Christmas
ARE AMERICAN HOLIDAYS IN LINE WITH THE WORD OF GOD SERIES
“What Does the Bible Say About the Birth of Christ?”
What does history say about Christmas?
The Christmas traditions celebrated today were invented by customs from many different countries into what is our national holiday.
Christmas in the United States of America wasn’t declared a federal holiday until June 26, 1870.
What about Santa Claus? Yes, Father Christmas is based on a real person. A person named St. Nicholas, or ‘Santa Claus’ comes from the Dutch ‘Sinterklaas’. Nicholas was a Christian leader from Myra (which is in the Middle East- Turkey) in the 4th century AD. He was very shy but wanted to give money to poor people without them knowing about it. It is said that one day, he climbed the roof of a house and dropped a purse of money down the chimney. It landed in a stocking that a girl had put to dry by the fire! This explains the belief that Santa comes down the chimney and leaves treats and gifts in your stockings. But only if you’ve been “good” all year!
“Now let’s talk about Christ ~ The Christmas Story”
“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel” (God is with us).
Isaiah 7:14
“She will bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, fore will save His people from their sins.”
Matthew 1:21
Luke 1:26-38
Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was very perplexed at this statement and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be since I am a virgin?” The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason, the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. “And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. “For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Matthew 1:18-25
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL,” which translated means, “GOD WITH US.” And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son, and he called His name Jesus.
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
Luke 2:10-11
For today in the city of David, there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”
Luke 2:11-14
“Magi Come to Bring The Baby Gifts”
Matthew 2:1-23
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, 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.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all of Jerusalem with him. Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet:
‘AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH,
ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH;
FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER
WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.'”
Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.” After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother, and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the Magi left for their own country by another way.
“Joseph and Mary Take The Baby Jesus To Egypt”
Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him.” So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. He remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
“OUT OF EGYPT, I CALLED MY SON.”
“Herod Murders Children”
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. Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:
“A VOICE WAS HEARD IN RAMAH,
WEEPING AND GREAT MOURNING,
RACHEL WEEPING FOR HER CHILDREN;
AND SHE REFUSED TO BE COMFORTED,
BECAUSE THEY WERE NO MORE.”
But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said, “Get up, take the Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child’s life are dead.” So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Then after being warned by God in a dream, he left for the regions of Galilee, and came and lived in a city called Nazareth This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets:
“He shall be called a Nazarene.”
“But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”
Galatians 4:4
“The Wise-men”
Even though we sing the song, “We Three Kings,” the Bible does not say how many “wise men” followed the star to worship the King of Kings. These worshipers were from an area that is now Iran or Saudi Arabia. The Bible does say that they worshiped Him and gave Him three gifts…
Gold: A gift for a King
Frankincense: A lovely aroma burnt in worship of God
Myrrh: A very strong sweet smelling oil from a plant that is used to bury the dead-signifies the Lord’s humanity
“The earliest renditions of Jesus, painted by the first Christians called Essenes in the catacombs of Rome, depict a person with brown skin.” These representations are of a tan-skinned Messiah. Roman Emperor Justinian II, minted a gold coin that pictured Jesus. This coin, which today can be viewed in the British Museum, shows a man with clearly non-white facial features and tightly curled hair, consistent with the description of Christ offered in the Book of Revelations, wherein it is noted that Jesus had hair like wool, feet the color of burnt brass, and resembled jasper and sardius stones: both of which were brownish-red in color.
Ref: The Passion of the Americans – William Rivers Pitt,
The Ancient Scriptures, Prof. Thomas Broadway
The World’s Sixteen Crucified Saviors, Kersey Graves,
Origin of Idolatry, R. Faber,
Geography of the Heavens, Burrit
Pagan Christs, J. M. Robertson,
Heathen Religion, Rev. J. B. Gross,
Ancient Art and Mythology, R. P. Knight
Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics,
Christmas, Hastings,
Apol II – Apologia, Justin Martyr
Pagan and Christian Symbolism, Inman,
Pagan and Christian Creeds, Edward Carpenter,
Bible Myths, T. W. Doane
The Origins of Christianity, Prof. K. U. Dean,
Sermons of Bishop Joseph Barber Lightfoot
So what do we gain from this little bit of history? We now know that Jesus came to identify with every racial group. With all people…With every Nation. He is King and Lord and can take you out of sin and racism.
Just ask Jesus to forgive you, to change you, to come live in your heart. He can forgive you of hatred and every evil thought and deed. “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins. Put Me in remembrance; let us contend together; state your case, that you may be acquitted.” —Isaiah 43:25-26
“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” —Acts 3:19
“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus …” —Romans 8:1
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, behold, all things have become new.” —2 Corinthians 5:17
Merry Christmas!
YESHUA Jesus Blessings!