The Christmas Story: Jesus Christ Born to Die‏

Hello Friends!

Merry Christmas!

 Our familiarity with the Christmas story should not obscure the mystery of the Incarnation – God becoming a man – which is of course the focal point of God's work in the world. 

Jesus Christ – the Lamb of God – came to save sinners from their sin and the wrath of God through faith in Him alone. This special season reminds the Christian that preparation for Jesus Christ's First Coming – His incarnation – was for this very specific reason:

             And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins – Matthew 1:21

No detail was left to “chance” – The Almighty's focused interest in Bethlehem is a reminder that we have the privilege of being a part of His eternal plan during Jesus Christ’s Second Coming – the Lion of Judah! This message is the only true eternal hope for this lost and dying world…

The Christmas Story: Jesus Christ Born to Die

The Apostles Matthew the tax collector and Doctor Luke wrote to us about the most amazing, miraculous birth in the history of the world. These intimate and personal Biblical accounts can be found in four chapters of the Scriptures: Matthew 1-2 and Luke 1-2. 

 

Christmas is always a great day to look at the events of that day – 2,000 years ago – from the Scriptures. It allows us to receive the insight of God's Word in our hearts and minds. Thank you for sharing this special time with me today in honoring our Lord Jesus Christ!
 
Matthew 1:18-25

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying:

“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.”

So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:

“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS

Luke 2:1-20

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them:

“Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another:

“Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.”

And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child.  And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them

In Luke 2:12 there is an interesting statement:

"…and this shall be a sign unto you"

Dr. Luke also records what the angel said to the shepherds – that they would find the newborn babe, "God-man", Jesus Christ:

"…in a manger wrapped in swaddling clothes"

During my recent studies in the Hebraic roots of our Christian faith, I learned why this would indeed be a "sign" to these shepherds. This “sign” was in an actual place located in the Shepherd's Fields called the "Tower of the Flock". In the Hebrew language, the phrase is known as "Migdal Edar". "Migdal" is Hebrew for "tower" and "Edar" is "flock" in the Hebrew language. This phrase is only used twice in the entire Bible - Genesis 35:21 and Micah 4:8.
 
In the Genesis 35:21 passage, "Migdal Edar" is referring to the location where Jacob pitched his tent after he buried his wife Rachel who had died in childbirth. "Migdal Edar" is on the road between Bethlehem, where Rachel was buried, and the city of Jerusalem, which is only three miles away.
 
The other mention of "Migdal Edar" or "tower of the flock" is found in Micah 4:8 and is a prophecy that the announcement of the Messiah would be at "Migdal Edar". This location, "Migdal Edar", has been known by the religious Jews for centuries as the place where the announcement of the "Messiah" would take place. "Migdal Edar" was a watchtower in the Shepherd's Fields of Bethlehem. It was a two-story stone structure built out in the fields. On the top story, a "priestly shepherd" would stand watching over the flock to make certain that the sheep were not being harmed in any way.
 
The sheep raised in the Shepherd's Fields of Bethlehem were destined for the "temple sacrifice" three miles away. Also, these sheep must be without blemish or spot – perfect condition in order to be sacrificed. Bethlehem's "shepherd's fields" was the holding pen for the sacrificial lambs.
 
The bottom floor of "Migdal Edar" was for the "birthing" of these lambs. From the beginning, these lambs must be perfect. The "priestly shepherd" would take the newborn lamb and wrap it in "swaddling clothes" to keep it from harming its limbs. After wrapping the baby lamb, the shepherd would lay it in a "manger" until the newborn had calmed down.
 
These priestly shepherds knew of this procedure and when told it would be a sign, they re-called Micah 4:8 and with haste, as noted in Luke 2:16 - ran to see the newborn Jesus, the Son of God!

The miraculous first coming of Jesus sets the stage for the awesome second coming of Jesus. Therefore we can rest assured He will keep His promise – Maranatha!

In closing:

In Luke chapter 1, the angelic messenger identified Jesus, the Christ-child in four ways:

• He would be the son of Mary – Making Him fully human (1:31)
• He would be the Son of the Highest – Making Him fully divine (1:32)
• He would be the Son of David – Giving Him royal lineage (1:32)
• He would bear the title Son of God – Giving Him equality with the Father in all things (1:35)

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins – Colossians 1:13-14

All of the roles the Savior Messiah was called to fulfill are made possible in these divine, distinct expressions of the Sonship of Jesus Christ – the perfect God-man!

I love the Christmas story! Jesus is the Reason for the Season!
 
Keep looking up and sharing the Gospel while there is still time… Hallelujah and Maranatha – come quickly Lord Jesus!

We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com

I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

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