To Encourage You

Matthew 1:23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel”

Have you ever thought about how often the Bible uses the word “Behold”?  It’s in the second person imperative tense and it means “look” but in the sense of “Hey you, look!”   In other words, it’s a command to the reader to look at something, carrying with it the idea that this is something you need to look at, to be aware of, for it’s an amazing thing.  Sometimes it’s simply translated “Lo!”  Maybe in today’s language we might say something like this: “Woe! Wait a minute!  Look at this. Did you know that . . . ?!”  Interestingly, this word “behold” is used over 1,000 times in the Bible. It’s like God is saying to us over and over again, “Look at this! I want you to know about something! This is extremely important for you to know!” 

Have you ever thought about it that way, or do you, like me, often pass over it almost as if it’s an extraneous word thrown in to fill space?  Of course, nothing is just “thrown into” the Bible. It all has a purpose.  Think of it.  Of all the things that have ever been spoken by anyone ever in history anywhere on the face of the earth, it is the very words found in the 66 books of the Bible that God has made certain He conveyed to us.  What we find in this book is extremely important for us to know.   And if it’s all important, every word, then how much more tuned in should we be when God has chosen to say “Behold!” about so many of the things found in it. 

The first use of the word “Behold” in the New Testament is found in the passage above from Matthew 1:23. It’s some major news God has conveyed to the world.  He’s telling us “Hey, look at this! There was a virgin that gave birth to a child!  It’s only occurred once in the history of the world, and I want you to know about it!  I want you to know about the virgin, but more so, I want you to know about this very special baby. His name is Immanuel, which means ’God with us.’” 

You see, this was the most important and unique birth in the history of the world and the One that was born is the most incredible person that has ever lived. He’s one of a kind.  The fact is that He is actually God Himself. And He entered our world in the form of a baby, born of a virgin. And that’s just the beginning of this His incredible story.  The Bible is filled with truth about Him. 

One of the first things we read about Him as He begins His ministry as an adult again begins with the word “Behold.”  It’s the words of John the Baptist when he looks up and says “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).  John is urging everyone to look at Him. He’s the One and only One who can actually take our sin away.  Here is the One Who would die  for us on the cross so that we wouldn’t have to pay the penalty for our own sin.  And we are to keep our eyes on Him our entire lives.  We are to be “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). 

So, have you taken a long, hard, look at this One?    It’s not difficult..  Anyone can do it if they want to. 

In the wilderness wanderings of Israel at the time of Moses, a plague of poisonous snakes broke out upon the people as a result of their sinful unbelief.  But God told Moses to make a brass snake and put it on a pole. Anyone who looked at it would be healed.  In the New Testament we are told that this is a type of Jesus, Who became sin for us and was raised up on a cross.  We are told “as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up” (John 3:14).  And He was lifted up for us to behold, for it is this Savior, Who died for us, that has told us to “Look unto me, and be saved” (Isaiah 45:22). 

So, what are you looking at?