But we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory. 1 Corinthians 2:7 Paul often speaks of mysteries–secrets or wisdom hidden until Christ came but are now revealed to us. The Greek word mysterion means a hidden or secret thing, not obvious to the understanding. This week’s name, The Lion of the Tribe of Judah, is a great illustration of the New Testament revealing a mystery hidden in the Old Testament. This name is introduced in the first book of the Bible and fulfilled in the last book of the Bible. In Genesis 49, Jacob (whose name was changed to…

I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you of these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star. – Revelation 22:16   Do you like to stargaze? I do. Or planet gaze, in this case. Venus is our nearest neighbor, the second from the sun. As such, it will always be in the direction of the sun. It shines brightly due to its proximity to Earth and the reflectivity of its dense atmosphere. That’s why, when Venus is visible, it’s right after sunset or right before dawn -the ancients called it the Morning Star. It meant hope, the herald…

I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you of these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star. – Revelation 22:16 The bright morning star. What emotions does this week’s name evoke in you? Wonder? Hope? Gratitude for the grandeur of creation? Me too. Or maybe confusion and a tiny bit of unease? Me too. Why? I don’t know about you, but every time Jesus declares, “I AM,” it gives me the shivers, like the sound waves caused a ripple in the fabric of the cosmos. But this name, as beautiful as it is, has given me pause. Does…

So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic. – Isaiah 28:16 (NIV) This verse reminds me of Greg Koukl’s catchphrase, “Never read a Bible verse.” It’s a great verse, to be sure, but in context, it means so much more. The prophet Isaiah is in a dispute with the religious leaders. Earlier in the chapter, they boast about having made a covenant with death to keep them safe from the coming scourge. Assyria’s threat loomed, and Judea’s leaders turned to false…

A stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. – Psalm 118:22 Jesus, the Cornerstone on which our faith, our hope, our salvation, and our very existence depend, was rejected. He knew full well everything he would suffer and the slap in the face he would receive from those who should have recognized him, yet he endured it all for us. You may have noticed a pattern in this study – many of the names we studied in the Old Testament have parallels in the New. Such is the case today, and we have more to come. Back in April, we studied The Lord is My Rock as well as…