The Promised Gift by Ann Louise Gremminger
Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
- 2 Corinthians 9:15 CJB
Long ago in a garden, a gift was promised to the world. Throughout the ages, this promised gift was gradually unwrapped and revealed for the world to behold. The first glimpse was given as blood was shed in the garden to provide a temporary covering for sin. As blood poured from the brazen altar in the tabernacle, the world was given a daily reminder of the awesome promise of the gift. While the walls of Jericho crumbled, the scarlet cord in Rahab’s window secured redemption for her family and provided a visual reminder of what was to come. Through the mouths of the prophets, the Giver of the gift continued to proclaim His promise from generation to generation.
Indeed the Lord has proclaimed to the end of the world: "Say to the daughter of Zion, 'Surely your salvation is coming; Behold, His reward is with Him, And His work before Him.’
- Isaiah 62:11 NKJV
Some Bible translators capitalized the word ‘salvation’ in that verse and others rendered it ‘Savior,’ realizing its significance. Salvation is a gender neutral concept in both Hebrew and English, yet here it is referred to as male. Why? The Hebrew word translated salvation in this verse is ‘yeshua,’ which means, ‘the LORD saves.’ ‘Yeshua’ is also a Hebrew name, the name we know in English as ‘Jesus.’ With that in mind, let’s take a fresh look at this passage. It should read, ‘Surely your YESHUA is coming; Behold, His reward is with Him, And His work before Him.’ This prophetic word, delivered through Isaiah, announced the promised gift to come in the person of Yeshua (Jesus).
Preserving the Hebrew names, the Complete Jewish Bible tells of the angel who appeared to Joseph in a dream. The angel told to him not to be afraid to receive the promised gift and also said, ‘She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Yeshua, [which means `ADONAI saves,'] because he will save his people from their sins.’ - Matthew 1:21 CJB
YESHUA…What name could be more fitting for this promised gift? He, whose very name means ‘the LORD saves,’ would save His people from their sins!
Eight days after his birth, Joseph and Mary took the baby to the temple, where they met a devout man by the name of Simeon. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said: "Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel." - Luke 2:27-32 NKJV
As a speaker of Hebrew, Simeon would have actually said, “My eyes have seen your YESHUA.” Simeon received the promised gift, as did Peter, who declared “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” - Matthew 16:16 NKJV
The Gift promised in a garden so long ago would later give His life on a hill above a garden. As Yeshua’s blood poured out on the earth, the gift became fully unwrapped and revealed for the world to behold, providing an eternal covering for sin for all who receive Him as the promised Gift of salvation.
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name…For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. - John 1:12, John 3:16 NKJV
I pray we will all take time this Christmas to remember the promised Gift in the person of Yeshua and share Him with others so they may say with us,
Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
- 2 Corinthians 9:15 CJB