While God in His providence provides abundant evidence for the believing heart, yet it is not so redundant that none can reject it. It is the eye of faith which discerns God in prophecy, or providence, or nature, and the opening of that eye is the effect of grace in the heart, at first comparatively small and mixed with more or less of misgiving, as when Nathanael said, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” (John i. 46) but growing with the increase of Divine grace as when he was able afterwards to say, “Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel” (John i. 49).
Let us consider two examples illustrating this principle.
1. That of Simeon, a righteous and devout man, looking for the consolation of Israel, waiting for and expecting the fulfilment of prophecy, who finding the infant Jesus in the temple, received Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, “Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word; for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Thy people Israel” (Luke ii. 29–31).
2. That of Herod, and the people of the Jews generally, when the wise men came to Jerusalem, saying they had seen the king’s star in the east, and were come to inquire where he was to be born. The chief priest and scribes, who with the people generally were also in expectation of the promised Messiah, said he should be born in Bethlehem, and referred to the prophetic declaration in that respect; but their unbelieving hearts were aroused, and all Jerusalem was in an uproar, prepared to say, as they did at last, “We will not have this man to rule over us.” Herod also, fearing a rival king, sent forth his soldiers to destroy the child, by killing with undistinguishing cruelty, all the children from two years old and younger.
In addition to the prophecies which marked the descent of our Lord, and the time and character of His coming, there are numerous references made in the Old Testament to circumstances of His personal history while He dwelt amongst men.
He should preach good tidings unto the meek, bind up the broken-hearted, proclaim liberty to the captive, and comfort all that mourn (Isa. lxi. 1, 2).
He should open the blind eyes, unstop the deaf ears, make the lame to leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb to sing (Isa. xxxv. 5, 6; xxix. 18).
He should feed His flock like a shepherd (Isa. xl. 11); “I will set one shepherd over them, even My servant David” (Ezek. xxxiv. 23). “A king shall reign and prosper, and this is the name whereby He shall be called, the Lord our Righteousness” (Jer. xxiii. 5, 6).
He was “to be a priest for ever, after the order of Melchesidec” (Ps. ex. 4). “He shall be a priest upon His throne” (Zech. vi. 13).
He should be for a “sanctuary” (Isa. viii. 14); a “rock and place of refuge” (Ps. xci. 1).