Jesus, our Messiah – Day 6

The Lord says to my lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” Psalm 110:1 (NIV)

In the days of the patriarchs, God revealed many facts, through his prophets, concerning the coming Messiah. He would be born of a virgin in Bethlehem, all people would be blessed through him, and he would conquer the devil and the forces of evil. He would bring peace to all nations and establish a kingdom that would last forever.

Following in their footsteps came David, a descendant of Abraham, Jacob and Judah. David’s days were spent tending his father’s sheep and compiling songs to play on his harp. The prophet Samuel was told by God to anoint David, to be the next king of Israel. David’s life would never be the same again.

He did not ascend to the throne immediately. Like gold, he first had to be refined. It was a process that took many years, during which David had to overcome life-threatening ordeals and unjustified persecution at the hands of King Saul, whose seething hatred of David was fuelled by jealousy (1 Samuel 18:7).

David took refuge in harsh desert areas where he led a nomadic existence, constantly harried by Saul’s troops. David was often in despair. He pleaded with God for deliverance (Psalm 109:26).

He often gave vent to his feelings by composing divinely inspired psalms. His psalms reveal that in addition to his many talents, the Holy Spirit also endowed David with the gift of prophecy.

In our verse for the day, David looks with anticipation to the day when Christ, the Messiah, will reign. It was quoted by Jesus when he asked the Pharisees, “What do you think of the Christ? Whose son is he?” They had no answers (Matthew 22:41-45).

Our Lord’s questions were not only directed at the Pharisees. He asks his disciples the same question. It’s an answer he wants to hear from each one of us. Praise God if, like Simon Peter, we can say to Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16)