Day Seventeen: Will He Be The Hammer?
Of all the times for people to ask if Jesus was "the Christ," the Feast of Dedication (Chanukah) made the most sense. You see, Chanukah was the celebration of the recapture and rededication of the temple after it had been defiled and occupied by the Greeks almost 200 years earlier.
This temple siege was led by someone who many of the Jewish people believed was a messianic figure, named Judas “Maccabeus”, a nickname meaning The Hammer. The people saw the signs and wonders of Jesus, and they wanted him to be their new “Hammer”, leading them into deliverance from the Romans.
But deliverance would not come through targeted violent judgment, because no one would be exempt, “none are righteous, no not one (Romans 3:10)." Jesus has already made it clear to those who listened that he would not be the hammer, rather he would be the nail. He would not conquer through the strike of a sword, but by being pierced with one. He would not slaughter his enemies but be slaughtered by them. The Messiah’s deliverance will be a deliverance of the heart, the redemption of the soul.
Amidst this great anticipation, Jesus makes a bold declaration, saying, “I and the Father are one (John 10:30).” This is not at all what they had in mind for a military leader or a political liberator. It is a claim of divine unity and purpose.
According to Jesus, the true enemy is not a political regime; it is spiritual darkness and separation from God. The deliverance he offers is a restoration of that divine relationship. In saying, “I and the Father are one”, Jesus reveals that his mission is not a solo act; it is a harmonious partnership and unity with the Father; a spiritual deliverance that surpasses earthly expectations.
With this historical context of liberation, the Feast of Dedication becomes a backdrop for a deeper understanding of the Messiah’s role. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, calls us to hear his voice, follow him, and experience a deliverance that transcends the temporal challenges of this world.
Where are you seeking to find deliverance? In the temporal or the eternal? Are you hoping for the right congressman, senator, or president to be “The Hammer” and restore some kind of “former glory”? Or are your eyes fixed on the one who will bring eternal glory, the one who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2)?
As you seek deliverance through the various challenges of life, find solace in the harmonious partnership between the Good Shepherd and the Father, securing a deliverance that echoes through eternity.
This temple siege was led by someone who many of the Jewish people believed was a messianic figure, named Judas “Maccabeus”, a nickname meaning The Hammer. The people saw the signs and wonders of Jesus, and they wanted him to be their new “Hammer”, leading them into deliverance from the Romans.
But deliverance would not come through targeted violent judgment, because no one would be exempt, “none are righteous, no not one (Romans 3:10)." Jesus has already made it clear to those who listened that he would not be the hammer, rather he would be the nail. He would not conquer through the strike of a sword, but by being pierced with one. He would not slaughter his enemies but be slaughtered by them. The Messiah’s deliverance will be a deliverance of the heart, the redemption of the soul.
Amidst this great anticipation, Jesus makes a bold declaration, saying, “I and the Father are one (John 10:30).” This is not at all what they had in mind for a military leader or a political liberator. It is a claim of divine unity and purpose.
According to Jesus, the true enemy is not a political regime; it is spiritual darkness and separation from God. The deliverance he offers is a restoration of that divine relationship. In saying, “I and the Father are one”, Jesus reveals that his mission is not a solo act; it is a harmonious partnership and unity with the Father; a spiritual deliverance that surpasses earthly expectations.
With this historical context of liberation, the Feast of Dedication becomes a backdrop for a deeper understanding of the Messiah’s role. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, calls us to hear his voice, follow him, and experience a deliverance that transcends the temporal challenges of this world.
Where are you seeking to find deliverance? In the temporal or the eternal? Are you hoping for the right congressman, senator, or president to be “The Hammer” and restore some kind of “former glory”? Or are your eyes fixed on the one who will bring eternal glory, the one who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2)?
As you seek deliverance through the various challenges of life, find solace in the harmonious partnership between the Good Shepherd and the Father, securing a deliverance that echoes through eternity.
Posted in Lent
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