The Messiah Anna Longed For

Matthew 1:20-25 But after he had considered these things, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is by the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”

²² Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

²³ See, the virgin will become pregnant
and give birth to a son,
and they will name Him Immanuel,

which is translated “God is with us.”

²⁴ When Joseph got up from sleeping, he did as the Lord’s angel had commanded him. He married her ²⁵ but did not know her intimately until she gave birth to a son. And he named Him Jesus. (HCSB)

As we near Christmas Day, we approach the end of our journey with Anna. Today, our focus is on one son of David who God called to be his son’s stepfather.

In Hebrew tradition, back to the beginnings in Genesis, the son’s legacy was traced through the father. Therefore, Jesus’ earthly father had to be a son of David to make that side of the equation fulfill prophecy. If you read Joseph’s family tree in this chapter of Matthew, he had all the kings of Judah as his grandfathers.

But that presents a problem.

Because of sin and disobedience, the line of Solomon was cut off from the throne by God.

So we have a seemingly unresolvable conflict. The Messiah must be a kingly son of David, but he cannot physically come from the line of the kings.

It is because of this quandary that Matthew spells out Joseph’s lineage and then quotes Isaiah. Positionally, Jesus in the rightful king via Joseph.

But relationally, he is the just and holy king because of his true father, God.

Seemingly conflicting prophecies, and God resolves them perfectly.

What reassurance this is for us and for all the saints in heaven looking forward to Christ’s return. No matter how diverse the prophecies, all will come to pass in God’s timing.

Did Anna see and realize both portions of the redemption of Jerusalem—the cross and the return?