Lessons And Points Of Interest From The Story
- Jesus was called Immanuel , as foretold by the prophet Isaiah. God in the flesh came to live with mankind. Just as the Holy Spirit made this possible in the Christmas story, the same Spirit makes Jesus Christ present today in the life of every believer. It’s likely that not even Isaiah understood the full and far-reaching meaning of this name.
- The Christmas angel, Gabriel, appeared not only to Zechariah and Mary but also to Daniel the prophet more than 500 years before the Christmas story.
Old Testament Verses About Jesus
Psalms 72:11May all kings fall down before him, all nations serve him!
Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 53:3-7 He was despised and rejected by men a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions he was crushed for our iniquities upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray we have turnedevery oneto his own way and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.
Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
A Star Would Point The Way Towards Christ
Prophecy – I see him, but not now I behold him, but not near A star shall come forth from Jacob, and a scepter shall rise from Israel, and shall crush through the forehead of Moab, and tear down all the sons of Sheth .
Fulfillment God places the star in the sky to lead the magi to Christ, that they might worship Him.
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east, and have come to worship Him .
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Bible Verses About Jesus Birth
For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mothers womb and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men and there are also eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to accept this, let him accept it.
Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi.
Old Testament Bible Verses That Prophesy The Birth Of Jesus
What books did the Magi have? They had the Jewish Bible, books that make up our Old Testament. They knew the Scriptures that prophesied about Jesuss birth. Each of these prophesies was fulfilled exactly. Gods infinite knowledge and power is demonstrated in the fulfillment of these prophesies. These prophesies tell us that God the Son would come to earth, to be born of a virgin in Bethlehem and from the line of Abraham. Prophesies also foretold about Herods slaughter of the children in his attempt to kill Jesus and that Mary, Joseph and Jesus had to flee to Egypt.
12. Isaiah 7:14 Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
13. Micah 5:2 But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah for our of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.
14. Genesis 22:18 And through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed.
15. Jeremiah 31:15 A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.
17. Hosea 11:1 Out of Egypt I called My Son.
18. Numbers 24:17 I see him, but not here and now. I perceive him, but far in the distant future. A star will rise from Jacob a scepter will emerge from Israel. It will crush the heads of Moabs people, cracking the skulls of the people of Sheth.
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Was Jesus Born In December
THE Bible does not tell us when Jesus was born. However, it does give us sound reason to conclude that his birth did not take place in December.
Consider the weather conditions at that time of the year in Bethlehem, where Jesus was born. The Jewish month of Chislev was a month with cold and rainy weather. The month after that was Tebeth . It saw the lowest temperatures of the year, with occasional snows in the highlands. Let us see what the Bible tells us about the climate of that region.
The Bible writer Ezra shows that Chislev was indeed a month known for cold and rainy weather. After stating that a crowd had gathered in Jerusalem in the ninth month , on the 20th day of the month, Ezra reports that people were shivering . . . because of the heavy rain. Concerning weather conditions at that time of the year, the congregated people themselves said: It is the rainy season. It is not possible to stand outside. No wonder shepherds living in that part of the world made sure that they and their flocks were no longer out of doors at night when December came around!
Gods Word tells us precisely when Jesus died, but it gives little direct indication as to when he was born. This brings to mind King Solomons words: A good name is better than good oil, and the day of death is better than the day of birth. It is not surprising, then, that the Bible provides many details about Jesus ministry and death but few details about the time of his birth.
Which Book Of The Bible Tells Were Jesus Is Born
In the King James version
The Gospel according to Saint Matthew
Mat 2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in thedays of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the eastto Jerusalem,
The Gospel according to Saint Luke
Luk 2:15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away fromthem into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now goeven unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass,which the Lord hath made known unto us.
The Gospel according to Saint John
Joh 7:42 Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of theseed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where Davidwas?
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Saving Us And Being With Us Forever
To save us, God did an amazing thing. The eternal God became an approachable man and lived a perfect, sinless life on earth among fallen humanity. What a mysterious and yet wondrous fact! As the God-man, He reached mankind with His love, mercy, and kindness. He spoke words of righteousness and truth to bring people out of darkness and into light. Then in His body of flesh and blood, Jesus suffered death on the cross for our sins. He accomplished redemption for us, and by believing in Him, were cleansed from our sins and delivered from eternal judgment.
But thats not all. When we believe in Him, we receive the resurrected Christ as the life-giving Spirit into us. He comes to live in us and be with us always, as part of His plan to fulfill His eternal purpose.
If you havent yet received the Savior, you dont have to wait any longer. Just pray this prayer with a sincere heart:
Lord Jesus, I believe You are the true God and a perfect man. Thank You for being born and becoming a real man with both divinity and humanity. Thank You for saving me from my sins by dying for me. Lord, I receive You right now. Come into me and live in me. Thank you, Lord, for being with me all the time. Amen.
If you prayed to receive the Lord Jesus as your Savior, you can find resources to help you on this page.
Prophesied In The Old Testament And Fulfilled In The New Testament
About seven hundred years before Christ, a prophecy concerning Jesus birth was recorded in the Old Testament. Isaiah 7:14 says:
The Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will conceive and will bear a son, and she will .
The New Testament opens with the account of Jesus birth. In the first chapter of Matthew, verse 18 tells us how the virgin birth prophesied in Isaiah 7:14 was fulfilled:
Now the origin of Jesus Christ was in this way: His mother, Mary, after she had been engaged to Joseph, before they came together, was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit.
Note 1 on this verse in the New Testament Recovery Version speaks of the profound meaning of Mary being with child of the Holy Spirit:
Although Christ was born of Mary , He was a child of the Holy Spirit. The birth of Christ was directly of the Holy Spirit . His was the Holy Spirit and His element was divine. Through the virgin Mary He put on flesh and blood, the human nature, taking the likeness of the flesh , the likeness of men .
Though Jesus was born as a child with flesh and blood, His source was the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 1:20 tells us more about Jesus origin:
But while he pondered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife, for that which has been begotten in her is of the Holy Spirit.
Note 1 on this verse explains:
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Common Elements In Both Infancy Narratives:
- Main characters:
- Supporting characters: Angels, Holy Spirit
- Titles attributed to Jesus: Christ, son of David
- Heritage: children of Abraham/Israel, house of David
- Place names: Nazareth in Galilee, Bethlehem in Judea
- Historical period: during the reign of King Herod
- See below for Raymond Brown’s list of eleven shared points.
Jesus’ Birth Death And Resurrection
The exact date of Jesus birth may not be known, but we can rest assured that Jesus died for our sins , rose again , and that He will one day come back to take us to heaven .
Imagine such a sacrifice. Imagine leaving the glory of heaven to save humanity? This year, think upon Jesus, His sacrifice, and His mercy. Ask yourself how can I live like He lived? How can I share His message with those around me?
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List Of Books About Jesus
This is a bibliography of works with information or interpretations of the life and teachings of Jesus. The list is grouped by date, and sorted within each group alphabetically by name of author.
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity. Most Christian denominationsvenerate him as God the Sonincarnated and believe that he rose from the dead after being crucified.The principal sources of information regarding Jesus are the four canonical gospels. Note that this list does not contain important books about Jesus pertaining to Islam, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Bahá’í, or several other significant faiths.
Joseph And Mary Take Jesus To The Temple
22 The time came for making Mary clean as required by the Law of Moses. So Joseph and Mary took Jesus to Jerusalem. There they presented him to the Lord. 23 In the Law of the Lord it says, The first boy born in every family must be set apart for the Lord. 24 They also offered a sacrifice. They did it in keeping with the Law, which says, a pair of doves or two young pigeons.
25 In Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was a good and godly man. He was waiting for Gods promise to Israel to come true. The Holy Spirit was with him. 26 The Spirit had told Simeon that he would not die before he had seen the Lords Messiah. 27 The Spirit led him into the temple courtyard. Then Jesus parents brought the child in. They came to do for him what the Law required. 28 Simeon took Jesus in his arms and praised God. He said,
29 Lord, you are the King over all. Now let me, your servant, go in peace. That is what you promised.30 My eyes have seen your salvation.31 You have prepared it in the sight of all nations.32 It is a light to be given to the Gentiles. It will be the glory of your people Israel.
33 The childs father and mother were amazed at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them. He said to Mary, Jesus mother, This child is going to cause many people in Israel to fall and to rise. God has sent him. But many will speak against him. 35 The thoughts of many hearts will be known. A sword will wound your own soul too.
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When Was Jesus Born What Year
Using these methods, most scholars assume a date of birth between 6 and 4 BC, and that Jesus preaching began around AD 2729 and lasted one to three years. They calculate the death of Jesus as having taken place between AD 30 and 36.
The Angel Visits Joseph
Just as the angel had said, while Mary was engaged to Joseph, she miraculously became pregnant. When she told Joseph, he most likely felt disgraced. He knew the child was not his own, and Mary’s apparent unfaithfulness would have carried a grave social stigma. Under Jewish law, Joseph not only had the right to divorce Mary, but he could also have had her put to death by stoning.
But Joseph was a good-hearted man. Although his initial reaction was to break the engagement, the appropriate thing for a righteous man to do, he treated Mary with extreme kindness. He did not want to cause her further shame and decided to act quietly.
Then God sent an angel to Joseph in a dream to confirm that Mary’s story was true. She had indeed conceived a child by the power of the Holy Spirit. The angel reassured Joseph, telling him to take Mary as his wife, raise the boy as his own son, and name him Jesus because he would be a Savior to his people.
When Joseph woke from his dream, he willingly obeyed God and married Mary in spite of the public humiliation he would face. Joseph’s noble character was one reason God chose him to be Messiah’s earthly father.
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The Customs Surrounding The Birth Of Jesus
Although the chronological order of the four gospels is different and the traditions are only partly similar, they still represent the foundation of the Christian faith Many beautiful Christmas customs, such as nativity scenes and plays, date back to the biblical story of Christmas around the birth of Jesus even if the date is not the actual birthday.
Celebrating Christmas today is a family tradition popular even for many Germans who profess no faith. This includes rituals such as cosy get-togethers, baking biscuits, making the Christmas tree and giving presents to loved ones. From early Advent onwards, candles, fairy lights, Christmas markets and carols create a cosy Christmas atmosphere throughout the country.
The Visit Of The Shepherds
Luke 2:15-20 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us. And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
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Jesus Born In A Stable
DO YOU know who this little baby is? Yes, it is Jesus. He has just been born in a stable. A stable is where animals are kept. Mary is laying Jesus in the manger, which is the place that holds the food for donkeys and other animals to eat. But why are Mary and Joseph here with the animals? This is no place for a baby to be born, is it?
No, it isnt. But this is why they are here: The ruler of Rome, Caesar Au·gustus, made a law that everyone must return to the city where he was born to have his name written in a book. Well, Joseph was born here in Bethle·hem. But when he and Mary arrived, there wasnt a room for them anywhere. So they had to come here with the animals. And on this very day Mary gave birth to Jesus! But, as you can see, he is all right.
Can you see the shepherds coming to see Jesus? They were in the fields at night taking care of their sheep, and a bright light shone all around them. It was an angel! The shepherds were very much afraid. But the angel said: Dont be afraid! I have good news for you. Today, in Bethle·hem, Christ the Lord was born. He will save the people! You will find him wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Suddenly many angels came and began praising God. So right away these shepherds hurried to look for Jesus, and now they have found him.