Jesus Christ came in fulfillment of a wealth of Old Testament promises, and made frequent references to the words of Moses and the prophets when teaching His disciples.
27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he (Christ) interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself… 32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” Luke 24:26-27,32 (ESV)
Jesus, quiet and unrecognized, met up and walked along with two of His disciples on the road to Emmaus after His resurrection from the dead. The discouraged disciples had apparently given up hope and were walking home following His crucifixion and burial. Jesus then spent a portion of their walk explaining to them how Moses and the prophets had pointed to Messiah’s suffering before He could become King. After taking communion with Him, they finally recognized the risen Christ in the breaking of the bread, as Jesus disappeared from their sight.
Jesus later appeared amongst His disciples in Jerusalem, also using this time to teach them about the importance of the scriptures in foretelling His experiences.
44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. Luke 24:44-47 (ESV)
References to the person of Jesus Christ can be found throughout the entire Bible, in both the Old and the New Testaments. He confirmed this with His disciples as they walked along on the road to Emmaus. We do not know specifically which scriptures were referenced as He spoke to them, but there are many possibilities to choose from. We have touched on several of these references in previous meditations, and with God’s guidance and blessing, there will be many more to come.
We will seek to uncover more of the spiritual gems that God has given us about Christ throughout the scriptures, from Moses, the prophets, and through all the members of the genealogy of Jesus. There is so much more to discover about the infinite loving nature of Christ and His presence, impact, and power in our daily lives.
Two examples of Old Testament prophecy that Jesus likely used to point to Himself and His suffering can be found in Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53. Both are worth reading in their entirety, but one selection from Psalm 22 reads:
14 I am poured out like water,
And all My bones are out of joint;
My heart is like wax;
It has melted within Me.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
And My tongue clings to My jaws;
You have brought Me to the dust of death.
16 For dogs have surrounded Me;
The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.
They pierced My hands and My feet;
17 I can count all My bones.
They look and stare at Me.
18 They divide My garments among them,
And for My clothing they cast lots. Psalm 22:14-18 (NKJV)
My prayer is that through this daily meditation on the genealogy of Jesus, the Holy Spirit will lead each of us to a fuller understanding of God’s love for us and His tremendous goodness. May our hearts “burn within us”, just just as they did for the disciples on the road to Emmaus, as we experience the presence and power of Jesus each day through His holy word.
Reflection
Have you ever experienced a burning in your heart from the tangible presence of the Lord? This can happen in times of worship, fellowship, or even from a reading of His word. It may be manifest like a fire or simply a warm simmering peace that passes all understanding to calm a troubled spirit.
Father God, help us to seek Your presence, wisdom , and power in Your Holy word. May the Spirit of Christ burn in our hearts. We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Daily Meditations from the Genealogy of Jesus 