Sunday,
December 8, 2013
Matthew
1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was this way (for His mother Mary was
betrothed to Joseph) before they came together, she was found to be with child
by the Holy Spirit.
There are those today that are clueless as to
Christmas beyond its commercialization. There are also those that know better
but don’t live accordingly in the true spirit of Christmas. For some it’s a
fixation on the immediate of presents, trees, and tinsel.
We must not limit God working in us by
confining our thinking to “Over 2,000 years ago …”
First, considering it’s the Bible that tells
us the wonderful story, let’s look at a few foundational truths.
·
Old
& New Testament contains total of 66 books.
·
God
used about 40 penman over a 4,000+ year period.
·
Most
of them never knew each other.
·
Their
writings were not the product of writer’s workshops or seminars.
·
They
were from diverse cultures, areas, and educational backgrounds.
·
Their
writings, though not concurrently penned, are harmonious.
·
Their
style is various, but their theme is consistent.
·
They
served under the aegis of The One Editor.
Some wrote of the coming First Advent of
Christ, that which we know as Christmas. (Dates are circa by Ussher.)
·
BC
4004, Genesis 3:15, the initial prophecy of Christ’s birth.
·
BC
1452, Numbers 24:17, the Star of Bethlehem.
·
BC
977, Ecclesiastes 9:14-15, He would come, save, and be forgotten by His own
people.
·
BC
742, Isaiah 7:14, virgin birth foretold; 9:17 Messiah prophesied.
·
BC
600, Jeremiah 10:3-5, Christmas tree?
·
BC
710, Micah 5:2, birthplace foretold.
Though some may believe so, Christmas didn’t
begin with the St. Nicholas or the Macy parade.
EBB4
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