“For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:1)
A day, an event that occurred over 2000 years ago that is filled with more awe and wonder than any of us could ever fathom. I often say on my radio broadcast Open Up The Doors that “the political maneuverings and machinations of men and of nations is nothing less than the prophetic determinations of the living God”, and when you look into the prophetic record of God's word it is amazing to see just how true that statement really is.
One of the greatest of all the prophecies was that of the virgin birth; “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel”. (Isaiah 7:14)
As this prophecy states, “The Lord Himself will give you a sign…”, this was fulfilled directly by the Spirit and Hand of God Himself, however, aside from the virgin birth, all the many other prophecies that were fulfilled were contingent upon outside sources. Its simply amazing how God orchestrated all these events so that it could be said, “It is written in the prophets…”!
The prophecy said the messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, (Micah 5:2) but Mary and Joseph lived in Nazareth. How do you get them up to Bethlehem? Well, the government declares that a census be taken, and everyone would have to go back to their hometown, which in Mary and Joseph’s case was Bethlehem.
The prophecy stated that the Messiah would be announced from the tower of the flock (the Migdal Eder). (Micah 4:8) So what happens? There is no room at the inn or anywhere else! No room for them anywhere! So, they end up in a manger at the Migdal Eder!
The magi follow a star. Herod kills innocent children. All according to the prophetic words spoken centuries before. The New Testament declaratively presents itself as fulfilling the prophecies and promises made by God in the Tanakh. Prophecies made hundreds of years, even thousands of years before the events occurred. Prophecies that were specific in their declarations and statements all come together, converge, and find their complete and prophetic fulfillment in both the events surrounding His birth and the life of Jesus the Messiah. Therefore, the Gospel writers continually reiterate the statement, “So that it may be fulfilled what was spoken by the prophets….”
At least 14 times Matthew uses the phrase “what was spoken by the prophet...” in his gospel. Matthew 2:5 “....for thus it is written by the prophet…”
Matthew 2:15 “....that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet...”
Matthew 2:17 “....Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet....”
Matthew 3:3 “…For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah...”
And these are just a few examples!
Matthew being a Jew, wrote his gospel particularly to the Jews, his objective being to demonstrate that Yeshua should be recognized as the Messiah because he fulfilled what the Lord had said about the messiah through the prophets of the Tanakh. There have been more than 50 messianic pretenders in the last 2000 years of Jewish history, but none of them have met the criteria laid down in the Scriptures concerning the identity of the Messiah whereas Jesus met all of them. (as far as regarding those that are applicable to his first coming, there are even more which will be fulfilled with regard to His return.)
Notwithstanding all that, there are those who try and explain away the prophecies and the wonders of God’s workings.
Jesus one day debating with the religious leaders said, “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.” (John 5:39–40)
They refused to believe what they saw with their own eyes and what their own scriptures and prophets had foretold! Jesus told them however, “It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore, everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.” (John 6:45)
Sadly, they suffered from what I call Prophetic Disorientation Syndrome! What is Prophetic Disorientation Syndrome? It is refusing to believe the prophetic scriptures even though they speak plainly! PDS causes a person to twist the scriptures into all kinds of contortions and distortions when trying to explain the prophetic Scriptures. Many today even in so called Christian denominations and institutions suffer from PDS! And even more so, modern-day rabbinic Judaism suffers from Prophetic Disorientation Syndrome in a big way sadly! They have become intellectually dishonest when it pertains to the prophetic Scripture’s. Most of today’s rabbi’s have done a complete 180 when it comes to interpreting the prophetic scriptures when compared with many of their ancient predecessors.
Today, they’ll say that the virgin birth of Isaiah 7:14 wasn’t speaking about a virgin even though the ancient rabbis said it was. They’ll say today, they don’t know where the messiah will come from, yet the scripture is abundantly clear, and again, the ancient rabbis also taught that from the Migdal Eder would come the announcement of the Messiah.
When Herod asked where the Messiah would be born what was the answer the Jewish leaders gave him? It’s right there in Matthew; “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”
When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler .” (Matthew 2:1–6)
These chief priests and rabbis’s knew both the scripture and of course their own commentaries on the scripture.
· They knew that, The Targum Jonathan, (a Talmudic commentary) commenting on Genesis 35:21, specified that: “…. Jacob proceeded and spread his tent beyond Migdal-Eder, the place where it is to be that the King Messiah will be revealed at the end of days”.
· They knew that, The Jerusalem Talmud (tractate Berakoth 5a) cite similar beliefs: “The King Messiah … from where does he come forth? ‘From the royal city of Bethlehem in Judah’”.
· Even the the Jewish mystical work, the Zohar (II, 8b) said that when the time arrives for the Messiah’s revelation, he will appear in a great light in the outskirts of Bethlehem, close to Rachel’s tomb, at a place called Migdal-Eder (I mention these references not to elevate them to the level of scripture but to show what the ancient Jewish commentators had to say regarding their own scriptures!)
Furthermore, even the crowd of people in John’s gospel knew what the scripture said! “Has not the Scripture said that the Messiah comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?” (John 7:42)
Yet today’s rabbinic Judaism ignores all of that! Why? Because they realize the implications and willfully continue in their stubborn unbelief! Nevertheless, the days are coming when God in His faithfulness will begin to deal with their unbelief and turn their hearts back to Him!
But getting back to those Magi! What brought them there to Jerusalem and in front of Herod? Oh yea! They knew about the Jewish prophecies too!“We have seen his star in the east…”! His star in the east? Well, where’d they get that idea from? Well, it was written in the prophets! “A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel…” (Numbers 24:17). This prophecy was understood by all to be messianic.
And there were of course many other prophecies given as well. The Slaughter of the innocents, (Matt.2:16-18), the fleeing of the Holy Family into Egypt so that it would be fulfilled; “…out of Egypt I called my son…” (Hos.11:1)
Prophecy, Miracles, and Promises kept! The Star prophecy in the Book of Numbers was given 1500 yrs. before the Magi saw it. The Micah prophecy concerning His place of birth was given in the eighth century B.C., more than seven hundred years before the birth of Jesus! The Isaiah prophecy of the virgin birth was given roughly around the same time 700 yrs. before its' fulfillment! Yet, God fulfilled all that He had spoken through theprophets and sent us the MESS-IAH because we have all made ourselves a MESS! We need a savior!
That’s what Christmas is all about! One day. One night. One event that would forever change the course of history!
“Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:8–14)
Sign…sign…everywhere a sign!
From the sign of the Virgin birth…to the sign of the swaddling cloths…to the sign of the guiding Star…God is showing us the way of peace, hope, and redemption! It’s all about Jesus!
We are told in John’s Gospel that as Jesus’s ministry and popularity grew and His claims about Himself were being demonstrated that: “Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.” (John 5:18)
Why would that claim upset them? Did not the prophet say, “His name would be called Emmanuel - God with us? (Is.7:14). Did not the prophet say: “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)
I can't help but to be reminded of what Jesus said to those two disciples on the road to Emmaus!
“O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!” (Luke 24:25–26)
But to us who do believe, He is become for us, “wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:30–31)
His grace is still amazing to me!
Andy
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