Even in a struggling economy, malls and stores remain crowded with shoppers as Christmas approaches. In every toy store, children can be heard uttering their mantra of “I want,” regardless of cost, need or logic. Though significantly a Christian holy day, Christmas is celebrated by many non-Christians, as well, and it has become the most lucrative time in retail regardless of religious belief. With the tradition of gift giving, the commercialism of Christmas has saddened some while lining the pockets of many others.
During the reign of Constantine from 306-337, the Roman emperor became a Christian and wanted to bring others to that belief. Rather than allowing them to come on their own terms, he paid pagans to adopt Christianity. Instead of coming with hearts to know the Lord, they brought their own polytheistic beliefs and intertwined them with Christianity. For the pagans, winter solstice was one of the most important days of the year, commemorating rebirth. Upon establishment of the Julian calendar, December 25 was set aside for winter solstice.
In the days of Constantine, the same date was set aside to commemorate the birth of Jesus, but Bible scholars believe the actual birth of the Messiah occurred sometime in the autumn, potentially on one of the Jewish feast days. Of the seven feasts of Moses discussed in Leviticus 23, there are three spring feasts, one summer feast and three fall feasts. All of the spring feasts were fulfilled in the death of Jesus. Many believe that John pointed the birth of Jesus to the Feast of Tabernacles when he called Jesus the “Word of God,” and wrote,
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God.
John 1:1-2
In verse 14 of the same chapter, John wrote, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,” using the Greek word “skenoo” for dwelt. That word also is translated “tabernacle,” so we understand that “the Word became flesh and was ‘tabernacled’ among us.” In the Old Testament, the tabernacle was a building, a copy of one in heaven according to Paul in Hebrews 8:5. But Jesus departed heaven and came to dwell with us, as God walked on the earth. When Jesus returned to heaven, the tabernacle in Jerusalem was destroyed in A.D. 70. When Jesus departed earth, He left His Holy Spirit to dwell within each believer.
As this Christmas week begins, regardless of the actual day that saw the birth of Jesus, we have much to celebrate. God willingly departed the perfection of heaven for a broken world filled with broken people. Jesus came to share our lives. He was faced with the same temptations, the same sorrows and the same pains as all of us. Yet Jesus lived a perfect life, and in His death, received the punishment earned by each of us through our sins. From the beginning, this was the Father’s plan! He told us about it many years before the event occurred. When reaching out to Ahaz, the 11th king of Judah, God encouraged Isaiah to offer King Ahaz a sign, to prove the power of God. In a feigned act of piety, Ahaz refused, but God named that miraculous sign through Isaiah:
10 Moreover the LORD spoke again to Ahaz, saying, 11 “Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above.”
12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I test the LORD!”
13 Then he said, “Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. 15 Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good. 16 For before the Child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that you dread will be forsaken by both her kings. 17 The LORD will bring the king of Assyria upon you and your people and your father’s house—days that have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah.”
Isaiah 7:10-17
The virgin birth has been one of the most contentious aspects of Christianity, as many have difficulty believing in miracles. The writers of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible fell into this trap, translating the Hebrew word for virgin, alma, to instead mean “young woman.” What would be the miracle of a sign to King Ahab when a young woman had a baby? That’s ordinary, but a virgin giving birth would be outrageous, pointing to God’s power. There were four other parts of the prophecy, as well. His name would be Immanuel, which means “God with us.” He would eat curds and honey, testifying of the modest means of His birth and life. Those who think that the gold, frankincense and myrrh brought by the magi at the birth of Jesus made Him rich are misunderstanding this passage. God is our provider, who gives what we need. Certainly, He provided for Joseph, Mary and Joseph to make their way to Egypt, but God did not put them up in the Ritz-Carlton! Additionally, the prophecy mentions the destruction of the northern tribes by the Assyrians, and before the Child is born, both the northern and southern kings would be gone.
As we begin to celebrate Christmas, focus on the Greatest Gift. A huge, wrapped box underneath the Christmas tree does us no good until we open that gift, and in the same manner, without opening our hearts to Jesus, His life, death and resurrection cannot do us any good. If you do not know Him, now is the time to change your life. If you know Him already, are you giving Him your focus? Draw closer to God and He will draw closer to you! By reflecting upon what He did for us, we can better understand how much God loves us. Jesus endured so much for us, and that began when God became man almost 2,000 years ago!
8 He will pass through Judah,
He will overflow and pass over,
He will reach up to the neck;
And the stretching out of his wings
Will fill the breadth of Your land, O Immanuel.
9 “Be shattered, O you peoples, and be broken in pieces!
Give ear, all you from far countries.
Gird yourselves, but be broken in pieces;
Gird yourselves, but be broken in pieces.
10 Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing;
Speak the word, but it will not stand,
For God is with us.”
Isaiah 8:8-10
No comments:
Post a Comment