Category Archives: Bible Study

Christmas – Have You Been to Bethlehem

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Christmas – Have You Been to Bethlehem

Angels007

Shepherds, simple shepherds, out doing their job by camping in a field so they could guard sheep; sheep that would be used for sacrifice in the Temple to worship God. Working at night outside Bethlehem (House of Bread) so they could take care of their families. Sounds like a lot of people today who are doing everything they can just to earn a living. Then a “that night” happened in their lives. The Good News was told to them and they were told exactly what they had to do. Granted they had an angelic concert with a lot of praise but how many people after getting the Good News have a concert of witnesses The_Shepherds004praising God for things done in their life. But these guys did something bold and very life changing. They went and saw for themselves and in doing so they found Jesus and the first thing they did was to tell other people. You don’t think that was a big deal! Look in Nativity_Scenes002Luke 2:17 – 20 as they told people, they praised God and glorified Him but the people that heard were just “amazed” but not moved enough to go find Jesus for themselves.

What about you? Have you heard the Good News? If you have, have you purposefully gone to “Bethlehem” to find Jesus? Have you praised God and told people of the things you have seen? If not, make God’s day and give yourself as a present to Jesus.

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Christmas – Isaiah 9

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Christmas – Isaiah 9

Isaiah 9 contains three very important prophecies about Jesus: where he would live (vs. 1), a list of His titles, and what His kingdom would be like (vs. 6, 7). Nazareth is by the Sea of Galilee in the land of Naphtali and foreshadows Matthew 2: 23 in that He would be called a Nazarene. Handel immortalized verse 6 and 7 but these names/titles are important: christmas angelsWonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. Verse seven clearly puts this ruler in David’s family and places justice and righteousness as keystones in His government. The last line is often overlooked but it too is important – The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.

These promises came to Judah and Israel not in a “great time” period but at a very low one. Just like Father to encourage His people when things look bleak. Ahaz, the fifteenth ruler of Judah, was actively rebelling against God (2 Chronicles 28 and 2 Kings 16). So God used Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel Christmas 1to do some cleaning up of Judah (see Fifteen – Cleaning Up to Celebrate). Idolatry and oppression by foreign kings, and bloodshed was the life of the people of God when Isaiah spoke this prophecy. Hezekiah, the son of Ahaz, certainly stepped up and turned things around for Judah but only Jesus could fulfill the names in verse six.

Pic of angels: http://www.squidoo.com/vintagechristmasimages 

Nativity scene by Mark Johanningmeier

Christmas Verses – Magi and Herod

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Christmas Verses – Magi and Herod

Balaam is the guy with the talking donkey who was hired to curse Israel. The Lord would not let him, so he delivers a prophecy about Jesus and the destruction of Israel’s enemies. ( Numbers 24:17 -19)

17 “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob;
a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the people of Sheth. 18 Edom will be conquered; Seir, his enemy, will be conquered, but Israel will grow strong. 19 A ruler will come out of Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city.” (NIV)

This great verse covers Jesus, the Star, and Herod (Edom). Herod was not a Jew but an Edomite. To see more about them click here: Herod. For more about Balaam: Lord my/your God and Amalekites – Part 2

Psalm138: 4 May all the kings of the earth praise you, Lord, when they hear what you havecopy-wisemen-2.jpg decreed and Psalm 72: 10 May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores bring tribute to him. May the kings of Sheba and Seba present him gifts. New International Version (NIV) These verses describe the Magi coming to praise the new King of Israel and present Him with gifts.

Reference – Dr. Scott Hahn’s book Joy to the World.

The verses are from https://www.biblegateway.com/

Christmas – Jesus in Other Words

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Christmas – Jesus in Other Words

cropped-jesus-2.jpg

  • Psalm 2:7       The Son
  • Psalm 132:11 David’s descendent
  • Isaiah 7:14     God with us
  • Isaiah 9:6       Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace
  • Isaiah 28:16   A stone tested, precious, and a sure foundation
  • Isaiah 42:1     Chosen Servant
  • Isaiah 49:6     A light for the Gentiles
  • Isaiah 59:20   The Redeemer
  • Isaiah 62:11   Your Savior
  • Jeremiah 23:5 Righteous Branch
  • Jeremiah 23:6 The Lord Our Righteous Savior
  • Daniel 2:34     Rock
  • Daniel 7:13     Son of Man
  • Micah 5:2       Ruler over Israel
  • Haggai 5:2     Desire of all Nations
  • Zechariah 3:8 God’s Servant, the Branch
  • Zechariah 6:12 Builder of the Temple
  • Zechariah 12:10 Spirit of Grace and Supplication
  • Malachi 3:1      Messenger of the Covenant

See Christmas – Jesus Verses

These are NIV.

Christmas – Verses of Jesus

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Christmas – Verses of Jesus

Christmas candle 1John 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (NIV)

Matthew and Luke have genealogies for Jesus; Matthew 1 is for Joseph and Luke 3: 23 – 38 is for Mary. John 1 is also a type of genealogy as well as a mission statement but it is a verse that could precede even Genesis 1:1.

Genesis 3: 15 speaks of the Seed (singular) of the woman and how there would be enmity between the Seed and the snake. The snake gets a crushed head and the Seed gets a strike at His heel.

Revelations 12:1 A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. 4 Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born. 5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.” And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. (NIV) (The bold words in the verses are my emphasis.)

Christmas is a time of joy for mankind as we celebrate Jesus. The turmoil that some people experience at this festive season has its roots at the beginning of our age but the answer is still the promise that was given to Eve – JESUS.

Verses are from https://www.biblegateway.com