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He took my sin and shame away!
For many, many years the Israelites were told of a coming Messiah. God first mentioned it in Genesis 3:15 after Adam and Eve disobeyed Him. God predicted that four generations would pass before Jesus was born. In fact, some Bible scholars suggest there are more than 300 Old Testament prophetic Scriptures completed in the life of Jesus Christ.
There are a ton of references in the Old Testament. Here are just a few scriptures references below: More can be found here.
Genesis 3:15 – And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.
Isaiah 7:14 – Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
Isaiah 9: 6 – For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 53 (A very lengthy chapter and description of the birth and death of Jesus. Click on the link.)
Galatians 4: 4-5 – To redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”
Micah 5:2 – But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me, The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.
There has also been something called the “400 Years Silence”. “The 400 Years of Silence” is the name given to the period of time between the last of the Old Testament prophets and the arrival of Jesus in the New Testament. It began with Malachi’s prediction of Elijah’s return, circa 430 BC, and ended with its metaphorical fulfillment: the coming of John the Baptist circa 6—4 BC.
I believe the entire Bible is all about Jesus from beginning to end. However, I also believe specifically, The Old Testament is God’s testimony of His love toward our human race and His constant urging of His people to turn away from sin and back to Him. (2 Corinthians 7:14).
Why would He do that, you ask? Because from the beginning, He made man in His image, (Genesis 1:7), even though we are all sinners and frequently come short of the Glory of God, (Romans 3:23). And so… in order to help us understand how grand God’s love for us is, He had to send His only son, Jesus, to save us from sin. (John 3:16-17).
Yes, Jesus! King of Kings and Lord of Lord, (Revelations 19:16, and 17:14) was, is, and always will be a King. There have been many babies born to be kings of their land, but only one king ever became a baby. The Old Testament scriptures lead to that revelation because the Israelites didn’t expect a baby, but a Mighty King. (Acts 1:6; Ezekiel 37: 24-25).
Wow, were they shocked? Hmm… God does have a sense of humor.
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I love Christmas music. I start listening to it after Thanksgiving, as I like to give each holiday its respectful celebration. Some of my recent favorites are:
Somewhere in Your Silent Night – Casting Crowns
Mary Did You Know – Danny Gokey
Breath of Heaven – Amy Grant
And, this year, Then Christ Came by MercyMe and Phil Wickham.
Raised Catholic, I never concerned myself with the Bible, the stories, the significance, God’s anointings and gifts to us, the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives, and how Prophesy is manifesting in the world today, right before our eyes. I’m not knocking Catholicism, but there is so much more to learn about Christianity.
You see, in June of 2006, I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior. I didn’t think much of it then and how it would transform my life. Years later, I embarked on a reading journey of the Bible. It took me two years and almost two months, from January 2019 to February 2021, to read from Genesis to Revelations. It was quite an experience. So much history and happenings I hadn’t known. Exposed only to the Gospels, I felt now, my understanding of God was coming full circle. And still, I tread on. In August 2021, a phrase came to my mind; so I wrote this below and taped it to my Bible.
After that, I couldn’t go back. When the new year came in, January of 2022, I understood the next step in my new life. In July of 2022, I was baptized. Oh, and what a glorious declaration and dedication to Jesus it was. I was His! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Fast-forward to December 2022, and I hear Then Christ Came. Two of my favorite verses:
You are the one I prayed for! You are the one I was made for! Hallelujah!!
Jesus you gave me purpose. Jesus you told me I’m worth it! Hallelujah!!
Just like the Israelites who hoped and prayed for a Messiah. I patiently prayed for Jesus to open my eyes to accepting Him into my heart. Hallelujah!! He changed everything. Jesus changed our history. Born of a Virgin, a Son named Immanuel, God with us. (Mathew 1:23)
He changed me from the inside out! Jesus said, I am in you, and you are in me. (John 15:7)
This is the reason for the season. Glory to glory in the highest and peace to its people on earth. I bring good tidings. A Savior, Christ the Lord, is born in the city of David. (Luke 2:8:20)
This Christmas, may you all learn to know about Jesus!
Until next time…
Be well. Be safe. Be happy.
References:
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-most-unlikely-king
https://www.compellingtruth.org/400-years-of-silence.html
https://www.learnreligions.com/prophecies-of-jesus-fulfilled-700159
https://www.gotquestions.org/Old-Testament-Christ.html
https://seekinggodwithelaine.com/what-were-the-israelites-expecting-in-a-messiah/
Photo credit by Vinícius Vieira ft: https://www.pexels.com/photo/nativity-set-figurine-3355002/
