Advent Foretold Day 13 – He would be without sin…
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold a virgin will be with child and bear a Son and she will call His name Immanuel. He will eat curds and honey at the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good. Isaiah 7:14-15
And He made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death; because He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth. Isaiah 53:9
You are fairer than the sons of men; Grace is poured upon Your lips; Therefore
God has blessed you forever. Psalm 45:2
And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him. Luke 2:40
When Jesus was born to woman He did not come as part man and part God. He was fully man and fully God, the second Person in the Trinity. He was born a helpless human babe, just like you and I were, but He was not a son of Adam. He was not born with a sin nature. His was born in the image of His Father. He was perfect in every way and completely without sin.
Jesus went through the same human development as the rest of us, because He was fully man. He went through the ups and downs of every stage of life. It is hard for me to wrap my head around, but He had to learn how to do things. Here is The One through whom all things were made. He spoke and things happened….big things!! Like solar systems! He had been from everlasting. But just like the rest of us He had to learn to roll over, crawl, walk, talk, and feed Himself…all of it. He got to experience parents, little brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins and nosey neighbors. He was confronted with ALL facets of human life. He endured suffering, pain, and rejection beyond anything we can imagine. He knows what it is like to go through things. But…and it’s a big but…He did it all without sin. “Who did no sin, neither was any guile found in His mouth.” 1 Peter 2:22
“This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all the same testings we do, yet He did not sin.” Hebrews 4:15
People often speculate on when Jesus knew “to refuse evil and choose good”. We know from the following passage that He was completely aware of Who He was and Who His Father by the time He was twelve…
“And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him. Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of Passover. And when He became twelve, they went up there according to the custom of the Feast; and as they were returning, after spending the full number of days, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. But His parents were unaware of it, but supposed Him to be in the caravan, and went a day’s journey; and they began looking for Him among their relatives and acquaintances. When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem looking for Him. Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers.
When they saw Him, they were astonished; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have you treated us this way? Behold your father and I have been looking anxiously for You.”
And He said to them, “Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?”…..And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” Luke 2:40, 45-49, 52
On an aside...I get a kick out of Mary and Joseph being worried about Jesus. They were acting like typical parents.....to the SON OF GOD!!! Can you imagine the legion of angels He had with Him? You know they were all begging for guard duty! I can picture the Archangel, Michael, with his sword drawn the whole time, ready to attack anyone or thing who dared to threaten His King!
The verse that began the above narrative is Luke 2:40. I want to take a closer look, because we sometimes miss little nuggets in our English translations.
And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him. Luke 2:40
The word in this verse for spirit is pneuma, which is the third person of the triune God, the Holy Spirit. And here is what we are told in Isaiah about the Branch/Jesus and the Spirit of the Lord….
"Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. And He will delight in the fear of the Lord….”Isaiah 11:1-3
So when did Jesus know evil from good? The following prophecies give us a clue it was much earlier than twelve years old…
"You are He who brought Me forth from the womb; You made me trust when upon My mother’s breasts. Upon You I was cast from birth; You have been my God from my mother’s womb." Psalm 22:9-10
"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold a virgin will be with child and bear a Son and she will call His name Immanuel. He will eat curds and honey at the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good." Isaiah 7:14-15
Curds and honey were common foods for people to eat in Bible times. They were also the first foods a baby was given to eat as “solid food”. Honey would be given first and they would then graduate to curds. To paraphrase with that in mind…
“He will eat baby food at the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good.”
These verses tell us Jesus would know from the womb, and from a very early age He would know to refuse evil and choose good. Why would this surprise us when His forerunner, John the Baptist, leaped for joy in his mother’s womb when he heard Mary’s voice? He was also filled with the Holy Spirit in his mother’s womb. So why would anything surprise us as far as what Jesus knew and when?
But here is what we know beyond any doubt…..our Lamb was without spot or blemish. He was perfect and became sin for us....
He made Him Who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21
But with precious blood, as a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. 1 Peter 1:19
And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation. Hebrews 5:9
May each day of this Christmas season be a precious gift to you and your family.
God bless you!!
Monday, December 19, 2011
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Advent Foretold Day 11
· Advent Foretold Day 11 – He Would be Rejected…
After waiting so long for the Messiah you would think it would have been a much different reception than the one Jesus received. But this was not the case, nor was tthis a surprise to God. He told us in His word these things would take place…..
"Who has believed our report and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot. And like a root out of the parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him; Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him. He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face. He was despised, and we did not esteem Him." Isaiah 53:1-4
But I am a worm and not a man, a reproach of men and despised by the people. All who see me sneer at me; They separate with the lip, they wag the head saying, “Commit yourself to the Lord; Let Him deliver Him; Let Him rescue Him, because He delights in Him.” Psalm 22:6 - (Fulfilled Matthew 27:40, Mark 15:30,32)
"Those who hate me without cause are more than the hairs on my head; Those who would destroy me are powerful, being wrongfully my enemies; what I did not steal, I then have to restore…..Because for Your sake I have borne reproach, Dishonor has covered my face. I have become estranged from my brothers and an alien to my mother’s sons. For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me…….Those who sit in the gate talk about me. I am the song of drunkards…..Reproach has broken my heart and I am so sick. And I looked for sympathy, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none. They also gave me gall for my food and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink…..But I am afflicted and in pain; May Your salvation, O God, set me securely on high." Psalm 69:4,7-9,12,20-21
"Just as many were astonished at you, My people, so His appearance was marred more than the sons of men….." Isaiah 52:14
These verses give us a glimpse of the suffering Jesus endured during His thirty-three years on earth. They also gives us a glimpse of His anguish on the cross as He bore our sins and reproach.
Jesus was the brunt of drunkards’ songs, most likely because people believed He was a child of fornication. If you read John 8:41 you see the Jews say to Jesus, “WE were not born of fornication!!” Wow! Can you imagine saying that to God’s face, and not ending up a smoking heap of ashes?!
Jesus’ brothers thought He was completely off His donkey…thinking He was the Son of God. Hadn’t they all shared the same family their whole lives? Didn’t they all sleep on the same pile of hay? They didn’t believe in Him until after the Resurrection!
In Psalm 69:12 Jesus said He looked for comfort and sympathy but found none. It makes me think of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, right before Jesus is arrested and crucified...
Then He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.” And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour?” Matthew 26:38-40
When Jesus was arrested He was mocked, spit on, and beaten beyond recognition. His appearance was so marred, and this may be why the disciples did not recognize Him after the resurrection. He bears the physical marks of His crucifixion. We know He still has the nail marks in His hands and feet. Jesus had His beard torn out before He was crucified.
“I gave My back to the smiters, and My cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; I hid not My face from shame and spitting.” Isaiah 50:6
Why am I talking about His adult life and the crucifixion when this is about Christmas and His birth? Because He was born to die…
It is easy to compartmentalize the birth of Jesus from the death and resurrection of Jesus. The birth of Jesus can take on the identity of a sweet children’s story that fits the Christmas season of feeling warm and fuzzy. This sweet baby was born on a starry night, He got to camp out with the barn animals. It is all wonderful and so precious to think of our Savior entering the world as this little baby. BUT….I guarantee on the night Jesus was born, and all the days after, Michael, Israel’s angel, was on DEFCON 4 with his troops of God’s angels. This was a night and an event Satan had been trying to prevent for thousands of years. Satan and his troops were in attack mode to kill this child who was to be born. We get a glimpse of Satan’s murderous rage when Herod orders all the babies in Bethlehem, under the age of two, be put to death.
Yes, the birth of Jesus is a precious event for us to celebrate. Jesus was born to die.….that we might LIVE. He was born to be the ransom for many and defeat death with His resurrection, that we might have eternal life in His presence. He was born to breathe life into our dead souls. He was born to bear our reproach. His gift to us began on the night He was born, but it was fulfilled the morning of His resurrection and continues to be fulfilled every day when someone accepts Jesus, or goes home to be with Him. We should not separate the manger from cross. To do so is to lose the AWESOMENESS of WHY we celebrate Christmas.
After waiting so long for the Messiah you would think it would have been a much different reception than the one Jesus received. But this was not the case, nor was tthis a surprise to God. He told us in His word these things would take place…..
"Who has believed our report and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot. And like a root out of the parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him; Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him. He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face. He was despised, and we did not esteem Him." Isaiah 53:1-4
But I am a worm and not a man, a reproach of men and despised by the people. All who see me sneer at me; They separate with the lip, they wag the head saying, “Commit yourself to the Lord; Let Him deliver Him; Let Him rescue Him, because He delights in Him.” Psalm 22:6 - (Fulfilled Matthew 27:40, Mark 15:30,32)
"Those who hate me without cause are more than the hairs on my head; Those who would destroy me are powerful, being wrongfully my enemies; what I did not steal, I then have to restore…..Because for Your sake I have borne reproach, Dishonor has covered my face. I have become estranged from my brothers and an alien to my mother’s sons. For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me…….Those who sit in the gate talk about me. I am the song of drunkards…..Reproach has broken my heart and I am so sick. And I looked for sympathy, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none. They also gave me gall for my food and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink…..But I am afflicted and in pain; May Your salvation, O God, set me securely on high." Psalm 69:4,7-9,12,20-21
"Just as many were astonished at you, My people, so His appearance was marred more than the sons of men….." Isaiah 52:14
These verses give us a glimpse of the suffering Jesus endured during His thirty-three years on earth. They also gives us a glimpse of His anguish on the cross as He bore our sins and reproach.
Jesus was the brunt of drunkards’ songs, most likely because people believed He was a child of fornication. If you read John 8:41 you see the Jews say to Jesus, “WE were not born of fornication!!” Wow! Can you imagine saying that to God’s face, and not ending up a smoking heap of ashes?!
Jesus’ brothers thought He was completely off His donkey…thinking He was the Son of God. Hadn’t they all shared the same family their whole lives? Didn’t they all sleep on the same pile of hay? They didn’t believe in Him until after the Resurrection!
In Psalm 69:12 Jesus said He looked for comfort and sympathy but found none. It makes me think of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, right before Jesus is arrested and crucified...
Then He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.” And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour?” Matthew 26:38-40
When Jesus was arrested He was mocked, spit on, and beaten beyond recognition. His appearance was so marred, and this may be why the disciples did not recognize Him after the resurrection. He bears the physical marks of His crucifixion. We know He still has the nail marks in His hands and feet. Jesus had His beard torn out before He was crucified.
“I gave My back to the smiters, and My cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; I hid not My face from shame and spitting.” Isaiah 50:6
Why am I talking about His adult life and the crucifixion when this is about Christmas and His birth? Because He was born to die…
It is easy to compartmentalize the birth of Jesus from the death and resurrection of Jesus. The birth of Jesus can take on the identity of a sweet children’s story that fits the Christmas season of feeling warm and fuzzy. This sweet baby was born on a starry night, He got to camp out with the barn animals. It is all wonderful and so precious to think of our Savior entering the world as this little baby. BUT….I guarantee on the night Jesus was born, and all the days after, Michael, Israel’s angel, was on DEFCON 4 with his troops of God’s angels. This was a night and an event Satan had been trying to prevent for thousands of years. Satan and his troops were in attack mode to kill this child who was to be born. We get a glimpse of Satan’s murderous rage when Herod orders all the babies in Bethlehem, under the age of two, be put to death.
Yes, the birth of Jesus is a precious event for us to celebrate. Jesus was born to die.….that we might LIVE. He was born to be the ransom for many and defeat death with His resurrection, that we might have eternal life in His presence. He was born to breathe life into our dead souls. He was born to bear our reproach. His gift to us began on the night He was born, but it was fulfilled the morning of His resurrection and continues to be fulfilled every day when someone accepts Jesus, or goes home to be with Him. We should not separate the manger from cross. To do so is to lose the AWESOMENESS of WHY we celebrate Christmas.
Advent Foretold Day 10
Advent Foretold Day 10 – He Would be Born in Bethlehem….
"But as for you Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little anong the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me, the One to be ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." Micah 5:2
The birthplace of the Messiah was prophesied hundreds of years before the actual event took place. In this prophecy God is very specific, so we have no doubt as to the town He is referring to. At the time of Jesus’ birth there were two towns with the name Bethlehem. One was Bethlehem Ephrathah. This Bethlehem is in Judah. Bethlehem Ephrathah is sometimes referred to as the city of David, because he was born there. It is also referred to as Bethlehem of Judea. The other town of Bethlehem at the time of Jesus’ birth was in Zebulon. Bethelem of Zebulon was close to Nazareth. In the prophecy we are told it is Bethlehem Ephrathah, in Judah.
This is not the first appearance in the scriptures of Bethlehem Ephrathah. Rachel, Jacob’s beloved wife, died and was buried on the road to Bethlehem Ephrathah. Bethlehem is where the love story of Ruth and Boaz took place. Boaz became Ruth’s kinsman redeemer and husband in this sleepy little town. They went on to become the great-great grandparents of King David. As I mentioned previously, King David was born in Bethlehem, but he wasn’t born a king. He was born to be a shepherd first and then he would on take his role as king……sounds a bit familiar.
Look at Micah 5:2 again. I don't want you to miss the wording. It is too wonderful!!
"But as for you Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity." Micah 5:2
God is making sure there is no misunderstanding as to WHO is coming….”His goings for are from long ago, from days of eternity.” Or as it says in the KJV, “Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” This is not just a great leader or ruler coming out of Bethlehem. This is He Who is eternal! ONLY God is eternal!!!
The promise of the One to be ruler in Israel coming out of Bethlehem was made, and then one starry night hundreds of years later……
Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David……While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son, and she wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:4, 6-7
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold wise men came from the east to Jerusalem saying, “Where is He that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said to him, In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet. And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, art not least among the princes of Judah, for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. Matthew 2:1-6
Hath not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the descendants of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was? John 7:42
I don’t know about you, but this makes me want to shout, “THAT”S MY GOD!!!! HOW AWESOME IS HE???!!!!”
Praying the Lord continues to bless each one of you and your families!!
Merry CHRISTmas!!!!!!!
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Advent Foretold Day 9
Advent Foretold Day 9 – He Would Be Called Immanuel…
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign; “Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14
…And the stretching out of his wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel…. Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted; State a proposal, but it will not stand, For God is with us.” Isaiah 8:8, 10
Immanuel means “God with us”. Jesus means “Jehovah is salvation”, which then breaks down further to mean, “The Existing One is Salvation”.
Names are of extreme importance to God. He is the one who created naming, after all. Names are meant to tell WHO the person is or who they are going to be. There are so many times when God renamed someone in the Bible to reflect a change in who they were or who He was calling them to be.
In the Bible, the person who is given the authority over something or someone is the one who does the naming. In Genesis God names the sun, moon and stars. He never gave man authority over these things. He gives Adam dominion over the cattle, beasts of the field, and the birds of the sky. He brings them to Adam to name. Parents are given authority over their children by God. Throughout the Bible it is the parents naming the children, and more often than not it is the mother naming the children. Eve named her children, Sarah named Isaac, Rachel and Leah named the twelve sons of Jacob, and the list goes on. So it is precious to see how God includes not just Mary in the naming of Jesus, but Joseph, His adoptive father. This is like a pat on the back to Joseph saying, “I am giving My Son into your care for a while. I am calling you to be His earthly father.” Wow! What an assignment!
Can you picture Joseph? He is betrothed to this lovely girl named Mary, and he has been working hard to get the house ready for her arrival. Then he hears through the grapevine his bride is with child, and he has never been with her. Can you imagine the anguish and betrayal he must have felt? Here we catch a glimpse one of the reasons God chose Joseph to fill the role of earthly father to His only begotten Son. We see the character of Joseph come shining through. It was his right, by law, to have Mary stoned to death, or he could have humiliated her and made her an outcast. Although he must have felt so hurt and betrayed, he wanted to protect Mary. He wanted to send her away quietly, so as not to disgrace her. As Joseph is thinking through his plans God reveals His PLAN…….
But when he thought on these things, behold and angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, fear not and take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet; “BEHOLD THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL,’ which translated means “GOD with us.” Matthew 1:20-23
His name, Immanuel, was a statement of who He was and Who He IS! He is GOD WITH US. That is HIS NAME!!!! JEHOVAH IS SALVATION! THE EXISTING ONE IS SALVATION!!! That is HIS NAME!!!
When we go home to be with the Lord we will each receive a new name. I can’t wait to hear what mine will be.
May God continue to bless every one of you during this Christmas season!!
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign; “Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14
…And the stretching out of his wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel…. Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted; State a proposal, but it will not stand, For God is with us.” Isaiah 8:8, 10
Immanuel means “God with us”. Jesus means “Jehovah is salvation”, which then breaks down further to mean, “The Existing One is Salvation”.
Names are of extreme importance to God. He is the one who created naming, after all. Names are meant to tell WHO the person is or who they are going to be. There are so many times when God renamed someone in the Bible to reflect a change in who they were or who He was calling them to be.
In the Bible, the person who is given the authority over something or someone is the one who does the naming. In Genesis God names the sun, moon and stars. He never gave man authority over these things. He gives Adam dominion over the cattle, beasts of the field, and the birds of the sky. He brings them to Adam to name. Parents are given authority over their children by God. Throughout the Bible it is the parents naming the children, and more often than not it is the mother naming the children. Eve named her children, Sarah named Isaac, Rachel and Leah named the twelve sons of Jacob, and the list goes on. So it is precious to see how God includes not just Mary in the naming of Jesus, but Joseph, His adoptive father. This is like a pat on the back to Joseph saying, “I am giving My Son into your care for a while. I am calling you to be His earthly father.” Wow! What an assignment!
Can you picture Joseph? He is betrothed to this lovely girl named Mary, and he has been working hard to get the house ready for her arrival. Then he hears through the grapevine his bride is with child, and he has never been with her. Can you imagine the anguish and betrayal he must have felt? Here we catch a glimpse one of the reasons God chose Joseph to fill the role of earthly father to His only begotten Son. We see the character of Joseph come shining through. It was his right, by law, to have Mary stoned to death, or he could have humiliated her and made her an outcast. Although he must have felt so hurt and betrayed, he wanted to protect Mary. He wanted to send her away quietly, so as not to disgrace her. As Joseph is thinking through his plans God reveals His PLAN…….
But when he thought on these things, behold and angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, fear not and take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet; “BEHOLD THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL,’ which translated means “GOD with us.” Matthew 1:20-23
His name, Immanuel, was a statement of who He was and Who He IS! He is GOD WITH US. That is HIS NAME!!!! JEHOVAH IS SALVATION! THE EXISTING ONE IS SALVATION!!! That is HIS NAME!!!
When we go home to be with the Lord we will each receive a new name. I can’t wait to hear what mine will be.
May God continue to bless every one of you during this Christmas season!!
Advent Foretold Day 8
Advent Foretold Day 8 – He would come in all humbleness and meekness….
He is the King of kings. He is the Lord of Lords. He is God Almighty…..and yet…….
“For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.” Isaiah 53:2
“And speak unto Him, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Behold a man whose name is THE BRANCH; and He shall grow up out of His place…” Zechariah 6:12
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, humble and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Zechariah 9:9
With the above scriptures from the Old Testament in mind, let's jump ahead to the New Testament.....
“And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:7
“Jesus, knowing that the Father has given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself. Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.” John 13:3-6
“They were saying, Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He say, I have come down out of heaven?” John 6:42
“Who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men….”Philippians 2:6-7
""The disciples went and did as Jesus instructed and brought the donkey and the colt and laid their coats on them; and He sat across their coats.Most of the crowd spread their coats in the raod and others were cutting branches.....The crowds were going ahead of Him shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord..." Matthew 21: 6-9
“Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28
The arrival of the Messiah was missed, in part, because people were looking for the arrival of a “KING” and a “MESSIAH”. They were expecting trumpets and fanfare that you think should herald the arrival of someone important. They wanted signs of power and might as the world translates power and might. Also, many Jews believed it would be two messiahs that would come. They thought one would be the suffering Messiah and the other would be the Mashiach Nagid, Messiah King. It was hard to imagine the prophecies could be about just one man because they seemed to contradict themselves. And yet that was exactly the case. It would be one Man fulfilling all of it. Jesus came the first time as the suffering Messiah. When He returns to earth next time it will be as the Messiah King, the Mashiach Nagid, to reclaim possession of the earth from His enemies.
When God said, “Your ways are not My ways,” in Isaiah 55:8, He was not kidding!! When Jesus came the first time He entered His creation in the most humble of ways, and spent the next thirty-three years living the most humble of lives. He came to live in and amongst the people He created. He was fully human, living a fully human life. He did not have the hands of a palace prince. His were the calloused hands of a servant. Those precious, calloused hands, that would one day be nail scarred, could build a table, turn over the table of a money changer, heal the sick, cook fish for His disciples, or bless a small child. He didn’t come to observe life on earth. He came to live it. Because of this, He understands sorrow and suffering. He was surrounded by the injustices of the times He lived in. Our King knows what it means to be poor, go hungry, be hated, abused, laughed at, tempted, rejected by family, and the list goes on.
He humbled Himself to enter His creation as a baby, to grow up living a fully human life. He lived a life without sin, but not without temptation. He is our perfect High Priest BECAUSE of this.
“Therefore, since we have a high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest Who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:14-15
His humble life made Him accessible to the people. They could find Him sitting in a boat, standing on a rock, or sitting on the grass teaching. Little children could come running up to Him, climb all over Him, and He loved it!! A blind man could cry out to Him for healing, a leper could approach Him, or a woman who was ill could touch the hem of His garment and be healed.
By coming in meekness and humility Jesus fulfilled so many prophecies spoken of Him in the Old Testament. This speaks to the truth…He is Who He says He is!! He is the Son of God.
I could go on for hours, but I won’t! Let me just end with this. Isn’t it incredible that every year we have Christmas set aside for the single purpose of celebrating our Savior, Christ Jesus. It is His coming as a baby to be the Savior of our souls. And yet, how often during the Christmas season do we actually stop and think about the WHY of baby Jesus coming? Every day during the Christmas season, and every other day of the year I want to keep the focus of my life on WHO truly matters. THE NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES!!!!
He is the King of kings. He is the Lord of Lords. He is God Almighty…..and yet…….
“For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.” Isaiah 53:2
“And speak unto Him, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Behold a man whose name is THE BRANCH; and He shall grow up out of His place…” Zechariah 6:12
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, humble and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Zechariah 9:9
With the above scriptures from the Old Testament in mind, let's jump ahead to the New Testament.....
“And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:7
“Jesus, knowing that the Father has given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself. Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.” John 13:3-6
“They were saying, Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He say, I have come down out of heaven?” John 6:42
“Who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men….”Philippians 2:6-7
""The disciples went and did as Jesus instructed and brought the donkey and the colt and laid their coats on them; and He sat across their coats.Most of the crowd spread their coats in the raod and others were cutting branches.....The crowds were going ahead of Him shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord..." Matthew 21: 6-9
“Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28
The arrival of the Messiah was missed, in part, because people were looking for the arrival of a “KING” and a “MESSIAH”. They were expecting trumpets and fanfare that you think should herald the arrival of someone important. They wanted signs of power and might as the world translates power and might. Also, many Jews believed it would be two messiahs that would come. They thought one would be the suffering Messiah and the other would be the Mashiach Nagid, Messiah King. It was hard to imagine the prophecies could be about just one man because they seemed to contradict themselves. And yet that was exactly the case. It would be one Man fulfilling all of it. Jesus came the first time as the suffering Messiah. When He returns to earth next time it will be as the Messiah King, the Mashiach Nagid, to reclaim possession of the earth from His enemies.
When God said, “Your ways are not My ways,” in Isaiah 55:8, He was not kidding!! When Jesus came the first time He entered His creation in the most humble of ways, and spent the next thirty-three years living the most humble of lives. He came to live in and amongst the people He created. He was fully human, living a fully human life. He did not have the hands of a palace prince. His were the calloused hands of a servant. Those precious, calloused hands, that would one day be nail scarred, could build a table, turn over the table of a money changer, heal the sick, cook fish for His disciples, or bless a small child. He didn’t come to observe life on earth. He came to live it. Because of this, He understands sorrow and suffering. He was surrounded by the injustices of the times He lived in. Our King knows what it means to be poor, go hungry, be hated, abused, laughed at, tempted, rejected by family, and the list goes on.
He humbled Himself to enter His creation as a baby, to grow up living a fully human life. He lived a life without sin, but not without temptation. He is our perfect High Priest BECAUSE of this.
“Therefore, since we have a high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest Who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:14-15
His humble life made Him accessible to the people. They could find Him sitting in a boat, standing on a rock, or sitting on the grass teaching. Little children could come running up to Him, climb all over Him, and He loved it!! A blind man could cry out to Him for healing, a leper could approach Him, or a woman who was ill could touch the hem of His garment and be healed.
By coming in meekness and humility Jesus fulfilled so many prophecies spoken of Him in the Old Testament. This speaks to the truth…He is Who He says He is!! He is the Son of God.
I could go on for hours, but I won’t! Let me just end with this. Isn’t it incredible that every year we have Christmas set aside for the single purpose of celebrating our Savior, Christ Jesus. It is His coming as a baby to be the Savior of our souls. And yet, how often during the Christmas season do we actually stop and think about the WHY of baby Jesus coming? Every day during the Christmas season, and every other day of the year I want to keep the focus of my life on WHO truly matters. THE NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES!!!!
Advent Foretold Day 5
Advent Foretold Day 5 - The seed would come through the line of Jesse and from the throne of David…
We left off with the genealogy of the Messiah up through Judah, the son of Jacob. Time has passed. The family of Jacob, including Judah, went into Egypt as seventy family members, but 430 years later God Almighty brings them out of Egypt as the nation of Israel. We know of the wilderness wanderings, the time of the judges ruling Israel, and the times of King David and King Solomon. Now it is time to see what God reveals as to where the next branch of the Messiah’s genealogy will go….
JESSE:
“Then the shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit.” Isaiah 11:1
“Then in that day the nations will resort to the root of Jesse, who will stand as a signal for the peoples; and His resting place will be glorious.” Isaiah 11:10
Here again we have a bit of a problem. Jesse had eight sons. The Messiah could come from any one of these sons. Oh the suspense…..
DAVID:
“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “that I will raise to David a Branch of Righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth….” Jeremiah 23:5
“In those days and at that time, will I cause the Branch of Righteousness to grow up unto David; and He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.” Jeremiah 33:15
God gives David a hint of things to come when He is talking to David about his son Solomon. But in the words from God there is a dual telling about His Son!
“When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your seed after you, who will come forth from you and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be a Father to him and he will be a son to me….” 2 Samuel 7:12-14
Fast forward to the Gospel of Luke where a young lady is getting a visit from Gabriel, an angel of the Lord...
“And behold you shall conceive in your womb and bear a Son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and e will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” Luke 1:31-33
Hallelujah!!! How it must have tormented Satan to know from what family his defeat would come. Oh, the things he tried to do and is trying to do along each step of the way to thwart God’s plan. For some reason…. it didn’t work and it’s not working! It’s almost like God knew what Satan would do even before Satan knew himself! What a comfort to know that no matter how impossible or out of control things seem, that it is OUR GOD who is in control. He is the one who knows the end from the beginning. He has a plan that He established before He laid the foundation of the world, and it will not be thwarted! His plan for a Redeemer is not a last minute panic plan. It was and is His Perfect plan for us to be with Him in fellowship for all of eternity. Thank you, Jesus!
We left off with the genealogy of the Messiah up through Judah, the son of Jacob. Time has passed. The family of Jacob, including Judah, went into Egypt as seventy family members, but 430 years later God Almighty brings them out of Egypt as the nation of Israel. We know of the wilderness wanderings, the time of the judges ruling Israel, and the times of King David and King Solomon. Now it is time to see what God reveals as to where the next branch of the Messiah’s genealogy will go….
JESSE:
“Then the shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit.” Isaiah 11:1
“Then in that day the nations will resort to the root of Jesse, who will stand as a signal for the peoples; and His resting place will be glorious.” Isaiah 11:10
Here again we have a bit of a problem. Jesse had eight sons. The Messiah could come from any one of these sons. Oh the suspense…..
DAVID:
“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “that I will raise to David a Branch of Righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth….” Jeremiah 23:5
“In those days and at that time, will I cause the Branch of Righteousness to grow up unto David; and He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.” Jeremiah 33:15
God gives David a hint of things to come when He is talking to David about his son Solomon. But in the words from God there is a dual telling about His Son!
“When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your seed after you, who will come forth from you and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be a Father to him and he will be a son to me….” 2 Samuel 7:12-14
Fast forward to the Gospel of Luke where a young lady is getting a visit from Gabriel, an angel of the Lord...
“And behold you shall conceive in your womb and bear a Son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and e will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” Luke 1:31-33
Hallelujah!!! How it must have tormented Satan to know from what family his defeat would come. Oh, the things he tried to do and is trying to do along each step of the way to thwart God’s plan. For some reason…. it didn’t work and it’s not working! It’s almost like God knew what Satan would do even before Satan knew himself! What a comfort to know that no matter how impossible or out of control things seem, that it is OUR GOD who is in control. He is the one who knows the end from the beginning. He has a plan that He established before He laid the foundation of the world, and it will not be thwarted! His plan for a Redeemer is not a last minute panic plan. It was and is His Perfect plan for us to be with Him in fellowship for all of eternity. Thank you, Jesus!
Advent Foretold Day 4
Advent Foretold Day 4 - Jesus would come from Isaac, Jacob and Judah...
ISAAC: Abraham has two sons, Ishmael and Isaac, but God is very clear about which son His promise will be carried through.
"But God said to Abraham,....in Isaac your seed shall be called." Genesis 21:12
... JACOB: Isaac has two sons, Esau and Jacob. Again we come to a crossroads in the geneology of the coming Messiah. Once again God clears the question up for us.
Here is a hint of things to come. The ultimate KING will come through Jacob. The KING of kings!
"God said to him, "Your name is Jacob; you shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name...A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come forth from you..." Genesis 35:9-12
JUDAH: Jacob ends up with twelve sons, who become the twelve tribes of Israel. This could get confusing as to which direction God will take in this family. Have no fear. True to His character God makes sure we know where to follow the scarlet thread.
"Judah, your brothers shall PRAISE you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father's sons shall bow down to you....The sceptor shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler's staff from between until Shiloh comes, and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples." Genesis 49:8-10.
In the above verse it talks about the sceptor not departing from Judah until Shiloh comes. The Jews were horrified when in 6 AD the Romans removed the sceptor of government from Judah and Jerusalem. Rome placed governors over the Jews and took away their right to administer captial punishment. The Jews dressed in sackcloth and ashes, and went into mourning. They believed the Word of God to have been in error since they thought Shiloh had not come. Little did they know He had been born in a stable just a few years before this. So the sceptor did not depart until Shiloh had come. Praise you, Jesus, for Your Word!!!!
By the way....the name Judah means "Praised".
ISAAC: Abraham has two sons, Ishmael and Isaac, but God is very clear about which son His promise will be carried through.
"But God said to Abraham,....in Isaac your seed shall be called." Genesis 21:12
... JACOB: Isaac has two sons, Esau and Jacob. Again we come to a crossroads in the geneology of the coming Messiah. Once again God clears the question up for us.
Here is a hint of things to come. The ultimate KING will come through Jacob. The KING of kings!
"God said to him, "Your name is Jacob; you shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name...A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come forth from you..." Genesis 35:9-12
JUDAH: Jacob ends up with twelve sons, who become the twelve tribes of Israel. This could get confusing as to which direction God will take in this family. Have no fear. True to His character God makes sure we know where to follow the scarlet thread.
"Judah, your brothers shall PRAISE you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father's sons shall bow down to you....The sceptor shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler's staff from between until Shiloh comes, and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples." Genesis 49:8-10.
In the above verse it talks about the sceptor not departing from Judah until Shiloh comes. The Jews were horrified when in 6 AD the Romans removed the sceptor of government from Judah and Jerusalem. Rome placed governors over the Jews and took away their right to administer captial punishment. The Jews dressed in sackcloth and ashes, and went into mourning. They believed the Word of God to have been in error since they thought Shiloh had not come. Little did they know He had been born in a stable just a few years before this. So the sceptor did not depart until Shiloh had come. Praise you, Jesus, for Your Word!!!!
By the way....the name Judah means "Praised".
Friday, December 9, 2011
Advent Foretold Day 3
Advent Foretold Day 3 - The seed, Jesus, promised in Genesis 3:15 would come from Abraham.
Genesis 12:3"....in you all the families of the earth will be blessed."
Genesis 22:18 "...in your seed all the nations of the earth will be blessed."
God is revealing a bit more about His plan of the promised seed. He is making a big promise about Jesus coming from Abraham.
God makes this promise and then He has Abraham carry out what seems to be a strange act....until you examine it more closely. When Isaac is a young man God tells Abraham to take Isaac his son, his only son, whom he loves (sound familiar?) to the land of Moriah and make a sacrifice of him. God will reveal the exact mountain he is to go to when Abraham gets close. I am sure Abraham was taken aback, but Abraham had complete faith. He knew God made a promise about the descendents of his son Isaac. He also knew God did not lie. So either God would prevent the act of sacrifice or raise Isaac from the dead. Either way Abraham knew his God was faithful to His word and all powerful. The problem of keeping Isaac alive was God's problem, not his.
Genesis 22:18 "...in your seed all the nations of the earth will be blessed."
God is revealing a bit more about His plan of the promised seed. He is making a big promise about Jesus coming from Abraham.
God makes this promise and then He has Abraham carry out what seems to be a strange act....until you examine it more closely. When Isaac is a young man God tells Abraham to take Isaac his son, his only son, whom he loves (sound familiar?) to the land of Moriah and make a sacrifice of him. God will reveal the exact mountain he is to go to when Abraham gets close. I am sure Abraham was taken aback, but Abraham had complete faith. He knew God made a promise about the descendents of his son Isaac. He also knew God did not lie. So either God would prevent the act of sacrifice or raise Isaac from the dead. Either way Abraham knew his God was faithful to His word and all powerful. The problem of keeping Isaac alive was God's problem, not his.
When they reached the mountain three days later Abraham laid the wood for the sacrifice across Isaac's shoulders. Isaac carried the wood up the mountain to the place he was to be sacrificed. Sound familiar? When Isaac asks where the "Lamb" for the burnt offering is Abraham answered with this...."My son, God will provide HIMSELF a LAMB for the burnt offering..." Genesis 22:8 KJV
As we know when Abraham raises his arm with the knife, showing his complete and utter obedience, God stops him and provides a ram for the sacrifice.
As we know when Abraham raises his arm with the knife, showing his complete and utter obedience, God stops him and provides a ram for the sacrifice.
God's purpose for this event was twofold. One was to ensure that Abraham would withhold nothing from Him in complete obedience. BUT the bigger picture here is God wanted us to have a glimpse of a father willing to sacrifice his son out of love. Here is a detail of this event that thrills me. That mountain Isaac climbed with the wood across his back is the very same mountain that his descendent, our Lord and Savior, Messiah Jesus, climbed carrying the wood for his cross to become the ultimate sacrifice. It is the place where He would willingly provided HIMSELF as the LAMB to pay the penalty for our sins.
As we enjoy all the fun and festivities of this Christmas season, may we thank our Heavenly Father for the Ultimate CHRISTmas gift. May we keep the focus of this season on Him.
As we enjoy all the fun and festivities of this Christmas season, may we thank our Heavenly Father for the Ultimate CHRISTmas gift. May we keep the focus of this season on Him.
Advent Foretold Day 2
Advent Foretold Day 2 - the first promise in the Bible is the promise of our Champion, Christ Jesus, over that old serpent, Satan.
Genesis 3:15 "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise Him on the heel."
How precious it is that the planned virgin birth of Jesus was announced at the very beginning....in ......the garden!!! How... incredible it is that God did not leave us hanging out there wondering what would happen after sin entered the world. He did not announce, "Game over!! Scrap the humans!" Even before he took Adam and Eve to task he made a promise to beat all promises!!! He promised to send His son Jesus to die for us. Satan may have "bruised" Jesus heel with the crucifixion, but that was part of God's plan. Thank you, Father, for your Son. Thank you for loving us THAT much.
"For God so LOVED the world that He GAVE His only begotten Son that WHOSOEVER believes in Him SHOULD NOT PERISH, but have EVERLASTING LIFE." John 3:16
I love CHRISTmas!!!!!!
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