BY Argie Simonis
The total number of prophecies fulfilled in the person of Jesus is over 300. Several of them were fulfilled at His birth.
The odds of 8 prophecies being fulfilled in a particular person are 1 in 10 with 17 zeros behind.
48 of them are 1 in 10 with 157 zeros!!!!
For the 300 prophecies, this number of course becomes even more astronomical!
Nowhere else are there any prophecies describing the birth of other religious leaders or any other founders of the world's religions. However, the Old Testament is full with prophecies describing in detail the birth and life of the Son of God and Savior of the whole world.
We saw how:
- God became man:
"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelled among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." John 1:14
- Jesus came as a man and condemned sin in the flesh:
"For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:" Rom. 8:3
"That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Rom. 8:4
"For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead." 1Cor. 15:21
"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." 1Cor. 15:22
Paul goes on and says:
- Jesus revived us:
"And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit." 1Cor. 15:45
- Jesus is the only mediator between us and God:
"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, ΤΗΕ ΜΑΝ Christ Jesus;" 1Τim. 2:5
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Let's see some information and some important lessons we learn from the story of the birth of our Lord:
Bethlehem is the city where Jesus was born.
In Hebrew it is called Bethlehem, and wherever you see the prefix -Beth- in the Scriptures, it means -the house-. (This information is available online).
So:
- Beth-saida is the house of fish. Bethsaida was a fishing village and is referred to in Matt. 11:21.
- Beth-phage is the house of figs and Beth-any the house of happiness.
"And it came to pass, when he was come near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples..." Luke 19:29
- Beth-esda means the house of mercy, where the paralytic man was healed.
"Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches." John 5:2
- And of course Beth-el is the house of the Lord, because El, Elohim means God.
So, Beth-lehem is the house of bread:
"But you, Bethlehem Ephratah, though you be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall he come forth to me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." Μic. 5:2
It is the place where Jesus Christ, the bread of life was born:
"And Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life: he that comes to me shall never hunger; and he that believes on me shall never thirst." John 6:35
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I'd like to go back a bit and look at some lessons we can learn from the Christmas story, which is the greatest miracle of all time:
-- 1. The place of Bethlehem.
I read from Matthew chapter 2:
"Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem," Matt. 2:1
"Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him." Matt. 2:2
"When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him." Matt. 2:3
"And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born." Matt. 2:4
"And they said to him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet," Matt. 2:5
Here, in verse 6, the wisemen quote the prophecy of Micah 5:2:
"And you Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, are not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of you shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel." Matt. 2:6
Bethlehem is not known to the whole world for something good it DID as a city, but for something that HAPPENED within that city. Today, it continues to be a small town with 25-30,000 inhabitants, meaning it was even smaller back then.
This place, little Bethlehem was chosen by God for the birth of the Savior of the whole world. Have you thought why did He chose it?
Because it was the smallest, the least among the cities of Judah and so God chose a small and insignificant place for His Son to be born.
The lesson we learn:
--- Just as God chose a small and insignificant place to perform the greatest miracle known to mankind, in the same way, if we feel small and insignificant, the Lord can manifest gloriously in our lives. ---
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-- 2. The people involved in this story.
Before talking about Joseph and Mary, I would like to mention another well-known person who came from Bethlehem: David.
"And the LORD said to Samuel, How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill your horn with oil, and go, I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons." 1Sam. 16:1
"And Samuel did that which the LORD spoke, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Come you peaceably?" 1Sam. 16:4
That is why Joseph and Mary had to go from Nazareth to Bethlehem, because David was from Bethlehem, and since Joseph and Mary came from the lineage and house of David, they were registered in Bethlehem.
Two ordinary and insignificant people, Joseph the carpenter and young Mary, who was around 14-16 years old, go to a small and insignificant place for the birth of the Savior of the world.
The lesson:
--- NEVER let the devil tell you that God cannot use you because you see yourself small and insignificant, because God delights in using such people. ---
"But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;" 1Cor. 1:27
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-- 3. The problems they had to face.
Joseph and Mary must travel to Bethlehem, which is about 120 km from Nazareth, at a time when Mary is very far pregnant.
Try to get into their shoes:
Two ordinary people on a very difficult journey certainly faced many problems, BOTH in their emotions and BOTH physical conditions.
In fact, when they arrive in Bethlehem, there is not even a room for them to stay.
The reason I mention this is that apart from the beautiful story of the birth of our Lord, there were many problems in the backscenes that had to be dealt with.
The lesson we get here:
--- We must ask the Lord to give us eyes to discern, so we see beyond the natural. ---
"... Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart." 1Sam. 16:7
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-- 4. The promise:
"But you, Bethlehem Ephratah, though you be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall he come forth to me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." Μic. 5:2
"And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great to the ends of the earth." Μic. 5:4
"And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men." Μic. 5:5
In Thursday's message we explained that Jesus did not come to bring peace between people:
"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword." Matt. 10:34
"For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law." Matt. 10:35
"And a man's foes shall be they of his own household." Matt. 10:36
"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:" Rom. 5:1
"By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." Rom. 5:2
However, I would like to see this from a more practical point of view:
Peace is NOT the absence of problems. Peace is the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives (Gal. 5:22). The problems never stop, but we have the confirmation in our heart and we know that God is with us, and guides us, and supports us, even
in the midst of difficulties.
We saw this with Joseph and Mary, the journey they made, the difficulties they faced, Jesus, the Son of the living God had to be born in a stable, in a manger that was used to feed animals.
And yet, He is the Lord of peace (Isaiah 9:6), who brings peace to all the world,
The lesson:
---No matter how small, weak or insignificant you may feel, no matter how big you think your problems are, Jesus IS the Lord of peace that calms EVERY storm you are facing right now. ---
"And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea,
--- PEACE, BE STILL. ---
And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm." Mark 4:39
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When the angels prophesied the saving work of our Jesus:
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." Luke 2:14
it does not mean that because our peace with God has been restored everything will magically go well.
This means that Jesus will always be in the middle of every problem, and with the peace He gives us we can face it.
This is also the word of the Lord for all of us today:
"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you: not as the world gives, give I to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John. 14:27
Amen!
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