Category Archives: Christmas

Jesus in the Psalms – The Nations

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Well, this study started with Luke 2:32 where Simeon announced that Jesus would be a light of revelation to us Gentiles and the glory of Israel. Paul quotes this idea in Acts 26:23 in his trial before Festus. No, it does not come from Psalms, but is found in Isaiah 42:6, which is heavy on prophecy. I wanted to see how the Holy Spirit directed the prophets who Psalms to include us Gentiles coming to Jesus. So, I started a search with the word Gentiles in the Book of Psalms. That did not go as planned but opened up a lot of things I did not expect.

Translations and Phrases

The translation you use will determine what word you use in your search, on-line or with leaf and ink. An example – the King James seems to have followed the Geneva 1599 Bible in calling us heathen instead of Gentiles or nations. In Psalms many verses, in Hebrew, use the word gō·w·yim, and that is not the only word that is translated nation. A beauty of our God is the poetry and imaginative language He uses when speaking through His prophets and song writers. Between our God’s creativity and translators doing their job I only scratched the surface of all the verses in Psalms that have or show nations and how they relate to God. Here are several links that may help.

gō·w·yim

The reason for me using gō·w·yim as a point of reference is it appears in Psalm 2, 22, and 33, and they (in my opinion) all refer to nations coming to Jesus. Psalm 102:15 also mentions them coming to God. Now, this was not the only topic/idea that the Psalms have about nations relating with God and the future Jesus’ life and mission. There is a plethora of verses on God ruling and battling, and then the nations and peoples praising God. Israel as a nation is referred to many times and other nations and their gods also have several mentions.

Here is one example – Psalm 22:27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. (KJV)

Initially, these posts were to be Christmas related. The Magi are the Gentile representation involved in the story. You will not find the term Magi in Psalms, instead think about kings and rulers as in Psalm 138:4 and 72:10-11. If you stretched real far in the other books of the Old Testament magic and magician might be grabbed, but that is very iffy. Since rocks can cry out, trees can clap their hands, and waves can roar; Psalm 97:6-8 can include the heavens proclaiming His righteousness and glory. These verses also suggest the angels were worshipping Him. Let’s include the star first mentioned by Balaam (Abraham’s seed, but not Jewish) in Numbers 24:17.

Time to vent my very active imagination. What else in the world joined the angels in singing that day when the Savior of all creation was born? Does Psalm 97 give other hints? Mary told Matthew and Luke what she knew and could see in Bethlehem. What about everywhere else; did the earth quake, volcanoes erupt, forests rustle, herds and flocks sing, clouds drop lightning bolts, and the seas make noisy waves? Alas, we may not find that out until Heaven, but I have to think a lot of praise happened that night for the birth of the Creator. Silent Night is a beautiful song, but I want to believe that there was a lot of rejoicing.  

A Few Observations

  • Psalm 2 is a Father writing to His Son.
  • Psalm 22 I call the Jesus Psalm.
  • Psalm 33:10 -15 is about the people He chose for His inheritance.
  • 22 +33 have a mention of food and provisions.
  • Many times, nations and peoples are in the same verse or Psalm.

My takeaway. For the most part, the Psalms were written before most of the historical books in the Bible and before the Prophets. Besides the Law, the Prophets had the Psalms to read and reflect on. There is so much about the life and ministry of Jesus nestled in these songs, but how the nations will be treated are a major theme from beginning to end. Psalms proclaim just part of the message, but their voice deserves to be heard with the Prophets.

Jesus in the Psalms – His Birth

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The Law, Psalms, and the Prophets have references to Jesus. As Christians, we know this because He came to fulfill them, not end them. The fair-you-see in the Law, Psalms, and Prophets was also observed by many rabbis during the Exile. They developed many things (rules and synagogues) to compensate for no Temple to worship in, they wanted the Jewish God and faith to not be forgotten by their people in exile. But some leaders were sad-you-see because all they saw was the Law; they did not even like angels or supernatural things. Only the Law was important to them, not the warnings and directions of the prophets and the joyful lessons in the Psalms.

If your Bible has references and footnotes you will see First Testament references all over the pages. Our Book of Hebrews stresses the High Priesthood of Jesus, but I would love to have a transcript of Jesus talking to the disciples on the road to Emmaus, and Philip’s explanation to the Ethiopian eunuch.   

In this series I will highlight from Psalms, just Psalms, verses that foretell aspects of Jesus’ life, ministry, and mission as seen in the Gospels and Acts. (My note-taking phase has overwhelmed me.) Like with my other studies, I want you opening your Bible, leaf and ink preferred and go Berean on me. So, I will include some whole verses, but not all of them. Will I get all of the references? Probably not, the sheer volume of them and how they show up in the chapters is making it very hard to organize.  

Mary the Prophet

Luke quotes, in Chapter 1:46-55, a teenage girl who has had a trip south from Nazareth to the hill country around Jerusalem. In that week-long trip, she was a bundle of fulfilled prophecy, had joy for Elizabeth, nervous thoughts about Joseph, and had Holy Spirit excitement bubbling in her as she thought about countless Scriptures that she was about to deliver. Mary knew her God and His words; she made reference to four different Psalms: 138, 111, 103, and 107. I think that song exploded from her with tears, shouts, and dancing. Her psalms were not numbered or divided into verses, but she knew them and their promises.

  • 138: 6 looks on the lowly. Written by David.
  • 111: 9 He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name. (KJV) Mary actually quote the last line in this verse. More on this verse later. Possibly written by David; I say that because of verse 111:1.
  • 103:17+18 generations and children. Written by David.
  • 107:9 satisfies

Zechariah the Prophet

This older priest was standing in the empty Holy of Holies burning incense. See Luke 1. If he was a Sadducee, he switched parties. Nine months later, when his son John was born, he gives a prophecy that includes references to five Psalms: 72, 111, 18, 105, and 106.

  • 72: 18
  • 111: 9 Zechariah quoted the first part of our numbered verse; “redemption”. This Psalm is acrostic; so, the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet are divided in its ten verses. Verse 9 has three letters in it (by my count #17,18, and 19). We are used to seeing a verse per letter, like in Lamentations. Psalm 111:9 Hebrew Text Analysis Psalm 119 has 22 sections with 8 lines in each, I (personal project) rearranged it to 8 sections with 22 lines in each section.
  • 18: 2
  • 105: 8+9 He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac (KJV)
  • 106: 45

The Wise Men

I believe this points to the Wise Men/gentiles. 72: 10-11 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him. (KJV) There are two areas in Scripture that are described as Tarshish, one in the Mediterranean, the other south by the Red Sea. Tarshish may mean distance place or smelting place.

References of the Birth

  • 22:9-10 But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts. I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly.
  • 71:6 By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother’s bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee.
  • 139:13-16 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

All of these are KJV and I sourced many references from the NIV footnotes. Read the verses in your favorite translation, sometimes old English is hard.

I will include this one, but you will need to view it in the Wycliff Bible.

110:3 The beginning is with thee in the day of thy virtue, in the brightnesses of saints; I begat thee of the womb, before the day star. (From the beginning, thy strength was with thee, and from that day thou hast shone in the brightness of the saints; yea, I begat thee from the womb, before the day star.) This version is like the AMP/Amplified Bible. It explains verses and in different ways for people just learning English. The part in the paratheses is what caught my attention. Please remember that Psalm 110 was written by David.  

The Lamb

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Jesus was born a baby in a stable and was a king; He was a lamb and the Lion of Judah. He had shepherds and scholars seek Him out to give Him praise. Jesus has many crowns or titles that are His.

My thought for this post came as I was studying Leviticus 8 and 9. These chapters detail the ordination of Aaron and his sons as priest and the first community “church” service at the new Tabernacle. Lambs, rams, and he-goats, animals from the flock, were used in these two chapters. But they were not all for the sin offering. A bull and goat were the offerings for sin, why? I am not sure I have an answer for that question, about those two offerings. The bull was for the priest and the goat was for the people’s offerings. (My feeling is the bull is associated with Egypt and Aaron made a golden calf at Mt. Sinai. The goat would become the offering for the Day of Atonement.)  

It made me think, why is Jesus our sin offering? He is not referred to as a bull or goat and there is no artwork from the Middle Ages, that I can think of, where Jesus is a bull or goat. John the Baptist’s iconic statement stems from Passover, Jesus died at Passover. The first lamb’s blood delivered Israel from the Death Angel, who became prominent after Adam and Eve ate the fruit and allowed him in the world.   

I see another connection to Jesus and the Passover. In The Day of Atonement, Passover, and Epiphany I make the point that Zachariah was offering incense behind the curtain in the Temple, The Day of Atonement. Count out the months and Gabriel went to Mary six months later, Passover. Jesus’ conception was at Passover, He came out in the winter months, Epiphany/Christmas. At the darkest time of the year the “Light of the World” was born.  

I feel these lay a good foundation to discuss Jesus as the Lamb of God.

  • Genesis 22:8 – God provided Abraham with a lamb to replace Issac as an offering.
  • Exodus 12:3 – Take a lamb for your family so the Death Angel will pass over you.
  • Isaiah 53:7 – The lamb did not open His mouth as He was led to the slaughter.
  • John 1:29 – John the Baptist announced Jesus was the Lamb who would take away the sin of the world.
  • Revelation 5:6  And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. (NASB)

Other lamb ideas to consider: 1. Did God clothe Adam and Eve in the Garden with sheepskins? 2. Why was Jesus born in Bethlehem, the house of bread, if He was a lamb? 3. Is Jesus the Lamb of God or the Great Shepherd?

  1. We do not know the exact animal, but it is consistent with the practice that the “flock” would provide sacrificial animals. If this was the first sacrifice, the second one with Abel is also associated with the flock.
  2. Bethlehem was David’s hometown, so that is a big connection. Rachel died near there and Jeremiah announces a horrible act that King Herod would do, the Death of the Innocent. The lambs for Temple use were raised in this area, and those strips of cloth Mary wrapped Jesus in may have been for wrapping those sacrificial lambs. The strips are said to have come from retired vestments of the priest.
  3. Both, Jesus wears more than one crown. He was our Passover Lamb before the Resurrection and our Great Shepherd after He rose from the dead; think Lamb to Great Shepherd like Baby to Lord of all creation. Hebrews 13:20 is the reference that coins the phrase “Great Shepherd”, but there are verses in the Old Testament that foretell this. Micah 5:4 is an example; you may need to check several translations if you are doing a word search.

Balaam Announces the King – Christmas 2024

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My first title was God Used Balaam to Announce Immanuel; the thought is there in Numbers 24:7 but it says King and not Immanuel or Messiah. If I was looking for an earthly king, which one would I chose? Saul or David were true oil-anointed kings, but they were far off. Moses or Joshua were “kings” of a sort, but not really. Then we must realize Balaam already could see God was with Israel, just ask him (vs. 3-5 and in oracles 1,2, and 4). You just have to know God used Balaam so a Gentile “wiseman” announced King Jesus.

Who was this enigmatic Balaam? Much has been written. The Bible says he lived at Pethor near the River (22:5), and Balak saw he walked in the promise of Abraham (22:6). After that he had a donkey talk to him and he was killed in Numbers 31:8. I see him as a proto-Judas figure who knew the truth, but he still betrayed the King for money. I think he was a great grandchild of Abraham through Katurah. Midian was one of her children and Moab was from Lot. Balaam joins Melchizedek and Job as non-Jacob related characters who God used for His glory.

Numbers 24:7b Their king will be higher than Agag and his kingdom lifted high.8 God, who brought them out of Egypt (CJB). The fourth oracle goes on to talk about a STAR (vs. 17) coming out of Jacob and a scepter from Israel.

So, how do I end this post? A deep productive look at the Hebrew words in these verses. A grand list of the types and shadows. How about: God has always had a plan to bring mankind back to Himself, so we can have righteous fellowship with Him. From this story today, I chose to see the Christmas story being introduced by Balaam.

Merry Christmas,

Mark

Mary through the Gospels

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Zechariah and Mary each asked a question in the Gospel of Luke; Zechariah was concerned about what the future held for him and Mary asked about the present and how God would fulfill His will. Zechariah got nine months of no speech and Mary received charitoo. This study of Mary came about because I wanted to see her journey through the Gospels.

When Mary said “yes” to God, I am pretty sure she was aware of how a pregnant, unwed teenager in Nazareth would be treated. She still said, “yes” and set an example for anyone who would follow her Son and His Father. The customs and traditions of 1st century Galilee are not our modern customs or verbiage. There has been a lot of ink used on the legends, traditions, and dogma that surrounds Mary, the mother of our Lord. Hebrew thoughts and familial relationships that were recorded in Greek have occupied some of this maelstrom of ink. The multiuse thought of “brothers” and kinswoman/female-relative did show up in this study. I did find that “cousin” was used once in reference to Mark and Barnabas.

συγγενίς | Free Online Greek Dictionary | billmounce.com kinswoman used 1x for Elizabeth

ἀνεψιός | Free Online Greek Dictionary | billmounce.com  Mark the cousin of Barnabas, 1x

God, “the Father of her Child” was her shield and buckler. The words of Gabriel, Elizabeth’s greeting, and Joseph‘s dream formed a wall around the obedient, young woman. Personally, some of the things I found were interesting, but they do not change the facts. The Virgin Mary’s Son willingly offered Himself as a “sin sacrifice” and rose from the dead. He now sits at His Father’s righthand waiting to come back and claim His Bride.

To find the references to Mary was not as easy as you may think. The translation you use will affect search terms and possible the number of times something is listed. I used several translations to check myself and I am still not sure I got them all. The terms I found and used include Mary, parents, His mother, dear woman, and mother of Jesus. In the RSVCE Matthew used Mary, in referring to Jesus’ mother, five times, Mark once, and Luke twelve times. John does not use her name, Mary, at all; instead, he refers to her as “Jesus’ mother”. My takeaway, Jesus had a mother who was descended from David and was called Mary. It was clear He loved and respected her His whole life.

John – “The disciple who Jesus loved.” On the cross Jesus transferred the care of His mother to John. We know John went and spent time in Asia and we assume Mary went with him. It would seem Luke had a personal interview with her, so Ephesus seems like a great location for that to have taken place. (Or Jerusalem, when John left Judah is unclear.) At first, I thought it strange John not using the name Mary, but now I view it as respect and separating himself from any thought that she was his birthmother.

I did not expect to change anyone’s thoughts or beliefs about Mary, but here are all of the times I found her referred to in the Gospels and Acts.

 Introduction – Luke 1:27, Matthew 1:18

Mary and Gabriel – Luke 1:30,34,38

Mary and Elizabeth – Luke 1:39, 41, 43, 46-55 this is Mary’s song of praise, 56

Mary and Joseph, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem – Matthew 1:18, 20, 24;Luke 2:5, 16, 19, 33, 34, 39

Mary and the Wisemen, to and from Egypt – Matthew 2: 11, 13, 14, 20, 21

Mary and Joseph in Jerusalem at Passover – Luke 2:41, 43, 48, 51

Mary (the mother of Jesus) and the Cana Wedding – John 2:1, 3, 4, 5, 12

His/Your Mother and His/Your Brothers – Matthew 12:46, 47, 48, 50; Mark 3:31, 32; Luke 8:20

Mary and His Brothers – Part 2 – Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3; John 6:42

Mary the Mother of James. I have included these but there were many women named Mary at the Cross and Grave. Matthew 27:56 and Luke 24:10

His Mother and John at the Cross – John 19: 25, 26

Mary the Mother of Jesus – Praying   – Acts 1:14