perfect has now come, and we have beheld His glory), and yet still, we get bogged down in the thick of man-made and false religious traditions of men. It is no wonder the Lord instructs us to "come out from among them" in Revelation, so that we do not suffer their plagues. But I digress. Herein, we are seeing the salvation of the Lord explained in a way that we should understand -- in the analogy of The Branch -- and told as a prophecy of what was yet to come.

"Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, "Behold, the man whose name is The Branch: and he shall grow out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord: even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. And the crowns shall be to Helem, and to Tobijah, and to Jedaiah, and to Hen the son of Zephaniah, for a memorial in the temple of the Lord. And the [that are] far off shall come and build in temple of the Lord, and ye shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you. And [this] shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God." (Zechariah 6:12-15)

Earlier, in Zechariah, we are told of The Branch again. "Hear now, O Joshua, the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth My servant The Branch." (Zechariah 3:8)

And who is The Branch? Jesus!

"And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of His roots: and 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; and shall make Him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord; and He shall not judge after the sight of His eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of His ears, but with righteousness shall He judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and He shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth; and with the breath of His lips shall He slay the wicked, and righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins, and faithfulness the girdle of His reigns ... " (Isaiah 11:1-5; Revelation 5:5; Matthew 1:5; Acts 13:23; Isaiah 4:2)

"Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground; He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were [our] faces from Him; He was despised and we esteemed Him not.

Surely, He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him and with His stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:1-5; John 12:38; Romans 10:16; Psalm 22:6; Luke 18:31-33; Hebrews 4:15; John 1:10-11; Matthew 8:17; Romans 4:25; I Peter 2:24-25; Hebrews 9:28)

The Lord God prepared for Himself a body ... and poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors; and He bare the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors." (Isaiah 53:12; Psalm 2:8; Colossians 2:9, 15, Isaiah 50:6; Romans 3:25; Matthew 27:38; Mark 15:28; Luke 23:34)

"Behold, My servant, whom I uphold, Mine elect, in whom My soul delights; I have put My Spirit upon Him: He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall He not break, and the smoking flax He shall not quench: He shall bring forth judgment into truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged; till He have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for His law.

Thus saith God the Lord, He that created the heavens and stretched them out; He that spread forth the earth, and that which comes out of it; He that giveth breath upon the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein. I the Lord have called Thee in righteousness, and will hold Thine hand and will keep Thee, and give Thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

I am the Lord; that is My Name, and My glory will I not give to another, neither My praise to graven images. Behold the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them. Sing unto the Lord a new song, and His praise from the end of the earth ... the Lord shall go forth as a mighty man ..." (Isaiah 42:1-13; Matthew 12:18-19; Philemon 2:7; Matthew 3:17; Matthew 17:5; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22; Ephesians 1:6; Isaiah 11:2; Luke 4:!8; Luke 19:21; John 3:34; Acts 17:5; Zechariah 12:1; Isaiah 43:1; Isaiah 49:8; Luke 2:32; Acts 10:45; Acts 13:47; Galatians 3:14; Isaiah 35:5; Luke 4:18; II Timothy 2:26; Hebrews 2:14; Isaiah 9:2, 6; Isaiah 48:11; Psalm 33:3; Isaiah 31:4)

"The ancient and the honourable -- He is the Head." (Isaiah 9:15; Ephesians 2:19-22)

The very same Lord who said, "Whom shall I send? and who will go for us?" Then said I, "Here am I; send Me." (Isaiah 6:8)

"The Lord hath sworn and will not repent -- "Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek." (Psalm 110;4; Zechariah 6:13; Hebrews 5:6-10; Hebrews 6:20)

This is why Peter (standing with the eleven) on the day of Pentecost could boldly proclaim -- that this same Jesus whom ye have crucified is BOTH Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36) The Son of man is the Lord of glory. Yes, God manifest in the flesh. (II Timothy 3:16)

"He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own and His own received Him not." (John 1:10-11)

BUT -- as many as received Him -- Jesus -- to them gave He power to become the sons of God; to them that believe on His Name -- the Name of Jesus -- which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (and we beheld His glory, the glory of as of the only begotten of the Father;) full of grace and truth. (John 1:10-14; Hebrews 1:2; Isaiah 53:3; Luke 19:14; Galatians 3:26; I Peter 1:23; Revelation 19:3; Galatians 4:4; Hebrews 2:11; Isaiah 40:5; John 8:32; John 14:6-12; John 18:37)

Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man cometh to the Father but by Me!" (John 14:6)

And for those with eyes to see, now we know why. Stand in the offering plate.