Despite humanity’s cosmic treason and divine curse, God promised the Savior. The seed of woman would crush the Serpent’s head (Gen 3:15). Humanity hoped for and searched for their coming Savior. “As Eve did at the birth of Cain (Gen. 4:1), so Lamech saw in Noah a man whom the Lord had given him and would give him relief from the work and toil of his hands (Gen. 5:29). After the flood Canaan was indeed cursed, but Shem was blessed, and this blessing was also extended to Japheth (Gen. 9:25–27).”[1] Hope remained, but no one rose to the occasion. Moses, Joshua, and David all fell short. Solomon’s glorious temple was destroyed and replaced with even less glory.

            The created sons of God could never accomplish what the eternal Son of God would achieve. He “was in the form of God” and then, without ceasing to be what he was, he was “found in human form” to experience “death on the cross” so that all the redeemed could be exalted with him and surround him with joyful praise as he surrounded them with his divine righteousness (Phil 2:6–11). The Father’s true Son (he shared his divine nature—Jn 1:1, 5:26) was sent into the world through a human nature created for him so that God’s people could share in the divine life outside their grasp (Gal 4:4–7). Athanasius summarized the gospel story reflected in the incarnation when he said, “God became man so that man might become god(ly).”[2]

            From the little town of Bethlehem, came the “one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days” (Mic 5:2). The eternal Son was, through his human nature, born in Bethlehem to rule Israel as the great Shepherd King. Isaiah said:

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this (Is 9:6–7).

All creation should join with the angels as they sing ““Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Lk 2:14). This work of salvation is the eternal plan of God for his people and his own glory.

            The study of Christ—Christology—should be at the academic and devotional center of every Christian. Bavinck said, “The doctrine of Chris is not the starting point, but it certainly is the central point of the whole system of dogmatics.”[3]

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[1] Herman Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics 3:241.

[2] Athanasius, On the Incarnation, 54:3. By this Athanasius does not mean that humans actually pass from being human to being divine. Athanasius meant that Christians become godly in that they are able to share in the divine nature as Peter said in 2 Peter 1:4.  

[3] Herman Bavinck Reformed Dogmatics 3:273.