GLIMPSES OF HIS CROSS EVEN AT HIS BIRTH
December 22, 2013
No where does the bible say to spiritually celebrate Christ's birth as it does
his death and resurrection.
There are no holy days in the church (
Gal. 4:10).
Jesus was not born December 25th.
- Centuries ago the church "baptized" some heathen customs of sun worship when the
- solstice occurred this time of year and the days began getting longer again, and
- they pleased heathens and Christians together in Rome.
- The word teaches against combining heathen ways with the things of God.
Ezekiel. 20:7-9; 16-18; 21-22; 28-29; 20:39-41.
So, we do not worship God with these things at Christmas time.
- But we can take advantage of what the world does and point them to Jesus.
- One preacher told me that since we incorporate heathen customs of Christmas into the church then we can do so with First Nation religions, etc.
- But man put heathen customs of Christmas into church, after the early church did nothing of the sort.
- It was never taught in the New Testament.
- There is a message found in Christ's birth, though.
But it is of his cross!
Luk 1:30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found
favour with God.
Luk 1:31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son,
and shalt call his name JESUS.
Luk 1:32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and
the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
Luk 1:33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his
kingdom there shall be no end.
Luk 2:7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling
clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the
inn.
Luk 2:21 And
when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the
child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was
conceived in the womb.
Luk 2:22 And
when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;
Luk 2:23 (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth
the womb shall be called holy to the Lord; )
Luk 2:24 And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law
of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.
Luk 2:25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
Luk 2:26 And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not
see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
Luk 2:27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents
brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
Luk 2:28 Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
Luk 2:29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
Luk 2:30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
Luk 2:31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
Luk 2:32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
There are a series of events that occurred with Jesus after his birth that are
mentioned in scripture for a reason.
- These details are not mentioned very much when speaking of his birth, but they definitely must hold a significance since they are distinctly mentioned in Luke.
Firstly, Jesus was named before his birth like Solomon but not declared JESUS
until His circumcision.
And this was eight days after His birth.
- The reason circumcision of the child occurred on the boy's eighth day was due to info found in Lev 12.
Lev 12:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Lev 12:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then
she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.
Lev 12:3 And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be
circumcised.
He could not be circumcised until she was involved in purification that lasted
seven days.
Luk 2:21 And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the
child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Luk 2:22 And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;
After these seven days, the circumcision occurred along with 33 more days of
purification.
Lev 12:4 And
she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and
thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary,
until the days of her purifying be fulfilled.
She could not come into the temple during those next 33 days.
(40 days altogether, including 7 of uncleanness)
That is why we read:
Luk 2:21 And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the
child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Luk 2:22 And
when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;
Luk 2:23 (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth
the womb shall be called holy to the Lord; )
Luk 2:24 And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law
of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.
This occurred according to Mosaic Law.
Lev 12:6 And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for
a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a
young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest:
Lev 12:7 Who shall offer it before the LORD, and make an atonement for her;
and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This is the law for her
that hath born a male or a female.
Lev 12:8 And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two
turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.
Every firstborn was the Lord's property due to the Passover events in Exodus.
Num 3:13 Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all
the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in
Israel, both man and beast:
mine shall they be: I am the LORD.
Exo 13:2 Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb
among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast:
it is mine.
Compare with:
Luk 2:23 (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth
the womb
shall be called holy to the Lord
SHALL BE CALLED HOLY is written in Exodus as IT IS MINE.
- That is what HOLY means.
- BELONGING TO.
So, 33 days occurred after the circumcision and naming of Jesus before Mary
could enter the temple with Joseph and present Him to The Lord.
- 33 days of purification occurred.
- We have seven days of uncleanness, followed by 33 days of purification where the first of the 33 days, the eighth day after birth, Jesus was circumcised.
- We know Joseph was poor because law said that the poor did not have to offer a sacrifice of a lamb, pigeon and turtle dove, and could offer two turtle doves and two pigeons instead.
- That is what Luke said they did.
Luk 2:24 And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law
of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons
Then, after those 40 days, the entered the temple and were ready to make the ritual, when SIMEON is moved by the Holy Ghost that day to come to the temple.
Luk 2:25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
Luk 2:26 And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not
see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
Luk 2:27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents
brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
Luk 2:28 Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
Luk 2:29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
Luk 2:30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
Luk 2:31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
Luk 2:32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
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