Whose Report Will You Believe? The REAL Christmas Story

 

There are many images connected to the Christmas season - so many, in fact, that we are easily drawn away from the truly miraculous event that changed the world. The only reason that we can celebrate the birth of Christ at all is because God sovereignly orchestrated events that no man could have planned, and carried out. All of the events surrounding the birth of Christ, His life, death, and resurrection were fulfilments of prophetic word given beforehand by God.

Hundreds of years before the birth of Christ, the prophet Isaiah was given a Word from the LORD of a Servant sent from God to suffer and die, not from any sin of His own, but on our behalf:

"But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all."   Isa. 53:5-6

So astounding and important was this prophetic word to man regarding this Servant who would receive upon Himself the punishment of us all, that Isaiah opens his prophetic word by asking, "Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?"

It is still an important question today: Who will believe the prophet's report? The LORD has revealed His arm, His sovereign power: Will those to whom it has been revealed recognize it, and respond appropriately to it?

Witnessing the events surrounding the birth of Christ, were many who received the reports, and to whom the arm of the LORD was revealed:

The prophetic report brought by the angel Gabriel to Zachariah the priest who would become the father of John the Baptist, was met with disbelief by that man (Lk. 1:11-18). Because of this unbelief, Zachariah was struck dumb until after the birth of his son (v. 19-20). The child in his wife Elizabeth's womb, however, would recognize the Arm of the LORD in the womb of Mary, and would leap with joy while still in his mother's womb, causing Elizabeth to be filled with the Holy Spirit. She prophesied regarding Mary and her Child:

"And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord."  Lk. 1:45

The same angel Gabriel had appeared months before to the unmarried woman, Mary, and informed her that she would have a son by the power of the Holy Spirit:

"...The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God...For with God nothing shall be impossible.."   Lk. 1:35 37

Mary, believing and accepting this report answered, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word."  v. 38

Months later, shepherds watching their sheep in the countryside outside of Bethlehem were in great fear as an angel appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord lit up the night around them. The angel reported to them the birth of the Savior, Christ the Lord. Then a multitude of angels appeared and began to praise God saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men."   Lk. 1:8-14

Not only did the shepherds believe and hurry to go see this child, but after seeing Him, "...they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds." 

                                                                                                              v. 17-18

When Jesus was brought to the temple eight days after His birth, two people there believed what was being revealed to them in the person of this child. One was Simeon, an old man to whom the Holy Ghost had revealed that the One for whom he had been waiting, the Savior of Israel, would come before Simeon's death. The Holy Spirit led Simeon to the temple on the day when the baby was brought, and Simeon recognized Him instantly: "For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel."    Lk. 2:25-32

Simeon prophesied to Mary that the child would cause the fall and rising of many in Israel, and would be a sign that many would speak against. Simeon had believed the report that the Holy Spirit had brought, and he recognized the Arm of the Lord that had been revealed to him that day. Simeon also understood that many would not believe the report, and would reject what the Lord was sovereignly revealing.

Another devout old woman, Anna, a prophetess, was in the temple that same moment, and also instantly recognized and gave thanks for what the Lord had done in the birth of this child. She also told all that had looked for the Lord's redemption (Lk. 2:36-38).

Even kings and sages from a great distance would hear of the birth of Christ, and react to the report in different ways. The birth of the savior was not an obscure event, although it took place in a humble stable. Isaiah again proclaimed:

"The LORD hath made bear his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD."   Isa. 52:10-11

From the beginning, the LORD has announced His promise of a Savior: "In the beginning God (Baresheit, The Son of God crushed, His hand upon a cross, Elohim aleph tav, or alpha omega in the Greek) created the heaven and the earth." (Gen. 1:1), confirmed in Jn. 1:1-5:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not  any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not."

The whole world has heard the report of the birth of the Savior, Christ the Lord. The LORD has revealed His arm to each of us. There is a response required.

"Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?"

 

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Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior: Lord Jesus, I desire to know You, and to know Your salvation. I believe that You died for me, and that You were resurrected for me. Forgive me of my sins. Come into my heart, change me, fill me with Your righteousness. Inscribe my name in the Lamb's book of life. Baptize me in Your Holy Spirit, so that I can learn the truth of Your Word and ways, and be strengthened in my walk all the days of my life. You are the hope of my life, and You are my eternal life. I place my trust in You, Lord, for myself, and my whole household. Use me to do the will of the heavenly Father, Who sent You, in Whose name You came. In Your name, and in thanks and praise I pray, Amen.

 



Restoring the Wall

 

There Is great debate in this country right now about building a wall in order to secure our border. As important an issue as many think that is, the building and repairing of spiritual walls has great importance also. When God created man, He placed him in an enclosed, or walled garden to provide the man a protected place. Within that enclosed garden, the LORD had daily fellowship with the man He created. Scripture teaches about the importance, and the challenges, of the building of these walls.

Nehemiah ("Jehovah comforts, consoles, pities, pants, groans, repents, laments")  served Artaxerxes,  the king of Persia, as a cupbearer. The job of a cupbearer to the king is to stand between the king and danger. In that sense, Nehemiah served as a living wall around the king. A cupbearer oversees the preparation of the king's food and drink to prevent tampering, as well as tasting it for possible poison before it is served to the king.

Nehemiah was greatly saddened and troubled by the news he had received of the conditions back in Jerusalem. He heard a report that the remnant remaining there were in great affliction. The wall around Jerusalem was broken down, and the gates in the wall had been burned. When Nehemiah heard this disturbing news, he mourned and fasted for days. He prayed to the LORD, and began to repent for the sins of himself, and his people, for their failure to keep the commands of the LORD (Neh. 1:1-7). He remembered the prophetic warning of Moses: that if the people transgressed the commandments of God, they would be scattered (Neh. 1:8, Lev. 26:31-33), but if they faithfully kept the LORD's commandments, they would be gathered back together to the place of the LORD's name, and restored (Neh. 1:9, Deut. 30:1-3). The breaking of the commandments of God cause a nation to become desolate, and overrun by its enemies. Repentance and the keeping of God's commandments bring miraculous restoration to a people, and a nation (2 Chron. 7:14).

Nehemiah was so troubled by the report he had heard, that he could not hide his sorrow from the king, as he would normally do, and was expected to do. The king questioned him about his sadness (Neh. 2:1-2). As Nehemiah told the king about the desolation of Jerusalem and its wall, the king asked him what request Nehemiah would make regarding it. Nehemiah prayed before answering, and then requested to be sent to Judah to restore it. The king granted his request and sent a letter with him decreeing that Nehemiah should be given all materials necessary for the rebuilding. Back in Jerusalem, the enemies of that city and people were not happy to hear that restoration would begin, and would continually plague Nehemiah and the work. We shouldn't be surprised if wickedness does all it can to oppose us as we answer the Lord's call to restore the spiritual walls and gates. After Nehemiah secretly inspected the ruins of the wall and the city, he revealed his mission to the remnant of the desolate Jerusalem:
"...Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burnt with fire: come and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach."  Neh. 2:17
Nehemiah went on to report, "Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work."  Neh. 2:18
The prophet Isaiah tells us that restoration and rebuilding is not accomplished as the result of empty, religious works that do not have the power to bring spiritual change. We cannot fast, and pray, and seek God, and at the same time, continue to live and speak in a manner that opposes the commands of God: being full of strife and debate, smiting in wickedness, oppressing and exploiting the poor and weak, pointing the finger of accusation at others, dishonoring His holy Sabbath by seeking our own pleasure and speaking our own words (Isa. 58).
On the contrary, as we saw above, Nehemiah was greatly afflicted in his soul by what he heard, and sought the LORD in heartfelt fasting, prayer and repentance, and God heard him and answered him with favor. Isaiah says the same:
"Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye brake every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh...and if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as noonday... And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in." 
                                                                                                          Isa. 58:6-7, 10, 12
Because we have disregarded the commands of the LORD, our nation's spiritual walls have been broken down, and our gates have been burned. The LORD is seeking those living walls, like Nehemiah, who see the spiritual desolation around them, and are grieved in their hearts: those who draw out their souls to others and to Him in repentance, seeking the consolation and restoration only God can deliver. 

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Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior: Lord Jesus, I desire to know You, and to know Your salvation. I believe that You died for me, and that You were resurrected for me. Forgive me of my sins. Come into my heart, change me, fill me with Your righteousness. Inscribe my name in the Lamb's book of life. Baptize me in Your Holy Spirit, so that I can learn the truth of Your Word and ways, and be strengthened in my walk all the days of my life. You are the hope of my life, and You are my eternal life. I place my trust in You, Lord, for myself, and my whole household. Use me to do the will of the heavenly Father, Who sent You, in Whose name You came. In Your name, and in thanks and praise I pray, Amen.

Hear and Obey!

 

 

"Behold, the days come, saith the LORD God, that I will send a famine in the land not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it."       Amos 8:11-12

 

The Hebrew word used above as "hearing" is the word shamah. It means not only to hear, or listen, but also to obey. The meaning also includes to understand, to discern. The Hebrew for "word(s)" above is dabar, which also includes "command, decree, counsel".

Today, the world neither seeks the commands and counsel of the LORD, nor do they hear it with understanding and obedience. Even the Church fails to teach the understanding of the word, nor does it encourage obedience to it. The prophet warned that there will come a time when, though we desperately seek the word of the LORD, we will no longer be able to find it.

Not only does the LORD counsel us to both hear and obey His word, but He encourages us to find the understanding:

"Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting, get understanding...How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!"    Prov. 4:5-7, Prov. 16:16

Seeking this wisdom and understanding that is more precious than gold and silver leads us right back to His word:

"Through thy precepts (commandments, statutes) I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."  

                                                                                                Ps. 119:104-105

The purpose of hearing and obeying God's word does not involve religion nor legalism. It is for the purpose of obtaining the wisdom and understanding that leads to having a clear and secure path through life. We look everywhere in the world to try to achieve the knowledge of this security, but we should seek the word of the LORD and His counsel first, because this is where it is to be found without fail.

This type of wisdom and understanding cannot be found in man. Men's hearts do not create it. Scripture tells us that men's hearts are deceitful above all things, and desperately (incurably, woefully) wicked (Rom. 1, Jer. 17:9-10). It is so deceitful, that we can't even know the true nature of our hearts. Only God can see it. On its own, the heart cannot come to life saving, and life prospering wisdom and understanding.

As David desperately sought the LORD's deliverance from his blood guilt (Ps. 51), he threw himself upon the promises of God's word, the promise of new mercy. He asked God to create in him a new heart, because he had seen for himself the results of the incurable wickedness of his own heart. He knew that his only hope was to come to God with a broken and contrite heart, because God desires truth in the most inward parts of us. David, king of Israel, whose line would bring forth the Messiah, a man after God's own heart, and the apple of God's eye, knew that wisdom, understanding, deliverance and renewal of life, could not be found in his own deceitful heart.

Psalm 119 is the declaration of one who understood the importance of hearing and obeying the word of the LORD:

"I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach my thy statutes. With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word."  Ps. 119:8-16

We have been called to take the gospel to a lost and dying world. It is a saving gospel that preserves life. It is the Living Word of God, Jesus, who is the promised mercy of God, and who cleanses us and creates a new heart in us by His word, His blood, and the Spirit of God. Though the gospel seems foolishness to man, it is the very wisdom, and understanding of God, whose thoughts are not our thoughts, and whose ways are not our ways. However, He calls us to understanding through the hearing and obeying of His words.

 

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Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior: Lord Jesus, I desire to know You, and to know Your salvation. I believe that You died for me, and that You were resurrected for me. Forgive me of my sins. Come into my heart, change me, fill me with Your righteousness. Inscribe my name in the Lamb's book of life. Baptize me in Your Holy Spirit, so that I can learn the truth of Your Word and ways, and be strengthened in my walk all the days of my life. You are the hope of my life, and You are my eternal life. I place my trust in You, Lord, for myself, and my whole household. Use me to do the will of the heavenly Father, Who sent You, in Whose name You came. In Your name, and in thanks and praise I pray, Amen.



A Qualitatively New Ekklesia

 

Our 41st president, George H.W. Bush, whose passing this week is being closely followed by the beginning of Hanukkah, referred to "a thousand points of light" in his inaugural address. He used this expression to refer to American's good works and volunteerism.

This famous quote of President Bush comes to mind as we enter the season of Hanukkah, also called the Festival of Lights, and the Feast of Dedication. The source of this feast is a historical event recorded in Maccabees 4 of the extra-Biblical books known as the Apocrypha. This book records the Maccabean rebellion against the Syrians who had taken control of Jerusalem, including the Temple of God.

 Under the rulership of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the Jewish religion was forbidden, and the Temple was defiled with the sacrifices of pigs. After the Maccabean revolt and victory, the Temple was once again in Jewish hands, but had to be cleansed of the pagan defilement. During this eight day cleansing, or rededication, God miraculously kept the Menorah in the Temple burning, when only a single day's supply of oil was available. "Hanukkah" is the Hebrew word meaning "dedication", and even "inaugural". In the New Testament, the Greek word which is the equivalent means renewal, or to make new. The number "8" in Hebrew, which is the length of days that the menorah remained lighted, also signifies new beginnings.

This dedication and renewal of the natural Temple in Jerusalem also has a corresponding spiritual importance to us. We are the living temple of God. It is time for our temples to be rededicated, cleansed, and renewed in Christ. It is time for the Ekklesia (Church) to be qualitatively renewed, meaning to replace everything that needs replacing until it is in "like new" condition. Let's see how we can begin.

Jesus observed the winter Feast of Dedication (Jn. 10:22-25), where He was asked by the religious leaders to identify Himself outright as the Christ. He said that He had already told them, but they refused to believe, and that His miraculous works identified Him clearly with His heavenly Father, which works they also did not believe. It is time for the Church to decide if it believes.

Like the miraculous Menorah of the Dedication, Jesus clearly identified Himself with light:

"...I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darknss, but shall have the light of life."  Jn. 8:12

Not only was Jesus light, but He expected His followers to stop walking in darkness, and share be that same light:

"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."  Mt. 5:14-16

The nature of light is to be openly displayed in order to repel darkness. Is the Church shining the light of Christ, or hiding it? Have we conformed to the darkness of this world rather than the light of the unchanging way, truth and life of Jesus?

As Jesus said above, His light is also the life of men. It is written regarding Him:

"In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not."   Jn. 1:4-5

The darkness cannot receive the light. Do we have any part of us that embraces darkness, that refuses to receive light? Jesus said, "If ... the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness?" (Mt. 6:22-23). And, "...less darkness come upon you (seizes you)...While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light." (Jn. 12:34-36). Afterwards, Jesus purposefully hid Himself from them. Those who sought His truth had to search Him out. Are we continuing to search out Jesus, and the light and renewal that He offers? Or have we stopped seeking Him?
This special feast of Hanukkah, or dedication, tells us that it is time for rededication, and qualitative renewal for the Church as a whole, and each one individually, the living temples of God, who are His chosen, royal, holy, peculiar people who should show forth the praises of Him who has called us out of the darkness of sin and the world, and into His marvelous light: who did not have mercy, but now have obtained mercy (1 Pet. 2:9-10). We are not to be partakers of the darkness with the children of disobedience as we used to, but reproving those works of darkness, because now we are light in the Lord, walking as children of light (Eph. 5:6-11). It is that very darkness that will cause people to be overtaken on the soon coming day of the Lord. However, we are not of that darkness and night, but children of light and day (1 Thess. 5:4-5). On the contrary, in these last days, we are to shine in wisdom and light like the stars in the firmament, because we are ones whose names have been written in the book (of life) by the blood of Christ (Dan. 12:1-3, Rev. 13:8).

How can we seek this qualitative renewal, this rededication, Hanukkah, and purifying needed in our lives? Like the light of life, it is also found in Christ for those who will seek it, and He has promised that if we will seek Him, we will find Him:

"Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are past away; behold all things are become new."  2 Cor. 5:17

Hanukkah, with its miraculous light and new beginning, is the perfect time of year to remind us of this glorious and eternal promise in Jesus. As we see the lights of the menorah, we can take the opportunity to dedicate ourselves anew in Him.

To Contact/Submit Prayer Request/Support the Ministry/Order the book, "NAZAH":
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Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior: Lord Jesus, I desire to know You, and to know Your salvation. I believe that You died for me, and that You were resurrected for me. Forgive me of my sins. Come into my heart, change me, fill me with Your righteousness. Inscribe my name in the Lamb's book of life. Baptize me in Your Holy Spirit, so that I can learn the truth of Your Word and ways, and be strengthened in my walk all the days of my life. You are the hope of my life, and You are my eternal life. I place my trust in You, Lord, for myself, and my whole household. Use me to do the will of the heavenly Father, Who sent You, in Whose name You came. In Your name, and in thanks and praise I pray, Amen.