Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/Sermons/zz20021020.htm

JESUS CHRIST IN OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECY
Part XII: Relying On Our Savior's Sovereignty Over Even King-makers
(Psalm 72:10-11 with Matthew 2:1-23)

Introduction: (To show the need . . . )

Sometimes it is easy to feel powerless and ineffective against the backdrop of ungodly influence in religious, governmental or even business leaders who affect our lives:

(1) On the religious scene, this became apparent to me last Sunday. Following the worship service, one of our members talked with me about his trip with others from our Church up to Word of Life to hear Dave Hunt and T. A. McMahon. He reported how their stand exposing the errant beliefs and actions of even nationally-known Evangelicals had been countered by people in the audience during the question-and-answer time. Then, like he's seen us do a number of times, this member said, "Dave Hunt would quote what the Christian leader had said, and then cite what the Bible says in response to that leader's quote, and tell the critic, Tell me, who's right?!'"

The Church member relayed how he and others with him on the return trip said how edifying it would be for me and my wife to attend such a meeting as we agree so much on so many points with these men from The Berean Call! The point was we need to bolster one another as we stood for Scripture's truth amidst error even in Christian circles!

(2) Looking at governmental leadership, one can feel swamped in a sea of hopelessness also! One night this week, I saw two attack ads from opposing candidates running back to back, and with the countering input from both came to the conclusion I could not vote for either one! From what both ads back-to-back claimed, the points in either ad were clearly misleading about the other candidate, so I have a problem trusting both candidates!

(3) As some of you know, one of my hobbies is investing, and am amazed at the misinformation being pushed on unwary investors now! Most investors in our bear market are hopelessly focusing on short-term results even fostered in media investing ads when they should be looking at the long-term as Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 repeatedly urges! Yet, as long as investors are willing to cough up the money, these ads will keep running, and people will keep being hurt!

In view of the negative impact actions by godless leaders in the religious, governmental and business realms have on us, HOW can we find blessing today?

(We turn to the sermon "Need" section . . . )

Need: "When I see how POWERFUL are the leaders of religious, political and business realms, and note often how UNBIBLICAL they are in their actions, I wonder if there is any HOPE for ME in this world to function and make a positive difference! Any ideas?"
  1. The RISEN Jesus told the disciples on the road to Emmaus how He fulfilled Old Testament Messianic prophecies, Luke 24:25-27.
  2. As these men were edified by Christ's teaching of those passages (Luke 24:32), we also view them, following the list of prophecies named in the Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, s. v. "Messianic Prophecies."
  3. Psalm 72:10-11 in light of Matthew 2:1-11, when viewed against the HISTORICAL CONTEXT, reveals the MASSIVE sovereignty God the FATHER invested in His SON relative to EARTH'S RULERS:
    1. Psalm 72:10-11 predicted Messiah would have Gentile kings from the ends of the earth come bringing gifts and bowing down before Him.
    2. Though this prophecy's final fulfillment comes in the Millennial reign, Matthew 2:1-11 is a foretaste of its blessing at Christ's birth:
      1. When Jesus was born, He arrived when both ROME and Persia were vulnerable to the moves of a king-making class of MAGI:
        1. De Witt Jayne who studied at the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago notes Rome's buffer provinces with Parthia like Israel were vulnerable in Christ's day to being affected by Persian pressure to revolt: Rome's emperor was aged and its military lacked an experienced commander to crush such revolts, Zond. Pict. Ency. of the Bible, v. Four, p. 34.
        2. Yet, the Parthian king was unpopular and old, so the king-making class of MAGI were then maneuvering to get an effective successor to expand their Parthian boundaries, Ibid.
        3. It is possible these king-makers wanted a Jewish man to be their king for two reasons: (a) Daniel, who had been respected by them in Babylon, had a prophecy predicting the time was ripe for the Hebrew Messiah's arrival in Daniel 9:24-25, Ibid. (b) Also, Jews had belonged to the magi king-makers, and some of their kings of the past were possibly partly Jewish, Ibid.
      2. Hence, for a star to appear over the quadrant of Israel in accord with the astrological beliefs of these king-maker MAGI, meaning a king of the JEWS was born, the magi were only too happy to travel to MEET him in hopes of setting up a new ruler over Persia who would also take Israel from Rome! (Ibid., v. Five, p. 512-513)
      3. This is why Herod, and unpopular ARAB ruler of Israel would have been "troubled," and all Jerusalem with him, at the arrival of such king-making magi in full military escort who asked about one "born king of the Jews" in Matt. 2:1b-2! (Ibid., v. Four, p. 34)
      4. Accordingly, God arranged for these MAGI king-makers to fulfill Psalm 72:10-11 as a foretaste of the Messianic Kingdom, but then He sovereingly maneuvered them to PROTECT the infant Jesus:
        1. Herod planned to follow the trail of the magi to find and then destroy this "king of the Jews," Matthew 2:4-8 with 2:16.
        2. Opposite this, God supernaturally moved the star, revealing to these pagan magi this "king of the Jews" was His king, and they rejoiced, and fell down and worshipped Jesus as GOD, 2:9-11.
        3. Then, God told the magi in a dream to return to Persia without seeing Herod, and for Joseph to flee with Jesus and Mary into Egypt to avoid Herod's onslaught of Bethlehem's infants, 2:13.
        4. God even informed Joseph in dreams to return to Israel, but to settle out of harm's way back in Nazareth, Matthew 2:14-23.
  4. With such GREAT DIVINE sovereignty exhibited over empire king-makers to help the INFANT Jesus, we who believe Christ can TRUST in His SOVEREIGNTY over EARTHLY rule for blessing:
    1. Even now, Jesus is above all human rulers, Eph. 1:19-20, 21b-23.
    2. Accordingly, we only need to heed Him and HE will graciously arrange to cause all world religious, business or governmental rulers function so as to help and not hinder our doing God's will in life!
Application: If concerned about the moves of evil and influential business, religious or governmental leaders relative to our welfare, we must (1) trust in Christ to become children of God and part of His kingdom, John 1:12-13; Col. 1:13. (2) Then, based on God's display of GREAT sovereignty OVER even king-maker MAGI, let alone Rome, Persia and a paranoid Herod relative to the infant Jesus, we need (a) merely trust His rule of US, His spiritual sons, and (b) find HIS help in doing His will!

Lesson: If God arranged through sending His star for the king-makers of Jesus' day to bow and WORSHIP His Son as a human INFANT, only to PROTECT Him from HARM by a paranoid HEROD, He can protect and help US to do HIS will regardless of even EVIL king-makers TODAY!

Conclusion: (To illustrate the sermon lesson . . . )

 While driving in Baltimore, Maryland a few years ago during one of our trips to the Johns Hopkins medical center there, I suddenly realized I was lost in the short-run. I knew generally of my need to get across town to the hospital from the Ronald McDonald House, but could not figure out what to do in the short-term. For out-of-towners, Baltimore can be an amazingly complex tangle of streets!

At one point, I turned right to avoid a train of streetcars coming from one direction, only to discover I had started down the wrong way on a one way street!

Then, my heart sank. Right in front of me was a city police officer directing traffic, and he was holding up his hand and coming toward me! I was sure I was going to get a ticket, so I rolled down my window, and said, "Sir, I'm from Connecticut, and I'm trying to get to the Johns Hopkins Hospital, and I made a wrong turn!"

He responded, quietly adding to my statement, "Big time!"

Then, instead of making life difficult, he suddenly told me to turn around, head back the other way, and how to get to the main street to take me across town. Relieved, I followed his advice, and found my way to the hospital.

We learn in Romans 13:1-4 that such officials are "ministers of God" set up by God's permissive will to punish evildoers and praise those who do good. In this case, at an intense point of need, God arranged for the officer to identify with my plight, and, though he had the right to "throw the book" at me, he actually became the key to my help to get to where I needed to go as an out-of-towner and fulfill God's will to meeting our family's medical needs!



God is SOVEREIGN over ALL governmental, religious and business leaders at all levels, and He is even sovereign over the king-making powers behind the highest positions in our world! All we need to do is to submit to HIM as HIS children, and HE will "move mountains" with such leaders so we can achieve His will!