Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

This is a special week in my family because it’s the birthdays of three very precious members, my youngest son, mother and brother. And last week was my oldest grandchild’s birthday. Because these beloved people share a birthday month with Jesus, I am inspired to look at important people in Christ’s History.

Today’s scripture, Jeremiah 23:5-6 NKJV
[5] “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. [6] In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Consider…
People all around the world look forward to celebrating Christmas with family and friends. Despite the the world’s efforts to take Christ out of Christmas, by replacing our Savior’s name with an ‘X’ and commercializing it, His origin is still worth reviewing.

The etymology of Christmas comes from Middle English “Cristemasse,” meaning “Christ’s Mass” (the celebration of Christ).

While writing this, I keep hearing Matthew 16:15-17 (NKJV)…
[15] He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” [16] Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” [17] Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

Today gender reveals are all the craze, thus let’s begin our week dabbling in Christ’s reveal.

Let’s begin with an AI Overview of today’s scripture, for deeper understanding….
Jeremiah 23:5-6 prophesies the coming of a righteous King from David’s line, the Messiah (Jesus Christ), who will reign with wisdom, justice, and righteousness, bringing salvation and security to God’s people, and whose name will be “The LORD Our Righteousness” (Yahweh-Tsidkenu), fulfilling God’s promise for perfect leadership and atonement for sin. This passage contrasts the corrupt leaders of Jeremiah’s time with the ideal, divine King who makes His people righteous through faith in Him.

Key Meanings:
The Righteous Branch (Messiah): God promises to raise up a descendant of David, a “righteous Branch,” who will be a perfect, wise king, unlike the unrighteous rulers of the era.

Justice & Righteousness: This king will execute justice and righteousness in the land, bringing stability and salvation where there was chaos and sin.

“The LORD Our Righteousness”: The king’s name, “Yahweh-Tsidkenu,” signifies that God Himself will provide righteousness for His people, a concept fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

Fulfillment in Christ: Christians see Jesus as this promised Branch, whose life, death, and resurrection provide the righteousness that humans lack, offering salvation and security.

Contrast with Corrupt Leaders: The prophecy serves as a strong critique of the false shepherds (leaders) who failed Israel and Judah, highlighting God’s remedy through the true Shepherd, Jesus.

In essence, Jeremiah 23:5-6 is a powerful messianic prophecy promising a future King who embodies divine justice and provides ultimate righteousness and security for God’s people.

Another AI Overview explains…
the Greek word Christos (χριστός) means “anointed one” and is the source of the English title “Christ”. It was used to translate the Hebrew word Mashiach (מָשִׁיחַ), which also means “anointed one” or “Messiah”. The title “Christ” signifies that Jesus was chosen by God, a role that in ancient Israel was given to kings, priests, and prophets through the ritual of anointing with oil.

The prophesy promise of a future King, was shared with Nathan to give to David in 2 Samuel 7:11b-16 (NLT)…
[11b] … “‘Furthermore, the LORD declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings! [12] For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. [13] He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. [14] I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do. [15] But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight. [16] Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.’”

There are three observations that the Holy Spirit highlighted about the promised King prophecy…

• It’s eternal, not temporal… meaning it would come to pass, but not in David’s lifetime. We should pay particular to this lesson for God’s promises we claim.
• Christ would build God’s temple
• Christ would be God’s Son

Luke 1:31-33 (NLT) confirms the first and third observations…
[31] You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. [32] He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. [33] And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

And the Apostle Paul confirms the second observation in Ephesians 2:19-21 (NLT)…
[19] So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. [20] Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. [21] We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.

These are important observations because they reveal that Christ was the fulfillment of God’s preordained plan.

Ephesians 1:9-11 (NLT) explains…
[9] God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. [10] And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. [11] Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.

Don’t miss it, God always intended for ALL people to have access to Him through Christ from the beginning.

As a matter of fact, Paul further explains in Ephesians 1:12-14 (NLT)…
[12] God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God. [13] And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. [14] The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.

Don’t allow the physical order of things to overshadow the eternal intention and divine ordination of God’s plan and promise. I say that because although we love to celebrate the birth of baby Jesus, as foretold in Isaiah 7:14 (NLT)…
[14] All right then, the LORD himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).

And confirmed in Matthew 1:22-23 (NLT)…
[22] All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: [23] “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”

…that’s only the beginning of God’s Christ promise.

Indeed Isaiah 53:2-11 (NLT) foretells the rest of Christ’s autobiography…
[2] My servant grew up in the LORD’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. [3] He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. [4] Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! [5] But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. [6] All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all. [7] He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. [8] Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people. [9] He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave. [10] But it was the LORD’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the LORD’s good plan will prosper in his hands. [11] When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins.

Reading through Christ’s advanced copy of His-story, doesn’t read like an heir to David’s throne. That’s because God wasn’t focused on temporal appearances here on earth, but an eternal reign.

Do you remember Jesus’ response to Pilate asking if He was king, little ‘k’, of the Jews? John 18:36 (NLT) says…
[36] Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.”

Well Revelation 19:16 (NLT) testifies…
[16] On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.

You see, Christ wasn’t promised to be a king, little ‘k’, He was promised to be the King, capital ‘K’.

Thus Christ was meant to have ALL, not some, authority.

J believe that why the Holy Spirit inspired Matthew 28:18 (NLT) which says…
[18] Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.

You see David had limited authority over God’s initial chosen people of Israel, but Christ has ALL authority over ALL people.

We know this is true because Philippians 2:9-11 (NLT) declares…
[9] Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, [10] that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, [11] and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

According to AI Overview, this “Lord” signifies supreme authority, ownership, and divine status, translating Hebrew words like Adonai (master/ruler) and God’s personal name YHWH (written as LORD in all caps), and the Greek Kyrios (master/ruler). It refers to God the Father as sovereign ruler and, significantly, to Jesus Christ, affirming His divinity, power, and rightful claim to worship and obedience, marking Him as more than Messiah but as God.

That makes me hear the Psalmist proclaim in Psalms 24:1 NLT
[1] The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.

Notice all the people belong to the LORD. That means His Kingdom and dominion relates to all people.

That’s why Colossians 1:13-14 (NLT) explains…
[13] For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, [14] who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.

Yet, despite evidence and promises to the contrary, many believers today are still looking for Jesus to exercise His eternal authority and dominion for our dominance here on earth.

For example Colossians 3:1-3 (NLT) exhorts…
[1] Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. [2] Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. [3] For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.

Notice, God wants us to be Heavenly focused here on earth through our life in Christ.

And Matthew 6:33 (NLT) emphasizes…
[33] Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

Which means focusing on God’s Kingdom and standard should be our priority.

Today’s stroll down memory lane of a promised King, who is the Father’s Son, was inspired by my reflection granddaughter’s birthday. You see like David, I would love to leave a legacy of passion for God with generations that will come long after I am leave this earth.

Here’s something else very cool the Holy Spirit showed me about the connection of David and Jesus…

• David was a man after God’s heart
• Jesus was God’s heart given to man

…as seen in today’s image verse, Jesus was both the root (beginning) and offspring (ending) of His forefather David. That tells me David was also picked by God to be in the line of Jesus. That’s important be God chooses His family based on Jesus. Ephesians 1:5-6 (NLT) affirms…
[5] God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. [6] So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.

This Advent season let’s focus more on Christ the eternal King, who always was, is and is to come, rather than just seeing and celebrating Him as a baby king lying in a manger.

Today, let’s praise the King who has and still reigns forever and ever! 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾

Today’s song is…
Hallelujah Chorus

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)