Tomorrow is Christmas. Anticipation runs high. Children look under the tree and dream of what may be in those wrapped boxes. Parents look forward to seeing the joy upon the faces of their children when they open these gifts. And while not every gift will be a hit; not every gift will be met with joy and fulfill expectations, many will. And those are the ones everyone will want to remember.
Anticipation was growing in the First Century, too. In had, in fact, been growing since before the prophets went silent with Malachi. And now, there is a strange man in the wilderness. He dresses weird. He has an odd diet. He is the son of a priest but is not himself a priest. And the Jewish leaders took note, for he drew many to himself.
He was a prophet and a prophet is one of the things they were all waiting for. Which is why it isn’t surprising to hear the religious leaders of the day sent some priests and Levites to John. They ask him who he was. The response is akin to how Jesus will sometimes answer a question. He answers it, but not in the way the inquisitor expects. Who is John? He is not the Christ. He is not Elijah. He is not the Prophet. So who is he? He is the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, “Make straight the way of the Lord.”
John answers their questions, but he doesn’t give the answer they seek. They know he isn’t the Christ. They know he claims that he isn’t Elijah. They know he is not the Prophet. But then he goes on to tell them he is the one preparing the way for the Lord. So while he isn’t The Prophet, he is a prophet. Make sense? Possibly not.
To understand how John can be a prophet but not the Prophet, we must understand what the Jews were asking him. The Prophet was a very specific person. Moses tells Israel, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen”
Moses prophesied about One who will come who will be like him. One who will converse with the Lord. Who will speak the very Words of the Lord. Who will be the mediator between man and his God. So from that time on, Israel waited for this prophet. They were in a constant state of anticipation. And indeed, many prophets came who exhibited some of the attributes of this Prophet to come. They would speak with God. They would proclaim this word to the people. But none of them were the New Moses that Israel was waiting for. None of them had the unique relationship between themselves and God that Moses had.
Perhaps exasperated, the religious leaders of the people asked, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”And John responds by saying, “I am the voice of the one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.
What John tells them here is that their anticipation is about to be fulfilled. He comes to prepare the way for the Christ who is the Prophet. That One is coming, and that is why John does what he does. He is preparing hearts for the coming of Jesus. And this work is important because this coming One is greater than he. Because of what Moses says in Deuteronomy 18: “I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.” John tells these men that the Prophet is coming, and they had better pay attention. They had better listen to him. Because if they don’t, there will be dire consequences. God himself will hold them accountable.
But what about those who do receive and listen to the Prophet? St. Paul exhorts us, to “rejoice in the Lord always.” Indeed, our Lord is at hand and there is no reason for us to be anxious over anything. Because we have this Prophet, greater than Moses, we may go to him in prayer and with every petition of want, need, or desire.
And we know that this Glory has been revealed. And it is revealed in the babe of Bethlehem. In the Child of the Virgin Mary. People will come from near and far to see him. From the Magi to Samaritans to Pharisees. Some will behold him, marveling at him and worshipping him. Others will grumble and oppose him.
The glory of the Lord is revealed in Jesus not to condemn, but to bring life. To show his righteousness and salvation to all flesh. At the birth of Christ, heaven can’t contain itself. As we will soon hear, angels announce the birth to shepherds. Magi in the east will see the star in the heavens and be drawn to Jesus, bearing gifts and worship.
As our anticipation for Christmas nears its climax, we recall that this babe doesn’t stay in the manger. He doesn’t stay a baby. Instead, he is driven far away as Herod seeks his life. He grows in wisdom and in the favor of God, even marveling the teachers in the Temple when he is twelve. As the Nativity of our Lord draws near, we recall that he is our help and our deliverer. That we are weighed down by our sin, but Christ is born to take it up and bestow upon us grace and mercy. And that this is accomplished just outside Jerusalem. Where our Prophet, Priest, and King is affixed to a cross in our place. Where our salvation and righteousness are won.
Rev. Brent Keller
Peace Lutheran Church
Alcester, SD
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