We’re all familiar with the Christmas story – Bethlehem, the virgin birth, God in human flesh laying in a manger, a Savior for mankind. Those of us who are believers have studied and meditated upon and revered the accounts in the New Testament books of Matthew and Luke, while untold millions of others have at a minimum read the stories or heard the carols based upon those accounts.
Yet what most people, even a great many Christians, don’t realize is that the Christmas story was first proclaimed to the world, not by the Gospel writers of the New Testament, but by the prophets of the Old Testament. Hundreds of years before Christ’s incarnation; these prophets of God foretold specific details about the life of the promised future Messiah.
A birth in Bethlehem – The prophet Micah recorded this Messianic prophecy some 700 years before Christ’s incarnation.
The fact that this One is “from everlasting” tells us He is the ever-existing One who was with
God from the beginning, which is exactly what the New Testament confirms of Christ (John 1:1)
A Virgin birth – God revealed through the prophet Isaiah, hundreds of years before it took place, that the Messiah’s birth would be a supernatural one: “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 7:14), which is literally translated “God with us.” Isaiah was also foretelling that this Child would be God in human flesh. Isaiah went on to reveal that He would also be called “Wonderful, Counselor, Might God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).
Isaiah prophesied of Him in that same verse: “Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given.” The Child was born, but the Son was given by heaven’s grace. He was the very son of God.
A Savior is born – The New Testament is very clear about the purpose of the incarnation, from the time the angel appeared to Joseph and told him of the Child in Mary’s womb… you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins. This too was foretold by the prophets. Isaiah was given a vision of the cross hundreds of years in advance and recorded all
he saw in Isaiah 53, writing. But, He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. We are all like sheep, have gone astray; each of us has turned to his own way; (God
the Father) has laid on Him (God the Son) the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:5-6)
That is the great and glorious message of Christmas, the same one that was heralded by the angel who announced to the shepherds that first Christmas night. “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring to you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is “Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11)
It all happened about 2000 years ago, precisely as God had been revealing it would, for centuries before that.
“Love came down at Christmas, love a lovely love divine, Love was born at Christmas.”
Mt. Zion’s Baptist Church, presents
“Christmas Pageant 2014”
“From The Beginning of Time”
A skit about a young girl, who father has passed and now she feels there’s, no reason to celebrate Christmas, but oh what she’s to find out!
Sunday, December 14th at 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast 8:00 a.m. to 8:50 a.m.
Written by Anita Chappell