Advent 09 - #3 The Promised Seed

Promises Fulfilled Advent 2009 #3

Gen 3:15; 17:7; 21:12;

The Promised Seed

Well we’ve been talking about Promises

Jesus was promised to be born in Bethlehem and he was

He was promised to be born of a virgin and he was

Today we talk about Seeds. Jesus, the Promised Seed.

Seeds are something. They are small but produce much.

There are rules of the Harvest

You Reap What You Sow

You Reap More than you Sow

You Reap Later than you Sow

He was just a baby. Small is the way they come. Even big babies are small. He was just one of many babies born on November 4, 1975. He was just a little seed of promise like all babies are. But seeds produce more than they appear, and they produce later than when they are sown, but oh what a harvest.

A little acorn grows into a huge mighty Oak tree.

A little wheat grain when it germinates can produce a mighty wheat harvest to support a family and feed masses.

And that little seed born in Sandusky, Ohio was “planted” and grew. Seeds of learning, education, hard work, training, technique, and training tables, germinated with a little time in Columbus and in 1997 that seed was 6’7” and more than 320 pounds. And he was drafted #1 by the St. Louis Rams and signed the biggest contract ever for a Rookie of $23 million plus a $5 signing bonus. That little seed has grown a long way from an infant to the hulk of a man he has become, numerous awards, and tens of millions of dollars. Not a bad harvest from a little seed

A seed, Jesus Christ is the fulfilled promise. He was a Promised Seed. So, let me paint a picture, a picture of God’s Seed in the Consciousness of Israel. The Seed planted through prophesy and promise and Harvested in Jesus Christ

I want you to see Jesus described as 4 seeds and then seeing the Promises fulfilled, I will tell you what it means for you and me. So save a little space at the bottom of each section

So, let me take us through some Old Testament scripture and build a base on which to Stand and see the Glory of God in Christ Jesus

Oh the Promises of God, born in Bethlehem, of a Virgin and today the Promised Seed

First …

1. The Seed of the Woman

Mary? No further back, all the way back.

Genesis 3. Adam and Eve were in God’s perfect creation. And it says satan was “more crafty than any of the animals”. He appeared to Eve. He lied to Eve. He tempted her. He enticed her to do the only thing God had told her NOT to do and that is to eat from the tree of knowledge of Good and Evil. She ate, she gave to Adam and he ate and with the willful disobedience, sin entered the world and with it came death. Physical death and spiritual death entered the world.

God pronounced necessary judgment and consequences on all, including Adam, Eve, the Serpent and all of his creation. God himself provided for the remission of their sin through animal sacrifice and clothing of Adam and Eve. The reason we wear clothes is because of our sin. So Matthew Henry says there is “little reason to be proud of our clothes, which are but the badges of our poverty and infamy.”

And so, I’m sure, right in front of Adam and Eve, God killed those animals.

What a gruesome thing for them to see the violence of sacrifice because without the shed blood there is no forgiveness for sin. They watched as he sacrificed for them. How fitting. The first animals killed on earth were innocent for a sacrifice. But in the midst of it was a Promise … Speaking to Satan, he said …

Genesis 3:15 -

And I will put enmity

between you and the woman,

and between your offspring and hers;

he will crush your head,

and you will strike his heel.”

The seed of the woman, will eventually, ultimately, and finally Crush the Head of the Serpent.

The word “offspring” is literally “seed” – and the promise is that the see of the Woman will crush, strike, or bruise … the word is “shuwph” shoof bruise, crush, to fall upon

The promise from the beginning was that this would not be the end of the story. That Eve would have a descendant that would right the wrong that she had started.

The Promise was 1) that our Redeemer would come physically 2) He will die physically as satan will bruise his heal and 3) he will WIN as he will crush the serpent’s head.

Again this sin would not be the end of the story.

There was a Promised seed that would Harvest Victory over Sin.

Now in your notes write down “Fulfillment” and we will be back in a moment.

The Seed of the Woman and next

2. Seed of Abraham – Gen 17:7; 22:18

Abram was part of a pagan culture in an area called Ur of the Chaldeans. It is in what is now Turkey, north of Iraq and Syria. In Genesis 12, God chose him and pronounced his blessing as he obeyed God’s leading to a new Land. Abram followed God. He traveled to Canaan and as far as Egypt. More than 20 years passed since God made the promise. Abram had failed God many times and wondered if perhaps he had missed the opportunity for God’s blessing. In Genesis 17 God appeared to him again. He was 99 still with no son by Sarai, his wife

And God confirmed his covenant and said

Gen 17:7

7 I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.

A covenant to BE Your God and the God of your descendants … it was a seed planted

And then after their child Isaac had been born and was a boy or young adolescent, God says in

Gen 22:18

18 and through your offspringb all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”

All the nations of the earth would be blessed, because Abram obeyed

The Promise is based on God. God gave the promise, so God will fulfill the promise

God says “I will establish” quwm koom arise, stand, abide

The promise fulfilled is God’s doing and it is marvelous

He said “I will be your God” elohiym – ruler, judge, divine, one, God

God’s promise was everlasting. That means it has always been and always will be. It is From everlasting and it is TO everlasting. And we will know it has come as the promise is fulfilled in the Seed of Abraham

What you have is determined by who your god is. If you have a false god, you have false promises that will never be fulfilled.

Yahweh told Abraham, “I will be your God, and the God of your seed, your Promise”

And “your seed will bring a blessing to ALL the earth.”

NOW WE ARE GETTING SOMEWHERE. I am not physically a descendant of Abraham. But I AM a part of God’s creation. I am part of the “whole earth”

Write “Fulfillment” and we will return

The seed of the woman

The seed of Abraham

And

3. Seed of Isaac – Gen 21:12; Gen 22

God kept his immediate promise to Abraham and he did give him a Son, at 100 years of Age and Sarah at 90. When Isaac was weaned, they were having a celebration and God made it clear that Isaac was the one through whom the Promised Seed would come. Abraham had another son, Ishmael, through a servant, but Isaac was the one. And God said,

Genesis 21:12 - But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.

Ishmael was the product of Abraham’s actions.

Isaac was the product of God’s hand.

We have to put aside the deeds of the flesh to know and receive the blessing of God’s Promise

“Through Isaac” – the Seed of Promise is “RECKONED” or “called” – qara kaw-raw called, cried, proclaimed, named, invited, preached

It is through Isaac that we are called or invited to the seed of Promise

Isaac cries out to us across the centuries

He says “look to the seed of the woman, of Abraham, of Isaac”

There was one other major incident in the boyhood of Isaac

In Genesis 22:2 it says that God said to Abraham “take your son, your only son … Sacrifice him”

But He is the Son of Promise, the vehicle for the Promised Seed, which would come through him.

But you probably know that Abraham took the boy to Mt Moriah. The boy asked “where is the lamb for sacrifice?” And Abraham showed his faith by saying “God himself will provide”

He took his son to the mountain, tied him down, raised the knife preparing to finish the task. But The Angel of the Lord, Pre-incarnate Christ, stopped him and provided a sacrifice in a ram caught in the thicket. He said “do not lay a hand on the boy” and then the promise we read earlier from verse 18 “through your offspring blessings will come to the world”

By the seed of the Woman, the Seed of Abraham, the Seed of Isaac

Save some room for “fulfillment”

But finally we have

4. The Seed of David –

This promise is about rule. David, Israel’s 2nd King.

Ps 89:1-4

I will sing of the LORD’s great love forever;

with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.

2 I will declare that your love stands firm forever,

that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself.

3 You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one,

I have sworn to David my servant,

4 ‘I will establish your line forever

and make your throne firm through all generations.’ ”

This Psalm is a “maskil” meaning it is an instructive song to edify the singer and listener

God Promises that David’s seed will be established to rule forever through all generations.

Yet David’s descendants lost their throne eventually but there IS a Promised Seed

Psalm 132:17

“Here I will make a horn grow for David

and set up a lamp for my anointed one.

A “horn” always is symbolic of rule and it will GROW for David

The Rule of Righteousness, the Rule of God might seem to be darkened, but there is a lamp at the end of the tunnel, God’s Promised Seed

Isaiah 11:1

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;

from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.

The early Church Father Tertullian and Teacher lived in the late 2nd and early 3rd century wrote in a letter to Jews

And that the virgin of whom it behoved Christ to be born must derive her lineage of the seed of David, the prophet in subsequent passages evidently asserts. “And there shall be born,” he says, “a rod from the root of Jesse”—which rod is Mary—“and a flower shall ascend from his root: and there shall rest upon him the Spirit of God, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of discernment and piety, the spirit of counsel and truth; the spirit of God’s fear shall fill Him.” For to none of men was the universal aggregation of spiritual credentials appropriate, except to Christ; paralleled as He is to a “flower” by reason of glory, by reason of grace; but accounted “of the root of Jesse,” whence His origin is to be deduced,—to wit, through Mary. For He was from the native soil of Bethlehem, and from the house of David; as, among the Romans, Mary is described in the census, of whom is born Christ.

(Anti-nicene Fathers Vol III)

Jeremiah 33:20-22

God made a promise and said “look if you can stop the sun from shining and night from falling then you can stop me from fulfilling my covenant with David.”

John 7:41

Others said, “He is the Christ.”

Still others asked, “How can the Christ come from Galilee? 42 Does not the Scripture say that the Christ will come from David’s family and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?”

Well Yes Einstein it does. J

That is FUNNY isn’t it?

Really?

“Jesus is from Nazareth”, they were saying, and “we know the Messiah will come from Bethlehem”

They didn’t know much did they?

That would be like you saying Pastor Jim can’t be a preacher, because real preachers come from New Orleans and Jim is from Texas and Ohio … you don’t know what you think you know do you? I WAS born in New Orleans.

Btw the Old Testament also says that the Messiah would come out of Egypt … Jesus’ family fled to Egypt to escape Herod’s murder attempts. And thus he came out of Bethlehem and out of Egypt.

Save room for fulfillment

But the Seed of the Woman, of Abraham, of Isaac, and of David

And Paul writes

Romans 1:2-3

the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David

And Matthew 1:20 says Joseph is a Son of David

So what does all this mean?

1. Fulfillment of the Seed of the Woman

Galatians 4:4-5

But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.

At the right time … born of a woman … Don’t you ever worry about God’s timing or ability. And on that Friday afternoon, outside of Jerusalem, on a hill called Golgotha, Jesus Christ was slain. He was sacrificed before the eyes of humanity. Just like the first sacrifice, when it was shocking and gruesome to see an animal sacrificed for Adam and Eve. How much more gruesome is the death of the very Son of God, the Lord of Life, slain for our sins though he was innocent. And when this had come to pass, John 19:29 says Jesus said “it is Finished” our sins paid in full, yes, but also the Serpent’s head, the power of sin Crushed!

Colossians 2:15

And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

And the seed of the woman brought a Harvest of Salvation, A Victorious Savior and Victory over sin for all of us who trust him; So that just like Adam and Eve, as soon as we are aware of our sin, a solution is available to receive.

What about

2. The Fulfillment of the Seed of Abraham

A Blessing was promised to all through Abraham and because of his faithful obedience. But did Abraham give us the blessing?

Galatians 3:16

The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,”a meaning one person, who is Christ.

Jesus Christ, Seed of Abraham, Victorious Savior, also the Victorious Giver of Blessing, resulting in a Harvest of Blessing

And then what of

3. Fulfillment of the Seed of Isaac

Hebrews 11:17-19

By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18 even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspringb will be reckoned.”c 19 Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.

What is the Harvest of the Seed of Isaac

A Victorious Life, a Resurrection Life

Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ and yet I live, not I but Christ lives in me and the life I now live I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me

Isaac was as good as dead yet because of Christ his life was given back to him. And so we have a Harvest of Life and Victorious Living in this life and another Resurrection in the Life to Come

1 Corinthians 15:20-21; 50-54

But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.

50 I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

Oh the Seed of Isaac, Jesus was put in the ground but harvested Resurrection Life for all of us who believe

And so finally and quickly

4. Fulfillment of the Seed of David

Is there YET a Harvest?

Yes, a Harvest of a Victorious King

Acts 13:22-23

… ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’

23 “From this man’s descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as he promised.

The seed has been harvested in our hearts as the rule of David’s Seed

He takes reign in our hearts and a Holy Rule and Righteousness rule, and and Eternal Rule

There IS a Literal Rule of David’s seed and he keeps his promises

Revelation 19:11-16

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.”a He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

A Harvest of A Victorious KING

And Revelation 20 says he will reign on earth for 1000 years

And finally

Revelation 21:1-3

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.

Did you see that fulfillment, “I will be their God”

The seed of the woman, of Abraham, of Isaac, and David

And he says

“Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

Rev 22:12-13

Now, do Isaac Watts words in the Hymn “Joy to the World” make sense?

It is a Prophetic Song of both the 1st Advent AND the 2nd Advent

Sing it with me

1Joy to the world! the Lord is come;

Let earth receive her King.

Let ev’ry heart prepare Him room,

And heav’n and nature sing,

And heav’n and heav’n and nature sing.

2Joy to the earth! the Savior reigns;

Let men their songs employ;

While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

3No more let sins and sorrows grow,

Nor thorns infest the ground;

He comes to make His blessings flow

Far as the curse is found,

Far as, far as the curse is found.

4He rules the world with truth and grace,

And makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness,

And wonders of His love,

And wonders, and wonders of His love.

Isaac Watts – words

G F Handel - music