The Circumstances of His Birth

1 2 FIEDLER'S FORECASTING RULES FOR FORETELLING THE FUTURE • (1) IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO FORECAST, ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE FUTURE. • (2) HE WHO LIVES BY THE CRYSTAL BALL SOON LEARNS TO EAT GROUND GLASS. 3 • (3) THE MOMENT YOU FORECAST, YOU KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE WRONG • -- YOU JUST DON'T KNOW WHEN AND IN WHICH DIRECTION. • (4) IF YOU'RE EVER RIGHT, NEVER LET THEM FORGET IT. 4 • THESE RULES APPLY TO ALL MANKIND • AS HUMANS WE ARE NOT QUALIFIED • TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE • AT LEAST NOT ON OUR OWN • WE NEED TO KNOW THAT THE ONLY WAY A HUMAN 5 • CAN SAFELY TALK ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE • IS FOR GOD TO SUPPLY THE INFORMATION • SPEAKING GOD’S WORDS ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE • IS PART OF WHAT IT MEANT TO BE A PROPHET 6 • TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT SOME PROPHECIES • ABOUT THE BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST • THE INFORMATION IN THESE PROPHECIES DID NOT COME FROM MEN • BUT FROM GOD • THE ONLY ONE WHO KNOWS WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE 7 • BECAUSE HE IS ALREADY THERE • TURN TO MICAH 5:2 • JERUSALEM IS UNDER SIEGE BY THE ARMIES OF BABYLON • THINGS ARE NOT LOOKING GOOD 8 • IN VERSE 1 OF CHAPTER 5 MICAH CHALLENGES THE PEOPLE • TO RALLY THEIR TROOPS • AT THIS POINT MICAH IS TALKING THE CURRENT PROBLEM THAT THE JEWISH NATION FACES • BUT IN VERSE 2 HE IS GOING TO TELL THEM • OF THE COMING MESSIAH, THE SAVIOR 9 MICAH 5:2 10 “BUT AS FOR YOU, BETHLEHEM EPHRATHAH, TOO LITTLE TO BE AMONG THE CLANS OF JUDAH, FROM YOU ONE WILL GO FORTH FOR ME TO BE RULER IN ISRAEL. HIS GOINGS FORTH ARE FROM LONG AGO, FROM THE DAYS OF ETERNITY.” 11 ONLY GOD COULD KNOW WHERE CHRIST WOULD BE BORN • THE JEWISH PEOPLE HAVE A PROBLEM • THEY HAVE BEEN UNFAITHFUL TO GOD • THEY HAD WORSHIPPED FALSE GODS 12 • AND GOD HAS SENT THE BABYLONIANS HAUL THEM OFF INTO CAPTIVITY • BUT GOD DOES NOT WANT THEM TO LOSE HEART • SO IN THE MIDST OF THIS TRAGEDY • GOD GIVES THE PEOPLE HOPE 13 • MICAH TELLS THE PEOPLE • THAT A RULER WILL COME OUT OF BETHLEHEM EPHRATHAH • MICAH USES THIS EXACT NAME BECAUSE • THERE WAS MORE THAN ONE BETHLEHEM • THERE WERE AT LEAST 2 AND MAYBE 3 TOWNS CALLED BETHLEHEM • BETHLEHEM EPHRATHAH WAS ABOUT FIVE MILES FROM JERUSALEM • IT WAS A VERY SMALL TOWN IN MICAH’S DAY 14 15 • NOTICE HOW MICAH REFERS TO IT AS • TOO LITTLE TO BE AMONG THE CLANS OF JUDAH • IT WAS STILL A VERY SMALL TOWN AT THE TIME OF JESUS’ BIRTH ONLY GOD COULD KNOW MESSIAH WOULD COME • WHEN MICAH SAYS; FROM YOU ONE WILL GO FORTH • THIS PHRASE HAS A VERY SPECIFIC MEANING • HE IS SAYING THAT THIS LEADER 16 17 • WILL BE BORN IN BETHLEHEM • WE SAW LAST WEEK THAT PROPHECY SAID THE MESSIAH • WOULD BE FROM THE LINE OF DAVID • AND BETHLEHEM WAS KNOWN AS THE CITY OF DAVID • THIS WAS THE SCRIPTURE WHICH THE SCRIBES TURN TO • WHEN THEY TOLD HEROD WHERE CHRIST SHOULD BE BORN 18 MATTHEW 2:6 19 ‘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.’ ” • THIS WAS MENTIONED AGAIN IN JOHN’S GOSPEL 20 JOHN 7:42 “HAS NOT THE SCRIPTURE SAID THAT THE CHRIST COMES FROM THE DESCENDANTS OF DAVID, AND FROM BETHLEHEM, THE VILLAGE WHERE DAVID WAS?” 21 • SO THE GENERAL UNDERSTANDING IN JESUS’ DAY WAS • THAT THIS VERSE WAS IN FACT A REFERENCE TO THE BIRTH PLACE OF THE MESSIAH (PAUSE) • SOME SCHOLARS THINK THIS VERSE IS ABOUT • A KING IN MICAH’S TIME MAYBE ZEDEKIAH • AND IT IS LIKELY THAT THE VERSE BEFORE IT 22 23 • VERSE 1 OF CHAPTER 5 IS ABOUT ZEDEKIAH • BUT THERE IS SOMETHING SAID IN VERSE 2 • THAT HELPS US TO UNDERSTAND • THAT THIS IS ABOUT THE COMING MESSIAH, IT SAYS; 24 • “HIS GOINGS FORTH ARE FROM LONG AGO, FROM THE DAYS OF ETERNITY.” • NOW IN SOME TRANSLATIONS YOU MIGHT SEE • “ANCIENT TIMES” OR “EVERLASTING” • BUT THE LITERAL TRANSLATION OF THE HEBREW IS 25 • “DAYS OF IMMEASURABLE TIME” • OR AS OUR NASB BIBLE PUTS IT “FROM THE DAYS OF ETERNITY.” • FOR ME THIS MAKES IT VERY CLEAR • THAT THIS MUST BE TALKING GOD 26 • NO ONE ELSE CAN GO FORTH FROM ETERNITY • THIS MAKES IT CLEAR TO ME • THAT THIS VERSE IS TALKING ABOUT • THE KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS • COMING IN PHYSICAL FORM 27 • AND BEING BORN IN THE LOWLY TOWN OF BETHLEHEM • HE CAME TO BRING US PEACE WITH GOD • TO PAY FOR OUR SINS SO THAT WE COULD ENTER • INTO AN ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD • IF OUR GREATEST NEED HAD BEEN INFORMATION, • GOD WOULD HAVE SENT US AN EDUCATOR; • IF OUR GREATEST NEED HAD BEEN TECHNOLOGY, • GOD WOULD HAVE SENT US A SCIENTIST; 28 • IF OUR GREATEST NEED HAD BEEN MONEY, • GOD WOULD HAVE SENT US AN ECONOMIST; • IF OUR GREATEST NEED HAD BEEN PLEASURE, • GOD WOULD HAVE SENT US AN ENTERTAINER; 29 30 • BUT OUR GREATEST NEED WAS FORGIVENESS, • SO GOD SENT US A SAVIOR. • WHO CAME TO A SMALL TOWN • NOT THE BIG CITY • WHO CAME TO A HUMBLE FAMILY 31 • NOT THE GOVERNOR’S PALACE • WHO CAME TO RESTORE US TO RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD • THIS IS THE POWER OF PROPHECY • ONLY GOD COULD TELL US OF THIS COMING MESSIAH 32 • NO OTHER BOOK IN THE WORLD CONTAINS PROPHECIES • THAT HAVE LITERALLY COME TRUE • ONLY GOD CAN TELL US WHAT WILL HAPPEN (PAUSE) • WE SHOULD NEVER BE FOOLED INTO LISTENING TO PEOPLE 33 • WHO CLAIM TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE • TODAY THEY CLAIM TO KNOW ALL KINDS OF THINGS ABOUT THE FUTURE • POLLSTERS TELL THEY KNOW THE FUTURE IN ELECTIONS • SOME PEOPLE CLAIM TO KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE CLIMATE WILL BE LIKE 34 • OTHERS CLAIM TO KNOW THE FUTURE OF THE STOCK MARKET • ONLY GOD KNOWS WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN • AND HE HAS TOLD US CHRIST IS COMING BACK • JUST LIKE HE TOLD US CHRIST WOULD COME • AND HE NOT ONLY TOLD US WHERE JESUS WOULD BE BORN • HE TOLD US WHAT KIND OF LIFE CHRIST WOULD BE BORN INTO 35 ISAIAH 53:2 36 FOR HE GREW UP BEFORE HIM LIKE A TENDER SHOOT, AND LIKE A ROOT OUT OF PARCHED GROUND; HE HAS NO STATELY FORM OR MAJESTY THAT WE SHOULD LOOK UPON HIM, NOR APPEARANCE THAT WE SHOULD BE ATTRACTED TO HIM. ONLY GOD COULD KNOW WHAT JESUS’ LIFE WOULD BE LIKE • IT IS UTTERLY AMAZING THAT HIS PLACE OF BIRTH WAS FORETOLD • IT IS MIRACULOUS THAT PROPHECY STATES • HE WOULD COME FROM THE LINE OF DAVID 37 38 • BUT THEN WE HAVE A PROPHECY THAT • TELLS US THE FINANCIAL STATUS HE WOULD BE BORN INTO • IT IS FOUND HERE IN ISAIAH ALONG WITH • A NUMBER OF PROPHECIES ABOUT CHRIST’S LIFE • THE KEY PHRASE IS; LIKE A ROOT OUT OF PARCHED GROUND • FOR A CITY BOY LIKE ME THIS DID NOT MEAN MUCH • BUT AFTER TRYING TO KEEP A GARDEN GROWING THIS LAST SUMMER • I UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF 39 40 • A ROOT GROWING FROM PARCHED GROUND MUCH BETTER • THOSE READING ISAIAH UNDERSTOOD EXACTLY WHAT HE MEANT • THE COMING MESSIAH WOULD NOT LIVE IN A PALACE • HE WOULD NOT BE DRESSED IN FINE CLOTHES • THIS PHRASE IS VERY SIMILAR TO A PHRASE IN OUR OWN CULTURE • WE MIGHT SAY; “HE WAS NOT BORN WITH A SILVER SPOON IN HIS MOUTH” • IT’S THE SAME CONCEPT 41 • LIKE A ROOT IN PARCHED SOIL HE WILL NOT HAVE IT EASY AS HE GROWS UP • AND WE CAN SEE HOW THIS PROPHECY COME TRUE • HE WILL NOT BE BORN IN A PALACE, BUT A STABLE 42 43 • HE WILL NOT BE THE SON OF A RICH AND POWERFUL MAN • BUT THE SON OF A PHYSICAL LABORER • HE WILL NOT WEAR FANCY ROBES BUT SIMPLE ONES • NOT ONLY WERE HIS ROBES NOT FANCY NEITHER WAS HIS APPEARANCE ONLY GOD COULD KNOW WHAT JESUS WOULD LOOK LIKE 44 • “HE HAS NO STATELY FORM OR MAJESTY THAT WE SHOULD LOOK UPON HIM, NOR APPEARANCE THAT WE SHOULD BE ATTRACTED TO HIM.” • I THINK SOMETIMES WE HAVE THIS PICTURE OF JESUS IN OUR HEADS • HE MUST HAVE BEEN AMAZING TO SEE • WE HAVE ALL THESE PAINTINGS, AND MOVIES • BUT THIS PROPHECY MAKES IT CLEAR • PEOPLE WERE NOT DRAWN TO JESUS BECAUSE OF HIS LOOKS 45 46 • PART OF THE REASON FOR THIS IS TO CONTRAST THE COMING MESSIAH • WITH THE EARTHLY RULERS OF JEWISH NATION 1 SAMUEL 9:2 47 HE HAD A SON WHOSE NAME WAS SAUL, A CHOICE AND HANDSOME MAN, AND THERE WAS NOT A MORE HANDSOME PERSON THAN HE AMONG THE SONS OF ISRAEL; FROM HIS SHOULDERS AND UP HE WAS TALLER THAN ANY OF THE PEOPLE. 1 SAMUEL 16:12 48 SO HE SENT AND BROUGHT HIM IN. NOW HE (DAVID) WAS RUDDY, WITH BEAUTIFUL EYES AND A HANDSOME APPEARANCE. AND THE LORD SAID, “ARISE, ANOINT HIM; FOR THIS IS HE.” 49 • DAVID AND SAUL HAD BEEN KINGS OF ISRAEL • THEY HAD BEEN HANDSOME, AND THEY HAD FLAWS AND SINNED • THE CHRIST WILL HAVE NO PHYSICAL APPEARANCE THAT WOULD ATTRACT 50 • BUT HE WOULD BE WITHOUT SIN (PAUSE) • WE SEE THROUGHOUT THE GOSPELS • THAT PEOPLE ARE DRAWN TO CHRIST BY HIS TEACHING • BY HIS MIRACLES, BY HIS HEALING AND NOT BY HIS APPEARANCE 51 • THIS PROPHECY TELLS OF ONE WHO WOULD GROW UP • NOT IN RICHES AND POWER BUT IN PARCHED SOIL • AND ONE WHO WOULD NOT BE HANDSOME BUT HUMBLE IN APPEARANCE • BUT HOW CAN WE KNOW 52 THIS IS PROPHECY IS ABOUT JESUS • ONE WAY TO CONFIRM WHAT A PROPHECY IS ABOUT • IS TO FIND A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPHECY BEING FULFILLED • IF WE LOOK AT THE VERSES THAT COME RIGHT AFTER ISAIAH 53:2 • WE SEE A SET OF VERSES IN THE SAME PROPHECY • TALKING ABOUT THE SAME PERSON • THAT ARE VERY CLEARLY FULFILLED BY CHRIST AND CHRIST ALONE 53 ISAIAH 53:3–5 54 HE WAS DESPISED AND FORSAKEN OF MEN, A MAN OF SORROWS AND ACQUAINTED WITH GRIEF; AND LIKE ONE FROM WHOM MEN HIDE THEIR FACE HE WAS DESPISED, AND WE DID NOT ESTEEM HIM. 55 SURELY OUR GRIEFS HE HIMSELF BORE, AND OUR SORROWS HE CARRIED; YET WE OURSELVES ESTEEMED HIM STRICKEN, SMITTEN OF GOD, AND AFFLICTED. 56 • BUT HE WAS PIERCED THROUGH FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS, HE WAS CRUSHED FOR OUR INIQUITIES; THE CHASTENING FOR OUR WELL-BEING FELL UPON HIM, AND BY HIS SCOURGING WE ARE HEALED • WHEN WE LOOK AT THE 53RD CHAPTER OF ISAIAH AS A WHOLE • IT IS CLEARLY ABOUT THE LIFE OF CHRIST • VERSE 2 DESCRIBES THE LIFE HE WOULD BE BORN INTO 57 58 • NOT A LIFE OF EARTHLY RICHES AND WORLDLY POWER • BUT A LIFE OF PARCHED GROUND AND PLAIN APPEARANCE 59 • CHRIST CAME TO THAT LIFE AND THAT FORM • SO THAT HE COULD COMMUNICATE WITH ALL OF US • NOT JUST THE RICH AND POWERFUL BUT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US 60 A YOUNG GIRL WAS IN AN ACCIDENT • AND WAS LEFT WITH ONLY THE SENSE OF SMELL • NO SIGHT, NO HEARING • HER MOTHER WANTED TO LET HER KNOW SHE WAS THERE 61 • SO WAS SURE TO USE A PERFUME THE GIRL WOULD REMEMBER AS HER MOTHERS • NOW THE PERFUME IS NOT HER MOTHER • BUT IS AN EXTENSION OF HER MOTHER USED TO COMMUNICATE 62 • IN A WAY THE GIRL CAN PERCEIVE • IN A SENSE THAT IS WHAT GOD DID WHEN HE CAME AS CHRIST • HE BECAME HUMAN, HE DID THIS SO HE COULD COMMUNICATE ON OUR LEVEL 63 • SO WE COULD RESPOND • SO WE COULD HAVE A SAVIOR THAT EXPERIENCED OUR SUFFERING, OUR TEMPTATIONS • AND HE DID SO NOT AS ROYALTY, NOT AS ONE WITH RICHES • NOT AS ONE WITH POWER, NOT AS ONE WITH STATURE • BUT AS A CARPENTER, WITHOUT POWER OR RICHES • JUST ONE OF US • AND WHEN HE CAME WITHOUT WEALTH AND POWER • THOSE WITH THE WEALTH AND POWER • RESPONDED TO HIS ARRIVAL 64 65 JEREMIAH 31:15 THUS SAYS THE LORD, “A VOICE IS HEARD IN RAMAH, LAMENTATION AND BITTER WEEPING. RACHEL IS WEEPING FOR HER CHILDREN; SHE REFUSES TO BE COMFORTED FOR HER CHILDREN, BECAUSE THEY ARE NO MORE.” 66 ONLY GOD WOULD KNOW THE EVENTS THAT WOULD SURROUND MESSIAH COMING • RAMAH WAS THE PLACE WHERE THE BABYLONIANS • COLLECTED ALL THE JEWS IN CHAINS • BEFORE THEY HAULED THEM OFF TO BABYLON • IT IS ALWAYS GOOD TO UNDERSTAND • THE ORIGINAL CONTEXT OF A PROPHECY • IN THIS CASE JEREMIAH IS TALKING TO JUDAH • HE HAS TOLD THEM THEY WILL BE TAKEN INTO CAPTIVITY 67 68 • BECAUSE THEY HAVE WORSHIPED FALSE GODS • AT THE START OF THIS CHAPTER HE HAS TOLD THEM TO HAVE HOPE • THEY WILL RETURN FROM EXILE, HE SAYS • “FOR I WILL TURN THEIR MOURNING INTO JOY AND WILL COMFORT THEM AND GIVE THEM JOY FOR THEIR SORROW.” 69 • AND THEN HE GIVES THE PROPHECY WE ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT • AND SHORTLY AFTER THIS PROPHECY HE SAYS; • “THERE IS HOPE FOR YOUR FUTURE,” DECLARES THE LORD, 70 • SO IN ITS ORIGINAL CONTEXT THIS VERSE IS TALKING ABOUT • THE JEWISH PEOPLE BEING HAULED OFF TO BABYLON • BUT IF WE HAD SOMEPLACE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT • THAT INDICATED THAT THIS PROPHECY ALSO APPLIED IN SOME WAY • TO THE BIRTH OF THE MESSIAH • THEN WE WOULD NEED TO UNDERSTAND • THAT THE PROPHECY WAS ABOUT BOTH EVENTS 71 72 WE CAN KNOW THIS IS ABOUT CHRIST’S BIRTH MATTHEW 2:16–18 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, 73 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: 74 “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.” 75 WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND HOW THIS IS FULFILLED • IN WHAT SENSE WAS HEROD’S SLAUGHTER OF THE INFANTS IN MATT. 2 • A “FULFILLMENT” OF JEREMIAH 31:15? • WELL, JEREMIAH POINTED TO AN OLD TESTAMENT DEPORTATION 76 • OF CHILDREN FROM A TOWN NORTH OF JERUSALEM; • MATTHEW USED THIS PASSAGE TO EXPLAIN • THE NEW TESTAMENT MURDER OF CHILDREN • IN A VILLAGE SOUTH OF JERUSALEM 77 • THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION HOW DOES THIS APPLY • HINGES ON MATTHEW’S USE OF THE WORD “FULFILLED” • HE USES THIS WORD TO INDICATE THAT SOMETHING WHICH • HAD BEEN FORESHADOWED BY AN EVENT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT 78 • HAD BEEN FULLY REALIZED BY AN EVENT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT • THE KEY HERE IS THE STATEMENTS THAT PRECEDE JEREMIAH 31:15 • FOR ALMOST 14 VERSES JEREMIAH HAS BEEN TELLING THEM TO HAVE HOPE 79 • TO SING ALOUD FOR WITH GLADNESS • TO PROCLAIM AND GIVE PRAISE • TO SHOUT FOR JOY • TO TURN THEIR MOURNING INTO JOY 80 • THESE THINGS ARE ALL LINKED TO THE PROPHECY • WHICH MATTHEW SAYS IS FULFILLED (PAUSE) • YES THERE IS GREAT SORROW AT THE LIVES LOST • IN HEROD’S SLAUGHTER AND BITTER WEEPING 81 • BUT JUST LIKE THE BITTER WEEPING IN JEREMIAH’S DAY • OCCURRED IN CONNECTION WITH A TIME OF REJOICING • WHEN THEY RETURNED FROM EXILE • SO TO DOES THE BITTER WEEPING IN JESUS DAY 82 • OCCUR IN CONNECTION TO A TIME OF REJOICING • AT THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH • THE PROPHECY THAT WAS FULFILLED WAS NOT • JUST ABOUT THE BITTER WEEPING IT WAS ABOUT THE REJOICING AS WELL (PAUSE) IT IS ESTIMATED 83 • THAT "MORE THAN ONE FOURTH OF THE BIBLE IS PREDICTIVE PROPHECY • BOTH THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS ARE FULL OF PROMISES ABOUT THE RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST. 84 • OVER 1800 REFERENCES APPEAR IN THE O.T., • AND SEVENTEEN O.T. BOOKS GIVE PROMINENCE TO THIS THEME OF CHRIST’S RETURN • OF THE 260 CHAPTERS IN THE N.T., THERE ARE MORE THAN 300 REFERENCES TO THE LORD'S RETURN • ONE OUT OF EVERY 30 VERSES. • TWENTY-THREE OF THE 27 N.T. BOOKS REFER TO THIS GREAT EVENT… • FOR EVERY PROPHECY ON THE FIRST COMING OF CHRIST, THERE ARE 8 ON CHRIST'S SECOND COMING.” 85 86 FIEDLER'S FORECASTING RULES FOR FORETELLING THE FUTURE • MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THAT MAN HAS NO PLACE • TRYING TO PREDICT THE FUTURE • WE ARE SIMPLY NOT QUALIFIED TO TALK 87 • ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN • WE LIVE IN A WORLD FULL OF PEOPLE CLAIMING TO KNOW THE FUTURE • WE NEED TO GUARD AGAINST GETTING CAUGHT UP IN THESE CLAIMS • ONLY GOD IS QUALIFIED TO TALK SAY 88 • WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE • THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE WE HAVE PROPHETS • TRANSMITTING GOD’S KNOWLEDGE OF FUTURE EVENTS • AS WE CAN SEE FROM EVENTS IN THE BIBLE 89 • THESE PROPHECIES COME TRUE IN A VERY REAL WAY • FROM MICAH WE READ THAT IT WAS FORETOLD THAT • THE MESSIAH WOULD BE BORN IN BETHLEHEM • AND THIS CAME TRUE IN A LITERAL SENSE 90 • JESUS WAS IN FACT BORN IN BETHLEHEM • FROM ISAIAH WE SAW THAT THE MESSIAH WOULD BE BORN • INTO A FAMILY WHO WAS NOT WEALTHY OR POWERFUL • JESUS WAS IN FACT BORN INTO JUST SUCH A FAMILY • FROM JEREMIAH WE SAW THAT THERE WOULD BE BITTER WEEPING • IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE BIRTH OF THE MESSIAH • THERE WAS IN FACT BITTER WEEPING AT HEROD’S SLAUGHTER • FROM THIS WE SHOULD UNDERSTAND 91 92 • THAT WHEN GOD SAYS SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN • IT IS IN FACT GOING TO HAPPEN JUST AS HE SAID IT WOULD • GOD HAS SAID CHRIST WILL RETURN • HE HAS SAID IT IN MANY WAYS, IN MANY PLACES IN OUR BIBLES 93 • THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN JUST AS SURLY • AS JESUS BEING BORN IN BETHLEHEM • JUST AS SURLY AS JESUS BEING BORN IN A STABLE TO A CARPENTER • WHEN WE UNDERSTAND HOW CERTAIN HIS RETURN IS • SURLY WE WILL BE MORE FOCUSED ON TELLING PEOPLE THE GOSPEL • THE GOOD NEWS THAT THERE IS A GOD WHO LOVES THEM • AND WANTS AN ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM… 94 95