Joshua 18, Isaiah 52-53, Luke 1:1-25, Colossians 2:6-15, Psalm 12: Have you ever wondered what Jesus looked like as a child? We see artists rendering of the Child and His parents at Christmas but are they accurate? We know very little about His childhood other than the fact that He was left accidentally at the temple by His parents. Isaiah prophesied about Him in Isaiah 53. Look what he said about this special Child.
Isaiah 53:2 “For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.”
Though Jesus was a special young man, His outer appearance was not one that would help Him gain approval. If you read the following scriptures you will find not only did He not gain approval, but He was ridiculed, rejected by man. There were many things about Jesus’ life that could lend Him to ridicule. In His home town many knew His mother before she was married and knew that she was with child before the wedding. He was the son of a carpenter but His earthly father is not present for much of the latter part of His life so He may have been the eldest son in a home where the father died early. His mother even traveled some with Him as He ministered. She was definitely at the foot of the cross the day He died.
Isaiah may have written these verses to remind us that Jesus was a “normal” human being though still divine. He understands us because His earthly skin was not a ticket to success. He was not treated with honor as a royal child might have been. Therefore He can identify with us in our “normal” life complete with struggles and challenges. YET He was without sin and lived the perfect life so that when the end of His life came He was the Lamb worthy to be slain for our transgressions. He took on Himself our sin and shame. He died to live again as the First Fruit from the dead. He may not have been born into majesty here on the earth, but today He sits enthroned above all else. One day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Don’t let the early life, no beauty fool you! He is worthy of all our praise!