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When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him." So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son." Matthew 2:13-15
By now he was getting used to these dreams, and he knew that when the angel came he meant business. They had to go to Egypt. How he longed to see his home in Nazareth again, and now he had to take his wife and little child and go to this foreign land.
But the angel had told them that they must do it, that Herod wanted to kill Jesus, and he knew he had to do everything he could to protect this child, the Son of God, who he and Mary had been appointed to raise.
At least they had the gifts the wise men had brought, if they needed money on their trip. He woke Mary, who picked up the sleeping child, and they were well on their way before morning came.
"Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren't all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?" Matthew 13:55-56
Every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. Luke 2:41-42, 46-47
Mary and Joseph had at least six other children besides Jesus.
The Bible doesn’t tell us anything about Jesus after Mary and Joseph got back to Nazareth until He was thirty years old, except for one incident when He was twelve.
Jesus was probably born in the autumn between 4 and 7 BC. Though a (human) mistake was made in making the calendar, the whole calendar for the world is based on the time elapsed since His birth. We are now living in AD, Anno Domini, meaning "the year of our Lord."
December 25 is the date of the pagan celebration Saturnalia, dedicated to the god Saturn. In AD 354 a pope named Liberus declared it a celebration of the birthday of Christ to divert the Romans from their pagan revelry.
The Bible doesn't mandate or even mention an annual celebration of the birth of Jesus.
Christmas wasn’t a federal holiday in the United States until 1870.
The kings of Tarshish and of distant shores will bring tribute to him; the kings of Sheba and Seba will present him gifts. Psalm 72:10
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." . . . After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. Matthew 2:1-2, 9-12
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1
Very little is really known about these men. Most of what we profess to know about them comes through tradition, not the Bible.
We don’t know that there were three of them – only that they brought three gifts. Tradition tells us that there were three and their names were Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazar.
They were also called Magi. This word has the same root as the word "magic." They may have been astrologers or magicians, or their great wisdom about scientific matters may have led others to believe they were magic.
They didn’t visit the baby Jesus on the night He was born. It may have been months or even years later, as they came from afar.
These men must have known something of the prophecy of the Messiah. Somehow they knew that this was an extremely important event, worth a very lengthy and costly trip.
Why would wealthy men, of such high standing that they could stop and ask the king for directions, pay such a visit to a poor, unknown family from Nazareth? It hardly seems logical, but then, there isn’t much about the story of Jesus’ birth that is logical. They came on faith, the same way we must come to Jesus. Won’t you come to worship Him too?
Then came the Feast of Dedication [Hanukkah] at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon's Colonnade. The Jews gathered around him, saying, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." John 10:22-24
I used to think that Hanukkah was the Jews’ answer to Christmas, a time for them to give presents because they didn’t celebrate the birth of Jesus.
Actually, the origins of Hanukkah predate the origins of Christmas by about 200 years, and it is mentioned in the Bible in connection with Jesus. In fact, He Himself celebrated Hanukkah in the actual temple where this miracle occurred. The events which it commemorates took place between the end of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament.
Around 167 BC the Syrian-Greek ruler Antiochus Epiphanes took over the Jerusalem temple for pagan worship. Things that were sacred to the Jews were destroyed and defiled. This went on for several years until finally there was a revolt led by Judas Macabee which reclaimed the temple, despite overwhelming odds. When the temple was reclaimed and rededicated to God, there was only found enough clean oil to keep the temple light burning for one day, but miraculously the lamp burned for eight days, until more oil could be acquired.
Today, Jewish families celebrate this event by placing eight candles in a menorah, plus one extra to light the others. The candles are lit, one each night, until the eighth night, when all the candles are lit.
During this time of celebration prayers are said, songs are sung, special foods are eaten and gifts are exchanged.
There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. Luke 2:36-38She, like Simeon, was very old. She had been a widow for many years, but after her husband had died, rather than remarrying, she had chosen to dedicate her life to God, to live in the temple, to worship God always.She too knew the prophecy of the coming Messiah. Could this be Him, over there in the arms of Simeon? She drew nearer to them, as quickly as her aged legs would carry her. As she beheld the tiny baby, she knew He was the One. She listened to Simeon’s words and was filled with indescribable joy. She thanked God for letting her be a part of this glorious event. Then, with a renewed energy she hadn’t felt in years, she went about telling everyone of the wonder she had beheld.We too are a part of this wonderful occasion. We celebrate the gift of God’s Son at Christmas, who was born to bring us salvation. Isn’t that worth telling everyone you meet?
Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel." The child's father and mother marveled at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too." Luke 2:25-35
Many regarded him as a strange old man. “Senile” or “odd” they whispered to one another and tried not to stare at him as he passed. He said things they didn’t understand. He just wasn’t like everybody else.
He spent a lot of time in the temple. A good place for him, perhaps. He wouldn’t bother them as long as he was in there, wouldn’t tell people his funny stories about a coming Messiah.
But Simeon wasn’t bothered by what people thought about him or his stories, for he knew the stories were true. In fact, God had promised him that he would see the Messiah in his lifetime, so he knew it had to be soon.
And so it was. He knew when he saw the young couple coming into the temple that day. The infant they carried was the long-awaited One who would save Israel and even the Gentiles.
They allowed him to hold the child. He was filled with the Holy Spirit as he peered into the baby’s tiny face. Now he could die in peace. God had fulfilled His promise.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." Luke 2:8-15
They were the outcasts of society, dirty, lowly men whom no one wanted the company of. As they were tending their flocks on this autumn night, they experienced the shock of their lives. And it wasn’t just their lowly estate that made it such a shock – it would have been an odd occurrence for anyone, for suddenly, in the middle of the night, the field became brighter than day. It was when they saw the angel, though, that their fear overwhelmed them. They must really be in trouble now!
But the angel told them not to be afraid. He had good news. A baby had been born. And not just any baby, but One who would be a Savior to everyone, even them! Hadn’t they once heard about a promised Messiah? Then there were lots of angels. This must be big news! They rushed off in the direction the angels had pointed them.
And then they saw Him. He was an ordinary baby, and yet He wasn’t. There was something different about Him. As they returned to their fields, they knew life would never be the same. They had seen the face of God.
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. Micah 5:2In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. Luke 2:1-4It was a small, unimportant town. Its only claim to fame was that it was the "City of David," and it was some sixty-five miles from where Joseph and Mary made their home in Nazareth.But now they were required to journey there – not exactly great timing for Mary who, by this time, was getting close to the end of her pregnancy, and a long distance to travel, especially on foot.Were Joseph and Mary aware of Micah’s prophecy, made over seven hundred years earlier? Possibly, but regardless, they weren’t going to Bethlehem by choice, but by law. After all, they were of the "house and line of David."Isn’t it amazing that God had revealed so long ago that little Bethlehem would be the place? He had a plan, and it was unfolding.
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11
Our Lord has many different names given in the Bible. "Jesus" was the name given to Him by his earthly parents, at the angel’s instruction. It was the name everyone knew Him by. How appropriate that He should have a name that means "Jehovah (God) saves," for this is precisely what He came to do.
Before He came, there was no hope for our sinful world. No one met the standard of perfection that God required for us to enter Heaven, so He made a way for us, a substitute form of righteousness. He sent His only Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins. Now through Him we may have eternal life if we will only acknowledge our sinful state and accept Him as our Savior. What better way to celebrate Christmas this year than to accept God’s wonderful gift as your own?
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"—which means, "God with us." When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. Matthew 1:18-25
He couldn’t believe it. Mary, his betrothed, had just told him that she was pregnant, and her growing figure supported her story. But it couldn’t possibly be true. It certainly wasn’t his child, and surely Mary . . . she seemed like such a righteous woman.
Well, he would just have to do the honorable thing and break off their engagement. Then Mary could go and marry whoever the father of the child was.
But he loved her so . . .
When he was finally able to sleep that night he had a dream, a very vivid dream. In the dream he saw an angel. Hadn’t Mary said something about an angel? But the angel was talking to him now, telling him to go ahead and marry Mary – she hadn’t been unfaithful to him. She was carrying the Son of God.
When he awakened he wasn’t sure if it was all true, but his next visit with Mary reassured him. He was to be the "step-father" of the long-awaited Messiah.
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14
In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God." "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her. Matthew 1:18-25
She was just a kid, probably 13 or 14, as this was the customary age for girls of her time to be engaged. Soon she would be marrying Joseph, a righteous man whom her parents approved of.
She was alone in her home one day, perhaps cleaning or fixing dinner for her family. Suddenly the room grew bright. She turned around to see what was happening and gasped – there before her stood a figure like nothing she had ever seen. An angel?
The angel’s words, while quite odd, were reassuring. She had found favor with God. But then – she would have a child? Now?? How could she have a child? She wasn’t even married!
What would Joseph say? Her parents? This could cause quite a scandal. Pregnant and not married! Who would believe her when she tried to explain?
But Mary agreed to this task. God had a plan for her, and He would take care of her.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1
And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel. Genesis 3:15
What better place to start than the beginning? God made a perfect earth. He made the land and water, plants and animals, and the sun, moon and stars. Then God finished it off with His finest works of all – man and woman, made in His own image. Perfect people living in a perfect place. They could do anything they wanted to, except for one thing. God specifically told them not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Doesn’t sound too hard, does it?
But Adam and Eve blew it. And their world couldn’t be perfect anymore. When they heard God coming, they hid because they were ashamed of themselves.
Would we have done the same thing if we had been Adam and Eve? Likely. God offers us many choices, and we often make bad ones. Every person since Adam and Eve has been born in sin, separated from God.
But even as God punished Adam and Eve for their disobedience, He made a promise. An offspring would be born of the woman. Satan would strike at His heel (crucify Him), but He would crush Satan’s head (through His resurrection).
That person is Jesus Christ. God sent Him to earth to bear the punishment for our sins so that we could once again have communion with God and eternal life in Heaven. What a reason to celebrate!
