"Looking for a King from Bethlehem" Luke 1:67-79 When we read Zechariah's prophecy, it echoes so much of the language of the Old Testament. After all, the OT was the bible of that day, and so people looked to it to find out what the Messiah was supposed to be like. When King Herod heard news about the "king of the Jews" he asked the religious leaders of the day what the scripture said about where the Messiah would be born. Matt. 2:1-6 There is a book in the OT which tells us to look for a king from Bethlehem in Judah. It tells us about what sort of king we should look for-- and it tells us even more about where he should come from. That book is the book of Judges-- Judges 1:1-10, 16-21 First we will look at the main point of the book of Judges, Second we will see how it teaches us about Christ, and Third we will apply this to the church today ----- I. So first, let me ask you, What is the Point of the Book of Judges? A. If you read the introduction and the conclusion, you can usually get a pretty good understanding of what a book is about. Here's the intro: Judah was chosen by God to be first (1:2) B. Judah triumphed over their enemies (but honest, sometimes they couldn't--v19) beat the Canaanites and Perezzites at Bezek, the hill country, the Negev, the western foothills, Hebron, Sheshai, Ahiman, Talmai, Debir, Jericho (the City of Palms--note that Caleb went with Judah and Moses' relatives went with Judah) Zephthah, Gaza, Ashkelon and Ekron--and also Jerusalem C. Benjamin (and all the others) failed apparently after Judah defeated Jerusalem, the Jebusites were able to take over, but Benjamin couldn't even capture a city which Judah did D. Remember the conclusion to the book of Judges 21:25: in those days there was no king in Israel, everyone did what was right in his own eyes. So what's the point? The author of Judges is saying that in his own day there is a crisis in authority, we need a leader--and not just any old leader. If you read the stories of the judges you will find that inevitably, Israel wound up getting beat up again by her enemies. Israel needs a leader who will triumph over all their enemies-- and that can happen only if he is faithful to God. So the Book of Judges was written to address a crisis in authority. But both the introduction and the conclusion of Judges point to a very specific crisis in authority. Notice (1:2) that Judah is chosen to go up first to fight against the Canaanites-- they succeed, Benjamin fails. But we face a crisis of authority as well, don't we? What enemies do you face? --temptation, sin, desires? You need a king from Judah who will go before you to defeat your enemies, and lead you in his ways. But Judges doesn't just say that Judah went up first at the beginning-- This conclusion also presents a stark contrast between Judah and Benjamin. The last three chapters tell of the sin of Benjamin and its punishment. ---- A Levite living in Ephraim (in the north) went down to Judah to bring his concubine back home. Her father, who is from Bethlehem in Judah, wines and dines him, showing great kindness and hospitality. Finally he leaves and travels through Benjamin. When he stops for the night in Gibeah, nobody from Benjamin will take him in for the evening, except an Ephraimite who happens to be living in Gibeah. That night the Benjamites come to the house, wanting to rape him. Instead they rape and kill his concubine. Outraged, he sends a rather crude message to all Israel, and the other eleven tribes gather together to punish the evildoers. But the Benjamites refuse to hand over the guilty for punishment, so all of Israel goes to battle against Benjamin. Look at chapter 20, verse 18. "The Israelites went up to Bethel and inquired of God. They said, "Who of us shall go first to fight against the Benjamites?" The LORD replied, "Judah shall go first." Judah is again chosen to go up first-- this time to fight against Benjamin. There is something very significant about that. Remember the conclusion.? "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes." The author of Judges is saying: Under the judges, everyone did what was right in his own eyes-- we need a king who will do what is right in God's eyes. Every opportunity he gets to praise Judah, he does. Every opportunity he gets to condemn Benjamin, he does. Now, when was there a crisis in authority in Israel between Judah and Benjamin? Who was the man after the people's own heart, and who was the man after God's own heart? Saul, Israel's first king, was from Benjamin, But not only was Saul from Benjamin, Saul was from the town of Gibeah-- the very town whose citizens had raped and killed the concubine. I Samuel 9:2 tells us that Saul was "an impressive young man without equal among the Israelites-- a head taller than any of the others." Here was a man the people could love and admire--a man after their own heart. But he failed as a king, and God rejected him. And the author of Judges is telling his readers, "What did you expect? He's from Benjamin." But David, Israel's second king, was from Judah-- and not just Judah--but Bethlehem of Judah! and he was the man after God's own heart-- the king of God's choosing. The author of the book of Judges is saying: Look, Judah has always had successful leaders-- because the Lord was with them-- The Lord was not with Benjamin-- they have constantly failed to please God Look to Judah-- Look to the throne of David for a king who will triumph over all your enemies ------ But David wasn't good enough-- he sinned and brought God's punishment upon the kingdom-- after his death the line of David drifted further and further away from God, sometimes repenting, but the cycle of sin and repentance looks an awful lot like the period of the Judges. David was good, but not that good II. So although the book of Judges points to David, it points past David to David's son, Jesus Christ. We need a leader who will triumph over our enemies and lead us in true righteousness forever. We need a king from Bethlehem of Judah. Just like the ancient Israelites, we too are surrounded by enemies in our day. The world presses in on every side, seeking to twist and distort the truth, and tempting us with the pleasures of sin. The flesh--our own ordinary, every day desires, is oriented around our selfish pride, and tries to lure us into spiritual complacency, making us forget that God deserves our whole-hearted love and devotion. And the devil uses all these things to attack us in our weakness, and weaken us in our strengths, and he is trying to bring you back into bondage to sin. I suspect we experience this more strongly this time of year. With all the Christmas shopping and planning, travelling, visiting relatives, cooking, baking, all the hassles of the season too easily lead us to forget our God. What are we saying about what really matters to us? Do we celebrate Christmas to fill the hearts of our family with the blessed memory of what God has done in Jesus? or do we celebrate Christmas to fill the pocketbooks of clever advertisers and end the holliday season worn and frazzled? That is why you need a King who is able to triumph over your enemies. You can never defeat them by yourself. You need the grace of God to overcome your sin, your selfish pride, your angry temper, your burning lust, and maybe especially at this season, the sin which afflicts all of us who live in this country of plenty: our setting our hearts on material gain, rather than on Christ. Oh, there's nothing wrong with being wealthy-- but wherever your treasure is, there will your heart be also. You see, since we have become sinful, our greatest enemy is ourselves. And we need Jesus Christ to subdue us to his will. And that is what he did at Calvary. On the cross, Jesus Christ took our sin upon himself. He was our substitute, bearing our sin, so that we might receive his righteousness. In his death, he defeated the world, the flesh and the devil, and so we who are his people, and members of his kingdom, receive the benefits of his victory. But we only receive those benefits when our Lord actually subdues us! Our hearts wander so easily from his paths-- and we lose ourselves among the cares and concerns of the world. Are you troubled by the world? --the temptations and persecutions which stem from our decadent culture? Be comforted, because your King said--"In this world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world." Are you struggling with the flesh? --the ordinary, everyday desires for wealth, love, happiness? always searching, but never finding contentment? King Jesus said to look in a different direction-- "seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you." The righteousness of the Kingdom comes by faith in Jesus Christ. And are you beaten down by the attacks of the devil? Jesus spoke of his coming death and resurrection saying, "Now the prince of this world will be driven out. But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." Satan has been defeated, and Jesus Christ now reigns supreme. And when he is finished drawing men and women to himself, he will return to judge the living and the dead. That is the kind of King that was born in Bethlehem 2000 years ago-- one who has promised to be with you always by the power of the Holy Spirit, one who is daily ruling over you in righteousness and holiness before God, and one who is constantly defending you from your enemies, both seen and unseen. But how does Christ accomplish this? The Larger Catechism, Question 45 Q45: How doth Christ execute the office of a king? A45: Christ executeth the office of a king, in calling out of the world a people to himself,[1] and giving them officers,[2] laws,[3] and censures, by which he visibly governs them;[4] in bestowing saving grace upon his elect,[5] rewarding their obedience,[6] and correcting them for their sins,[7] preserving and supporting them under all their temptations and sufferings,[8] restraining and overcoming all their enemies,[9] and powerfully ordering all things for his own glory,[10] and their good;[11] and also in taking vengeance on the rest, who know not God, and obey not the gospel.[12] Notice that one of the first things that is mentioned is that Christ gives officers to his church (Eph 4) You have called Michael Shipma as your pastor; if all goes well, then he will become a gift of Christ to this church. the elders of the Church have received the keys of the kingdom-- the authority of the king-- which they are to use for your good. In the OT they had types that pointed forward to Christ. Now, we have types that point back to Christ--and forward to his return. Michael is to be a picture of Christ to you. You are to imitate him as he imitates Christ. It is a heavy burden for a young man. You will need to be patient with him. He will fail. He will make mistakes. But so long as he repents of his sins and keeps pointing you to Christ, he will be a true picture of Christ: leading you into battle with your enemies; wielding the sword of the Spirit--which is the Word of God-- Speaking to you the Word of Christ, Feeding you with the body and blood of Christ, Leading you before the throne of Christ. He will not think of himself, but will have the same attitude that was in Christ, seeking the good of his flock, rather than his own interests. Judges speaks of a time of crisis in authority. Our own day needs to hear this message, and yield obedience to the King from Bethlehem in Judah, and those to whom he has given his authority. Remember the conclusion of the book of Judges: "there was no king in Israel, everyone did what was right in his own eyes." The problem was that there was no authority in Israel to enforce God's law-- individualism had run amok, and everyone went their own way. Only when a crisis came, and the nation was overrun would they turn to the judges and submit to the Word of God. We too are individualistic, and we need a king who will prevent us from doing what is right in our own eyes. We have such a king in Jesus Christ-- and he is subduing us to his will, by his Word and by his Spirit. Let us pray.