The Birth of the Savior?*

What are we truly celebrating at this time of year? Is it really about Christ's birth to us? The world has co-opted the Christmas season, and is using it for buying and selling, to promote business. Christmas carols are used in commercials to sell underwear! What have we allowed Christmas to become to us? The promise of Christmas began long before Christ's birth. In Gen. 3, Adam and Eve found themselves in a fallen condition in which they are afraid to show themselves before God when He comes to walk in the garden with them in the cool of the day (Gen. 3:8-10). Adam and Eve knew that their condition had changed after they had listened to the serpent and had eaten of the tree of which God had told them not to eat. Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent. God cursed the serpent saying, "...Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly thou shalt go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." (v. 14-15). Although God said the woman's seed would bruise the head of the serpent, we know that women don't have seed; men have seed. So there is a miracle birth being prophesied by God here with the promise of a victorious confrontation between the woman's Seed and the serpent's seed. In Matthew 1, we see the recording of the generations that followed after Adam and Eve, and led to the coming birth of Christ in the earth. We are also given the account of the virgin girl named Mary who before being joined with her husband, Joseph, "was found to be with child of the Holy Ghost" (v. 18). Joseph, finding himself in this position, felt it was the kindest thing he could do to put Mary quietly aside to keep her from religious judgment and public exposure. However, Joseph dreamed and an angel appeared to him in the dream to reveal the nature of the child to be born: "Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." (20-21). The name, Jesus, is Greek. The Hebrew form of the name is Yeshua, meaning "salvation". This Gospel account in Matthew also points out that this birth fulfilled another prophecy in scripture of a virgin bringing to birth a son who shall be named Emmanuel, God with us. (v. 23, see also Isa. 7:14). After Joseph's dream, the scriptures describe Joseph as "being raised from sleep..." (v. 24). The Greek root words used in this phrase can include the meaning "arouse from the sleep of death, to recall the dead to life, to raise up". We can see from this that the revelation of the birth of the Savior, fulfilling the prophetic promises of God from the beginning of man (and before!), changed Joseph's condition. Adam's condition was changed by his willful disobedience to God, but now Joseph's life was changed by the revelation of the Christ child to be born. Joseph obediently and willingly followed the rest of the instructions that he was given (v. 24-25), and death was changed to resurrection life in him. Yet the world would use the birth of this holy and prophesied Child to sell underwear. We ignore the commandments of God concerning His ordained feasts, which each prophesy of Christ, but we have adopted the customs and traditions of men concerning Christmas. We accept the date given, December 25, which tends to coincide with the old winter solstice observances, for our celebration. The Eastern Church recognizes January 6 as the date of Christ's birth. The gift giving with which we celebrate Christmas was part of the pagan Saturnalia feast. Christmas trees were part of a European tradition that did not begin until the 19th century. We enjoy following these traditions, but have we Christians lost the true meaning of the day and the season? In these evil and dangerous times in which we live, can we afford to lose the true meaning of Christ's birth? Moses warned the people not to add or take away from any of the commandments he had given to them from God, and that the keeping of them was our wisdom. The people of God were to teach them to their son's and son's sons, to all of our children and future generations (Deut. 4:1-9). In Ezekiel 22, God spoke of judgment coming to His people for iniquity that is very similar to what we are seeing now. The LORD began to prophesy to Ezekiel regarding every level of Israelite society that had become totally corrupted: "Son of man, say unto her, Thou art the land that is not cleansed, nor rained upon in the day of indignation." (v. 24). Of the prophets in the land, the LORD said to Ezekiel that they were like a roaring lion ravening prey; they devoured souls. The prophets prophesied things that the LORD had not given them to say. They did so for riches. The LORD told Ezekiel that the priests had violated the law and profaned His holy things. They had not shown the difference between the holy and the profane, the clean and the unclean, and had failed to lead the people in the LORD's sabbaths (v. 26). The political powers, the princes of the land, only looked at the people to take whatever they could, to get dishonest gain. The LORD said they were ravening wolves (v. 27). The people of the land followed in the same corrupt way. They oppressed each other, and those weaker and poorer than they (v. 29). Sadder still, the population had become filled with iniquity and corruption, the LORD revealed: "And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none." (v. 30). The violence, corruption and oppression ran so deeply through the population that there wasn't even one person who was worthy or willing to come before the LORD on behalf of his nation. We see so much of this today in our land. The LORD told Ezekiel: "Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the LORD God." (v. 31). Today we are seeing great turmoil upon our land in the form of a pandemic, floods, fires, tornadoes, violence. We need to understand the importance of the true meaning of the birth of the Savior more than ever. We need Yeshua: Salvation, and Emmanuel: God With Us. Paul wrote to the Church at Rome about those who despise the goodness of God that leads to repentance, and of the hard and impenitent heart that treasures up the wrath and righteous judgment of God: "But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation, and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew firsr, and also of the Gentile." ((Rom. 2:4-11). For those who seek the righteousness of God: "To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life...glory, honour, and peace to every man who worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile. For there is no respect of persons with God." (v. 7, 10-11). God is not partial in judgment, but looks upon the circumcision of the heart, and in the spirit (v. 28-29). What is in our hearts regarding the birth of the Savior? What message are we bringing to others? Ezekiel brought the word of warning to the watchmen of the city that if they see the danger coming to the land, and warn the people, but the people do not heed the warning, the watchman will not be held accountable for what befalls the people. However, if the watchman sees the danger, and fails to warn the people, the blood of those who perish will be on his hands. (Ezek. 33:1-6). The LORD makes a plea to His people through Ezekiel: "Say unto them, As I live, saith the LORD God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?" (Ezek. 33:10-11). The question is, "Why will you die, O Church?" If you are going to celebrte Christmas, then understand what the Lord is calling us to do and be. What we are doing now is celebrating Mammon at Christmas, rather than Christ. Let us examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 12/19/21 message to the church. To contact us, submit a prayer request, give a praise report, or to support this ministry: P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705 OR Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, and endtimeschool.com.

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?"

 

Contact/Support/Prayer Requests/The Complete Christmas Message of Dr. Stevenson/The new book, "NAZAH: White Linen and the Blood of Sprinkling":

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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.

 



Christmas Past and Future

 

View a Christmas message from Dr. Kenneth Stevenson:

 

https://www.periscope.tv/w/1ZkJzqoNbwyGv

 

 

What gift can we bring Him, but ourselves?

This Christmas, make room for Jesus in your heart.

Jesus never left a person unchanged after an encounter with Him. 

 

 

Have a blessed Christmas. Let us hear from you.

 

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