“And behold, a voice from heaven said, ‘This is My beloved Son, with Whom I am well pleased.’” (Matthew 3:17)
When Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit descended like a dove upon Him. But Matthew also tells about a voice from heaven declaring “This is My beloved Son, with Whom I am well pleased”. God the Father made a twofold statement about Jesus Christ. He is the Son of God. And the Father is well pleased with Him.
This statement echoes a prophecy of Isaiah: “Behold My servant … in whom My soul delights; I have put My Spirit upon him” (Isaiah 42:1). The people of Israel were called to be God’s servant, His chosen people. But history makes clear that they didn’t fulfill this calling very well. They couldn’t, since they were sinful people. They needed someone else who would “establish justice in the earth”, who would be “a light for the nations”, and who would “open the eyes that are blind” (verses 4-7).
God sent His only Son, to fulfill the task that humanity had failed. Only in Him are we able to “please God” as well (1 Thessalonians 4:1). Do you live to God’s glory? Can God be well pleased with you?