TODAY’S WORD FOR FRIDAY DECEMBER 23, 2016.
CHRISTMAS DAY
DEFINITION:
The celebration of the birth of Jesus.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
Luke 2:11.
As we told you yesterday, we do not send devotionals out on Saturdays or Sundays so we are sending this devotional to you two days early. We suggest you save it and read it again on Christmas day with your family as you celebrate the birth of your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
There were some unusual events that happened in the world when Jesus was born. These events had a dramatic effect on history.
Way back in the book of Genesis Jacob gave us a prophecy of the birth of Jesus. In Genesis 49:10 Jacob said, “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh (the Messiah) come; and unto Him shall the gathering of the people be.”
When Jesus was born this prophecy was being fulfilled. The scepter of rule had departed from Judea and they were now under the rule of Rome with Caesar Augustus reigning as emperor. Cyrenius was governor of Syria and Judea was part of the province of Syria. Herod was now King of Judea, a title granted by Rome. Herod was not part of the Davidic family line. So you see that a foreign, alien power, now ruled over Judea, however God’s scepter of rule had not left Judah. God was still in control of His chosen people and will always be in control of what happens to Judah (Israel).
With the birth of Jesus, the prophecy of The Messiah coming was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was the Messiah (Shiloh) and His coming into the world not only fulfilled prophecy but was surrounded by unusual events.
Angels announced His birth to shepherds watching their flocks. An unusually bright star led the wise men to Jesus.
Another unusual event was the unexpected taxation. It had been prophesied that Jesus was to be born in Bethlehem and this scripture had to be fulfilled. Joseph and Mary lived in Galilee and as the scripture says, “Mary was now great with child.” The taxation happened just at the right time and in the right way. Every one needed to return to the city of his family ancestry to register and pay his taxes. God was controlling these events so that all things worked so that He might fulfill His promise to send the Savior into the world and fulfill the prophecies in the Old Testament.
Joseph and Mary were both descendants of David so the taxation forced Joseph to take Mary and to go to Bethlehem. The city of Bethlehem was prophesied to be the city of the Messiah’s birth. The taxation led to the fulfillment of Scripture. Without the taxation decree Joseph and Mary would certainly have not had any reason to make such a long difficult journey of more than 70 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem, especially with a baby on the verge of being born.
The Scribes understood where Jesus the Messiah was to be born (Matthew 2:5-6). The common people understood where Jesus was to be born (John 7:42).
Jesus had to be born in Bethlehem because it was prophesied that the Messiah was to be the Son of David. David had been born in Bethlehem therefore it was necessary for Jesus the Son of David to be born there. The “Son of David” was the most common Messianic title used to refer to Jesus in His day. And finally the scripture prophesied that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). “But you, Bethlehem, Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for Me one who will be a ruler over Israel whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
How can we not only be amazed but also have our hearts blessed when we consider how God miraculously worked out His plan of Salvation for us? Caesar Augustus could never have imagined that he played a role in fulfilling prophecy concerning Christ our Messiah.
No power on earth can prevent God from doing what He has promised. Jesus promised He would come as our Messiah and He came. He promised He is coming again and no power on earth will stop that from happening at His chosen time. When He comes again, He will come as King and all authority will be His.
Our memory verse for this week is found in Luke 2:14.
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward man.
Help me today to realize the significance of how God prepared the world for the birth of Jesus. Thank You that I serve a miracle working God. May this Christmas season be a time of rejoicing and celebration of God’s great gift of salvation that I have in Jesus Christ in my life as well as in the lives of my family. Thank You for the miraculous way You work.
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