We Esteemed Him Not

In the bible we find many times God used ordinary means to deliver his people. David a shepherd used a sling and a stone, Samson used the jaw bone of an ass, Moses used the shepherd’s staff. When bring forth the seed that would bless all the families of the earth God use an elderly couple, Abraham and Sarah. If we look at the providence in Moses’ life we can say it was God’s design that Moses was raised in Pharaoh’s house, and it was God’s design that Jesus was born in a manger. Jesus seemed to have been less privileged than many, raised in a poor village that was not thought well of. Consider the different between the paradise in which Adam was raised and where Jesus was raised, did this make a difference in the kind of person Jesus became? I would say yes.

Samuel said of Jesse’ first born, surely this is the Lord’s anointed, but God said do not look at his outward appearance but on the heart. There seems to have been no attempt to make an outwards show of Jesus appearance or natural abilities, as was so obvious, to see in Jesse’s oldest son. As far as Jesus was concerned he had qualities in his heart which made him loved of God.

What was Jesus’s reputation after bring raised in the town Nazareth for so many years? Not even his own family suspected that he would have such esteem in God’s eyes. David was the one who by his own family, was left in the field to watch the flock, thinking it not necessary that he be in the home when the prophet came. Jesus was one who by God’s design would be overlooked, Isa 53:3 says “we esteemed him not”. There are standards, by which men measure the stature of others, David did not fit, nor did Jesus. Math 13:54 And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? 55 Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? 56 And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? 57 And they were offended in him. These were people who saw him grow up.

Jesus’ inner life, which was not discerned by those around him, grew until a point when at the Jordan River, he determined to separate himself from his natural ties in devotion to God, Ps 40:7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. Jesus said this is the only thing I what. In each step of this story we find there was no attempts to give reason for the natural man to lay claim to glory, he followed a path which diminished himself, and brought praise to God.

Jesus said Math 11:29 “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls”. What feelings prompted Jesus to say “I am meek and lowly in heart”? Was Jesus like one of David’s great sons who hoped to be king one day, no. Often men boast because they feel they have reason. A carpenter from his own hands might form wood into some kind of furniture and if it’s good those who see it may say this is from the hand of a master, from this point the carpenter’s reputation is built among men. Moses a shepherd in the wilderness may have not even had one to talk with much less, someone to give him praise. I think Jesus was saying, I have a lowly existence, I am lowly in heart, even good people do not see much in me. Jesus said, Math 12:20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. Did Jesus know what it was like to be a bruised reed?

Ps 131:1 . . . my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.

Zech 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. Was Jesus lowly? It seems that the lowly are those who listened to his. Isa 61:1 The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound. Jesus said, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Was Jesus poor in spirit? I believe the following passage says much on this point. Isa 66:1 Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? 2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. This passage speaks about those who may be consider or engaged in building a temple for God, but we are pointed to the true place where God dwells, with the poor, the contrite who tremble at his word. Does this passage describe the type of person that Jesus was? but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. By God using Jesus, who was of quite pain and ordinary material, to bring salvation, God has turned the world upside down. Ps 147:10 He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man.

Hanna sang this to praise God after the birth of her child, 1 Sam 2:3-5 Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 4 The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. 5 They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble. I think Hannah could in part say these words because she could see that God heard her prayer as lowly as she was, and she understood how that in this way God would bring to nothing the wisdom of this world. 1 Cor 1:19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 1 Cor 1:27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.

How will God do this? Ps 118:22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. 23 This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. Jesus was, the most ordinary material and from the passages we have considered it looks as if Jesus thought this of himself, so that the, manger, Nazarth, bring under the law of Moses, under Roman rule formed a dry and uninviting place where Jesus was raised, not a place where we would look for hope.

Let us imagine mankind waiting in line, this line takes considerable time, this line leads to heaven, all hoping to find a place, and then one steps out of line and gives up their place for another, all there time waiting is forfeited so that someone else might go ahead. This is what Jesus did for us he died that we might have a place. When Moses said blot me out of the book which though has written, he did this for others, there was no thought of gain, he had great concern for this people, as rebellious as they were. Jesus grew up knowing the pain of lowly and stepped forward at the Jordan River. At the end of three days of plague, David said let this be upon me and upon my father’s house rather than these sheep.

Jesus says let us give, asking nothing in return and great will be your reward in heaven. Jesus speak of rewards in this passage, I think we can look more closely and see something else. When Israel entering Canaan, after the days of Moses, they found goodly land for their homes, inheriting Canaan was in some respects a reward, a blessing from God. But when we think of rewards David found a reward which was better, and more satisfying. He said, I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eye leads until I find a place for the Lord, a resting place for the mighty God of Jacob. Having a place in Canaan was a blessing but what became a great desire for many was to find a place for God in the hearts of his people, this was the true rest, not to find a place where I might rest but to find a place for God to rest. Judah’s willingness to stay and become a servant to the Egyptian, in his brother Benjamin’s place, was giving place not just for Benjamin, not just for his aging father Jacob,  but he was making room for God in their lives by putting himself aside. It seems that there is special importance in the lowly nature of Jesus’ life, which made it possible for God to be seen among men, and this is the path we have been invited to follow.