“In the beginning [before all time] was the Word ( Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. He was [continually existing] in the beginning [co-eternally] with God. All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him not even one thing was made that has come into being. In Him was life [and the power to bestow life], and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines on in the darkness, and the darkness did not understand it or overpower it or appropriate it or absorb it [and is unreceptive to it].
There it was—the true Light [the genuine, perfect, steadfast Light] which, coming into the world, enlightens everyone. He (Christ) was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him.”
John 1:1-5, 9-10 AMP
How many times have we missed a good scene in a movie, the best part of a story, a once in a lifetime event, an important person, a great sale, a missed ride, a missed flight? I could keep going but, I see the nods, hear the groans and sighs and see the staring off as you ponder your misses. A quick glance, a phone call, distractions or procrastination takes on many forms. But there are some things in life that we can’t hit the pause button to replay or continue later. Once the window of opportunity closes on certain life events, there’s just no way to recreate the scene or get it back. Death is one such thing. There’s no do over.
There’s nothing worse than waiting for something or someone and missing out because our expectation didn’t match the arrival. We’ve read the lead up, we’ve studied, even prepared. Yet because we chose to create our narrative of the event we miss it when it comes. The schedule says 8:15am. We say no one is going to get there at that time so we show up at 8:20 only to find out that we missed it. Sounds simplistic? Well that’s what happened with the birth of Jesus. The elites expected pomp and circumstances, but what they got was a baby in a smelly animal stable.
According to John the Apostle, the long awaited Messiah lived among His people for 33 years, still they missed Him. He showed up confounding lawyers and teachers of the Torah at the age of twelve. They marveled, still they missed Him. He showed up at John the Baptist’s water baptism, they heard the Voice of God affirming and confirming His Son, still they missed Him. He turned water into wine, healed their sick, raised their dead, fed multitudes supernaturally, walked on water, calmed storms, filled fishing nets, still they missed Him. Why?
When what you’re looking for doesn’t fit your narrative, you’ll always miss out. The simple folks got it, but the ones waiting for Him missed Him. It all started with Satan in Luke 4 Questioning the authenticity of who Jesus was. And his questions have seeped into the hearts of the intellectual scholars teachers and skeptics ever since. “If you are.” So is it possible to miss what you’re waiting for? Yes it is ! Let’s do a little exploring to discover some of what they missed, shall we?
“But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah; From you One shall come forth for Me [who is] to be Ruler in Israel, His goings forth (appearances) are from long ago, From ancient days.” Therefore, He will give them up until the time When she who is in labor has given birth to a child. Then what is left of His kinsmen Shall return to the children of Israel. And He shall stand and shepherd and guide His flock In the strength of the LORD, In the majesty of the name of the LORD His God; And they shall dwell [secure in undisturbed peace], Because at that time He shall be great [extending His authority] [Even] to the ends of the earth. This One [the Messiah] shall be our peace.
Micah 5:2-5 AMP
“And everyone went to register for the census, each to his own city. So Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register with Mary, who was betrothed to him, and was with child.
Luke 2:3-5 AMP
“Then the LORD spoke again to [King] Ahaz, saying, “Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD your God [one that will convince you that God has spoken and will keep His word]; make your request as deep as Sheol or as high as heaven.” But Ahaz said, “ I will not ask, nor will I test the LORD!” Then Isaiah said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too small a thing for you to try the patience of men, but will you try the patience of my God as well? Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Listen carefully, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will call his name Immanuel (God with us).”
Isaiah 7:10-14 AMP
“Now in the sixth month [of Elizabeth’s pregnancy] the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, the angel said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”
Listen carefully: you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and eminent and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;”
Luke 1:26-28, 31-32 AMP
“When Israel was a child [a young nation], I loved him, And I called My son out of Egypt.”
Hosea 11:1 AMP
“Now when they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod intends to search for the Child in order to destroy Him.” So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. He remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet [Hosea]: “OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON.”
Matthew 2:13-15 AMP
“Listen, O my people, to my teaching; Incline your ears to the words of my mouth [and be willing to learn]. I will open my mouth in a parable [to instruct using examples]; I will utter dark and puzzling sayings of old [that contain important truth]—”
Psalms 78:1-2 AMP
“All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables, and He said nothing to them without [using] a parable. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: “I WILL OPEN M Y MOUTH IN PARABLES; I WILL UTTER THINGS [unknown and unattainable] THAT HAVE BEEN HIDDEN [from mankind] SINCE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.””
Matthew 13:34-35 AMP
“And He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on listening, but do not understand; Keep on looking, but do not comprehend.’ Make the heart of this people insensitive, Their ears dull, And their eyes dim, Otherwise they might see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their hearts, And return and be healed.””
Isaiah 6:9-10 AMP
“This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “ ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’”
Matthew 13:13-15 NIV
“Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.”
Isaiah 35:5-6 NIV
“When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.”
Matthew 11:2-5 NIV
Even though this is a short list because it’s exhaustive, these prophesies were fulfilled in their day, they studied it extensively, still they missed Him. Psalm 22 gives a vivid account of Jesus crucifixion, His betrayal was prophesied in Zechariah 11; I could go on and on. Here’s a couple more and we’ll conclude.
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,
Isaiah 61:1 NIV
“He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.””
Luke 4:16-19, 21 NIV
“Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
Zechariah 9:9 NIV
“As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them and bring them to me.
This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’
Matthew 21:1-2, 4-5 NIV
How is it possible to have studied and waited yet still miss Him? The teachers of the law had read everything I shared with you. Jesus came to fulfill it all, did everything they read about, but only the people with open hearts and minds received the manifestation. The shepherds, the wise men,fishermen,the woman at the well, blind Bartimaeus,the widow of Nain, Lazarus, the lame, the down trodden, adulterers, demon possessed, lepers etc. they didn’t miss the visitation, they received. Jesus wept over Jerusalem with these words.
“As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.”
Luke 19:41-42 NIV
Don’t miss out on what you’re waiting for. Don’t be a skeptic a pharisaic illiterate. They were well educated on the prophesies, but blind to their manifestation. Don’t waste time trying to prove the Bible wrong. You’ll end up frustrated or believing like many before you. The Bible is foolproof. You can believe it from cover to cover. Its Author is trustworthy and faithful. The writer of Hebrews says these words:
“But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.”
Hebrews 3:13 NIV
So I’m encouraging you; Don’t blink, you’ll miss the best part. Jesus Himself on the road to Emmaus began at Genesis to share what was prophesied with some of His followers all the way through to His resurrection. If we’re ignorant today it’s purely by choice. We have all the scriptures that speak of Jesus’ second coming, we preach it teach it, make movies and write books about it, but are we prepared? Are we really looking for His return? Or will we, like the scribes and teachers of the law, miss the signs? Will we be locked out like the five foolish virgins? Wake up church! The signs of His soon return are everywhere. Luke 21:28
Father in the Name of Jesus,
We can no longer feign ignorance of the truth of God’s Word. We have more than Moses and the prophets at our disposal. We have the fulfillment of all prophecy written clearly for all to see. We can no longer question the authenticity of Your Word. Jesus is the manifestation of the Word. When we choose to believe, You give us understanding and revelation. Open our eyes so we will behold wondrous things in Your Word. In Jesus Name. Amen
“John answered them, “I baptize [only] in water, but among you there stands One whom you do not recognize and of whom you know nothing.”
John 1:26 AMP
Written by permission of the Holy Spirit
W. Tennant