Spending some time now in the Book of Revelation has reminded me of a way of viewing our Lord Y’shuaJesus that has bothered me for some time. It’s a different view from the one in Revelation. It’s been around for a long time, too. Matthew Henry’s commentary on the Bible includes it: the meekness of Christ. Perhaps Mr. Henry refers to a different meekness than I imagine from the word. And too be fair, we see throughout the Gospels a great number of sides to Y’shuaJesus that show His gentle ways of dealing with us. It’s just that this view of Y’shuaJesus as meek gets played over and over until I wonder if we lose perspective.
Especially during the Christmas Season—I’ve too often heard the cooing of mom’s showing their kids a manger scene and saying, “Ah, look at Baby Jesus! He’s so cute. See Baby Jesus.” And during other times, not just during Christmas, I’ve heard moms say to their children, “Let’s pray to Baby Jesus now.” Or “Say ‘Thank you’ to Baby Jesus.” Okay, so being fair, it’s moms talking to kids. But when does that image of a baby change to Y’shuaJesus, King? Perhaps it really doesn’t. There’s the prevailing view that “Jesus is a friend. He walks with us and He talks with us.” Yes, He does. But He’s so much more than a friend. He’s worthy great awe and reverence and respect.
Look at the portraits hanging now in museums. Y’shuaJesus is portrayed as a gentle man, doing things that in His time upon Earth would have been very feminine. Sitting at a well, talking with a woman. Not even a Jewish women. And it’s true, a battered woman has seen only the cruelest sides of a man, has great have trouble with Y’shuaJesus unless He is portrayed in a kind and gentle manner. This was the rationale for the “Papa G-d” movement that sought to show the Father Heart of G-d to people that had been abused by human fathers.
But. But when do we begin to see another view of Y’shuaJesus? Just as the Jews during the time Y’shuaJesus walked on Earth were expecting a conquering Messiah got a suffering One instead, perhaps Christians today see only the gentle Messiah, and not the conquering One. Perhaps seeing only one side leads into thinking we are godlike. We bring Y’shuaJesus down to Earth as a mere child, and we elevate ourselves above Him. We are all gods.
John saw the Lord, and wrote the Book about it:
“Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands; and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash. His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength.”
Revelation 1:12-16
Y’shuaJesus WAS born in a cavern that was the barn for animals—a stable. Y’shuaJesus WAS a baby. But Y’shuaJesus grew and even surprised his folks at a very early age when He sat teaching adults in the Temple (in Jerusalem). Y’shuaJesus wasn’t a baby when He was strapped and nailed to a post, raised up before a crowd, humiliated and suffering, finally dying. Dying. Yet, like a baby, innocent. We are guilty. He is innocent. We are alive. He is . . .
ALIVE. Yes!
And we are given a glimpse of Him in this “call for endurance” in Revelation 14:12-14.
Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!” Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand.
When Y’shuaJesus comes back—He will return—He won’t look like the small, meek-looking child laying in a cradle with angels and humans looking condescendingly over Him. No. He will come with angels following. He will come with “His eyes . . . like a flame of fire. His feet . . . like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice . . . like the sound of many waters.” Thank G-d! Maranatha!
Okay. The things is that Y’shuaJesus is our friend. And Y’shuaJesus is also our Lord and King. He died for us, and rose for us, that we can be with Him forever. We owe Him everything. We will kneel before Him and we will confess with our mouths, He Is Lord!
Look at it this way, we can’t put a bumper sticker on our cars with “Jesus” on one side, and on the other side a sticker that says, “Gymnastics is Life.” Seriously. I saw it myself the other day. We can’t have it both ways. Y’shuaJesus is either our Life, or He isn’t. Echoing the call, Choose today who you will serve. We need in our thinking and our conversations and in our actions, to acknowledge that there is a time for meekness and a time for fierce adherence to the Word of G-d with deepest awe for our Savior, Y’shuaJesus.
Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .
JonahzSong 