Reflection: Messiah / The Christ: The Hebrew term “Messiah” (or Mashiach) is translated literally to the term “anointed”. To be anointed is to be consecrated, to be set apart for a task. The term Messiah, when given to Jesus, is a very significant declaration that Jesus would be the ultimate fulfilment of Old Testament prophecy. We know that prior to Jesus, the role of the high priest within the tabernacle was a role that involved spiritual cleansing rituals in order for the priest to enter the holy of holies and present an offering before God. The high priest was set apart for this task, and would enter this part of the tabernacle with a rope and a bell around his waist, in the event that before God’s holiness he would be found unclean and struck dead. In Jesus we find the one set apart for the task, once for all time, so that we can present our requests to God in full confidence that we can go through Him and not through the high priest anymore. Praise God for Jesus, the Messiah who has saved His people!

Prayer: Father God, we thank you not only for Jesus as our Messiah, but for the role He fulfilled in bringing us to you. Set apart for this task, we want to say thank you that our merit with you is not in anything we have done, but in the saving work of Jesus. Amen.