Coming of a Deliverer
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“And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the
Book,
And the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity,
and out
of darkness.
The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord,
And the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One
of Israel.”
“They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding,
And they that murmured shall learn doctrine.”
Isaiah 29:18, 19, 24
.
Thus, through patriarchs and prophets, as well as through types
and symbols, God spoke to the world concerning the coming of a
Deliverer from sin. A long line of inspired prophecy pointed to the
advent of “the Desire of all nations.”
Haggai 2:7
. Even the very place
of His birth and the time of His appearance were minutely specified.
The Son of David must be born in David’s city. Out of Bethlehem,
said the prophet, “shall He come forth ... that is to be ruler in Israel;
whose goings forth have been from of old, from the days of eternity.”
Micah 5:2
, margin.
“And thou Bethlehem, land of Judah,
Art in no wise least among the princes of Judah:
For out of thee shall come forth a Governor,
Which shall be Shepherd of My people Israel.”
Matthew 2:6
, R.V.
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The time of the first advent and of some of the chief events cluster-
ing about the Saviour’s lifework was made known by the angel Gabriel
to Daniel. “Seventy weeks,” said the angel, “are determined upon thy
people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make
an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring
in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy,
and to anoint the most holy.”
Daniel 9:24
. A day in prophecy stands
for a year. See
Numbers 14:34
;
Ezekiel 4:6
. The seventy weeks, or