The Prophesy of Christmas
But we're here to talk about the birth of Christ and we're talkin about the birth of Christ. One of the things that comes out. Why did God have to send his son to this earth? Why did he have to send his son to this earth to die on the cross? Because that's what this birth of Christ is going to lead to. All right, it's going to lead to his crucifixion and eventual Resurrection. So why which I love to study the Bible by the way, you get to John and and 1st and John 1:14 lovely lovely verse and the word became flesh and dwelt Among Us and he saw his glory glory of the only begotten from the father full of grace and truth.
Why? so let's go back back to the beginning and let's see if we can find some Clues so our scripture reading which is a very typical first Advent Sunday scripture reading Genesis 3
Some of you have not read your Bible lately Genesis 3, let's let's just read the scripture in and see if we can find some Clues now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made and he's going to have to forgive me. I will go into puppet voice every once in awhile and it starts right now indeed. The Lord said the Lord said hasn't as Mage that I let me start all over again has God said You shall not eat from the Tree of the garden. And the woman said to the serpent.
It's going to be that kind of day. From the fruit of the tree of the garden fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden. God said You shall not eat from it.
The serpent said to the woman surely will not die for God knows that in the day that you eat your eyes will be open and you will be like God knowing Good and Evil. When the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was a delight to the eye and that the tree was desirable to make one wise. She took from the fruit in Aid and she gave it to her husband and he sees then the eyes of both of them were open and they knew that they were naked and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin cloths.
They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the midst of the garden in the cool of the day and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God Among the Trees of the garden. then the Lord God Called To The Man and said
and he said I heard the sound of you in the garden and and and I was afraid because I was naked so I hid myself. And God said who told you you were naked. Have you eaten from the tree, which I commanded you not to eat. The man said the woman she gave me from the tree and I ate then the Lord God said to the woman you have done and the woman said
And the Lord God said to the serpent because you have done this cursed. Are you more than all the cattle and more than every beast of the field on your belly will go in. Destiny will eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman in between your seed and her seed he shall bruise you on the head and you shall bruise him on the heel. Merry Christmas
So strange, I admit Advent story Fitzy to answer the question why we go back to the Garden of Eden, but that really doesn't answer the question. What now? This is going to be a shock to some of you. But God existed before this planet existed in eternity past is where the story of the birth of Jesus start. The birth of Jesus is part of God's big plan, but it started
Spell Regis story. Bear with me for a little bit. It's it's it's a lengthy story only two or three hours long, but it takes us back and sort of.
Paternity test males and females in take the curtain away from where this all started and it begins to answer the question of God why Jesus was born sit back if you have popcorn, go ahead. Golden Light dance around the angels as they gathered in the second heaven the greatest and most beautiful of Archangels made his way to the front a moment. He would take his seat at the head of the great Angelic Congress to report God's latest instructions to them but instead of mounting the steps to the marble diocese Lucifer took a side his closest aide Michael an archangel like himself. The Congress will have to wait just missed the assembly. We must speak immediately. Michael made the announcement and the Gathering dispersed leaving the two archangels Standing Alone. Michael could see by Lucifer's Dark Continent that they were not here to discuss a light matter. You are troubled Lucifer what has happened his most recent project.
Sorry, I lost my place.
He is populated populated this world with a new race of creatures. He is more than a firm self Gathering them intelligence and creativity. He will charge them with a rule in care of this new world and I'll tell you why Lucifer Angel expect the highest order of creature in all of the universe to stoop so low as to become errand Runners and servants to these inferior beings. Why should we call you Michael? It is not to be tolerated. A short time later Lucifer reconvene the great Council of all the Angels when they were assembled he mounted the steps has Isis and address the legions of Mighty beings before him. He first explain the nearest ten with to their amazement each has the same run God we watch over and protect his creation. Why should we be forever submit to his will and stifle our own I tell you my comrade Oh, we must not accept this decoration any longer hear me and hear me well,
We have the power to the throne of God. Michael physicians in the first tear beneath the steps of what you are saying. Have you forgotten that we are like these new form we too are God's creation. He gave us, who are we to defy our creator as the debate between the two Mighty archangels escalated his eyes swelled into a great course of angels echoed their leaders outraged such vocal support bolstered Lucifer's believe that he had won the unwavering support of the other angels. At last Lucifer raised his hand and the entire host fell silent. Your affirmation confirms you are with me. Therefore I call all of you to battle. We will dispose that arrogant Tyrant oppresses us we will take his throne and we will make his high heaven our dwelling-place. Are you with me? His words were met with the Roar of Ascension Lucifer. However had miscalculated his support the angel that Lucifer remains undeterred assembling his army to March forward by Michael the two armies classed in a super Titanic Michael's Army drove the rebels back and hurl them from the second heaven the Fallen leader heard the voice of Michael speaking from high above. Lucifer you've been my friend agrees a deeply that you have severed our Unity. You have chosen hatred over love Pride over humility evil over good and darkness over light. Therefore. God has decreed that your name shall no longer be Lucifer the bearer of light from this day forward. You shall be called Satan the adversary no longer. Will you be a creature of love and beauty you will be a dragon hated Lonesome creatures whose utterance and deceptions will deliver those who heed you into Eternal fire. Smoldering Satan set brooding beside a strain on the newly-created planet.
One thought one thought went through his mind. How can I fight God? and regain power
after a great deal of scheming Heroes and called his lieutenants to him. He presented a detailed plan by which they may wrestle from God the newly-formed world and annihilate its inhabitants and make it their own domain. While it is much too small a kingdom for a being of my stature. It will serve as a power Base by which we may launch further attacks until we have wrestled the entire universe from the hand of God. How we going to do?
Satan Smart. Explain his new creation to be he said that if they human couple ever disobeyed him his Spirit would depart our task then.
Satan left his lieutenants in Disguise himself as one of the more Earthly creatures and using a mixture of he seduced a couple into rejecting their creator but his consternation they did not immediately die gods in front of them with their Disobedience and revealed the pain sorrow and eventual death. That was come by their disobedience. He also promised them something that they're Seducer had never anticipated that one of their future descendants would restore all they had lost and would crush Satan head. When Satan heard this prophecy new outrage boiled in his heart, he charged a full Battalion of his fiercest demons to conduct a guerrilla warfare preventing the promised Redeemer from coming throughout the centuries. They attacked the family the king the Nations charged with bringing God's promise to fruition. But neither Satan nor his Legions could keep the promise child from being born. Cricket store Ann Pretty good stuff like that. One of my favorite Bible teachers is dr. Jay Vernon McGee in one of the one of those lines that I've Loved is even in the Garden of Eden God began to lay down a highway of Prophecy and lay down markers for us. You see the Bible is made up of about 30% or 1/3 of Prophecy. We take the birth of Jesus in the prophecies that are outlined in the Scripture. It happened to the Reading part. That's the exciting part. So take a look at the store. I did not make this story up or the story. I just told you I did not make up it comes from Revelations chapter 12th going to go through it real quick just to explain it and then go on through our Highway of everything else.
In the moon under her feet and on her head was a crown of 12 stars, and she was with child and she cried out being in labor in pain to give birth. Who is that woman the nation Israel. We keep going then another sign appeared in heaven uphold a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns on his head with seven diadem's and his tail Swept Away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to Earth and the dragon stood before the woman who is about to give birth so that she when she gave birth. He might Devour the child. Who's the red dragon safe? we go on and she gave birth to a son a male child who is to rule the nations with a rod of iron and her child was caught up to God and to his throne. Who's that male child cheese, play along with all right. All right, and there was war in heaven Michael and his angels wage war with the dragon the dragon his angels wage war and they were not strong enough and they were no longer a place found to them and Heaven and the Great Dragon was thrown down the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan will deceive the world. He was thrown down to earth and his angels thrown down with him. That angel is Michael. Alright, so the birth of Jesus is part of God's big plan outlined in scripture scripture all we have to do. So, let's go back and look at that outline of the birth of Jesus. Alright, so first thing we need a woman. All right for my scripture reading today. We see and I will put enmity between
Everybody understands that right if you do. You doing really good. Let's do a little replacement therapy. All right, let's replace the words with Satan and her seed with Christ and we'll see what happens. I think it starts to become a little bit clearer then. And I got will put enmity between you Satan as a woman in between your seed and Jesus Christ. He will bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel. Right now it's starting to make a little bit more. But let's go through the prophecy that we all know everything that I'm about to tell you in this little road sign Journey here, you know, we sing about it. We're going to be singing about it. You're going to have a little before Jesus was born. The first thing we need is a nation and that Nation came from Abraham Abraham before he even had a child was told by God. I'm going to make you a great nation. well Ishmael and Isaac so we got a problem. Which one is it going to come from? Well Our Redeemer is going to come through line of Isaac. How do we know that? God will be with Isaac? No problem. Isaac had two kids Esau and Jacob Esau was the first foreign. So you would think in that culture the firstborn has everything he gets everything. All right, or at least two-thirds well, God plan was not for East all it was for Jacob and Jacob were told that Jacob through his line. He will rule with a sector-by-sector is a we got a problem now. we got a problem now Jacob renamed Israel has 12 sons and one daughter through for what are two eyes and two concubines, but let's not be two exact. All right, how would you like bats Thanksgiving dinner just saying so we are told that Jacob but we are told that is going to come through the tribe of Judah now park here for a second. last words mean a lot Okay, when somebody is on their deathbed and they want to tell you something it's probably important.
That's that's free. That wasn't part of the sternum when somebody is on their desk and they're telling you something it's important. So we know the story of Jacob Joseph goes down Israel to Egypt eventually all of the brothers come down eventually Jacob comes down and they settle in Egypt. Jacob is getting ready to die. He's an old. Alright, so he brings the family together and he gives them a blessing chapter 49 in Genesis. Is that blessed and here is part of the blessing to Judah the scepter shall not depart from Judah nor the ruin staff from between his feet until Shiloh comes and to him shall be the obedient of the people. We know that Our Redeemer is going to come through the line of Judah.
They didn't know it now. The kingly line of David Jeremiah tells us behold the days are coming to clear the Lord when I will raise up from David A righteous branch and he will reign as king and act wisely and do justly and righteousness in the land in his securely and His Name by which he is called will be the Lord of righteousness. We got the genealogy all down. Now, we know exactly where Jesus is going to come from. He's going to come through the line of David. Now what is going to come through the line of David? a child the most probably one of the most famous Christmas verses ever for a child is born to us a son will be given the government will rest on his shoulder and his name will be called wonderful counselor, Mighty God Eternal Father Prince of Peace. We know a child is coming Isaiah tells us but we know more we know that he's going to be born in Bethlehem now, I love this. This is Mike. I just listened to these words. But as for you Bethlehem too little to be among the clan of Judah from you one will go forth for me to be ruler in Israel. His going Force are from long ago from the days of Eternity. Before this world was ever created God has a plan and he had the plan for Jesus to come to this world and he wrote it down through His prophets. I thought I was going to be born is going to be born in Bethlehem. And guess what? You know, the story going to be born of a virgin therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign of a hold of a child and she will be called and he will be called Emmanuel. We think about this every Christmas. These prophecies came about hundreds of years before the birth of Christ. They were all written down. But you know what? It's not the end of the story yet because Jesus. Is Born to Die? and Hebrews is written but we do see him who was made for a little while lower than Angels mainly Jesus because of the suffering of death crowned with Glory and Honor so that by the grace of God, he may taste death for everyone.
We talkin prophecy here, and I know craddock's going to get me cuz he's going to go no fair Yellow Card. Sorry petzak on your way.
Let's go to the cross. 800 years years before Jesus was crucified. God gave David view of Jesus Through Jesus's eyes of the cross. Before David wrote Psalm 22 Psalm 22 is a picture from Jesus's eyes of what's happening on the cross. Let's read part of it. These words may sound familiar to you, but you probably never knew that they came from the Psalms. My God my God. Why have you forsaken me? Far for my Deliverance are the words that my groaning many bowls are surrounded me strong Bulls of basins of encircled me. They open wide their Mouse with me as a rating in Roaring Lion. I am poured out like water and all of my phones are out of joints. My heart is like Wax it melts within me. My strength is drying up like a pot share my tongue Cleaves to my jaw and you lay me in the dust of death. Four dogs have surrounded me a band of evildoers of his Compass me. They pierced my hands and my feet I cannot count I can count all of my phone. They look at me. They stare at me. They divided my garments among them and for my clothes they cast lots. But you oh Lord. Be not far off. OU my help Hasting my sister David wrote those worlds 800 years 800 years before Jesus was crucified. And here's the thing. crucifixion was not part of David's time. Didn't exist crucifixion of the mean of torture and death did not happen until the Persians and then Alexander the Great little step further with the Greeks that the Roman. The Romans took it to a whole new level of efficiency. Crucifixion and you know what it is and now your arms to the cross. And then a credible platform receipt and they put One Nail between your ankles. oyster
And the struggle isn't the nails the struggle isn't the nails the struggle is being able to breathe. So they're real nice about it. Just a little bit bent knees. So in order and your arms are high. So in order to breathe you have to push up. Then you like to give out you go down push up down so that motion of the nail prints. for your bodies hanging vinyl your legs give out. Your legs give out and then your bones of your arms come out of the joint. Remember this verse talks about I can count all of my phone's the arms in some cases become 578 in longer from the weight of the body.
All that weight goes into the chest. You can't breathe. Suffocate to death you suffocate to death in your own. bodily fluids that
Is what Jesus was born? to do
but you know. Story doesn't end there. The story doesn't end there you see Jesus is the Redeemer. You can say that again louder. There you go. Jesus is the Redeemer. Matthew's tells us she will Barrett's son and you shall call his name Jesus for he will save his people from their
how to get better You see We believe We believe the prophecies concerning Jesus birth, because otherwise, all right, it happened. But you know, the story doesn't end there because Jesus is coming again. The prophecies tell us that Jesus is coming again.
Show me just park for just a second. On that cross Jesus was born to die, but I have to cross the sentence of Satan. Was handed down. How do we know that 1st? John 3:8 appeared for this purpose to destroy the works of the devil. That's good. That's good, Daniel 8:25 just puts in a little bit different and think about today think about today's newspaper. What is this read why today's newspaper and through his shrewdness. He will cause the seat to succeed by his influence and he will magnify himself in his heart and he will destroy while they are at
He will even oppose the Prince of Peace, but he Satan will be broken without human agents. Oh, that's good. That's good. The Forgiveness has been offered at the cross and the sentence of Satan has happened but judgment. Still to come Matthew 24:39 through 30 goes as the last week of Jesus life is on the Mount of Olives and he talks to his disciples and he tells his disciples what's going to happen and this is what he says, but immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened in the moon will not give its like the stars will fall from the sky in the power of Heavens will be shaken. And then the Sun the sign of the son of man will appear in the sky than all the tribes of the earth will mourn and they will see the son of man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great Glory. That is a darn good sense now.
Are you ready? Oh, I like that. Are you ready? Say it again?
How do you know you're ready? Remember when I told you last words matter to go back to the Cross? Let's go back to what? Luke records Jesus is crucified with two other thieves criminals, whatever they are. They're in bad shape. All right, tell me if this is not a picture of today. What criminals who is hanging? There was hurling abuse is at him saying are you not the Christ save yourself and us? But the other answered and rebuked him saying do you not even see your God since you are under the same set the combination and we need our suffering just lie. We are receiving what we deserve for our but this man Jesus has done nothing wrong.
That criminal looked at Jesus and he said Jesus. Remember me? Remember me? When your kingdom come?
Have a good part. And Jesus said to him. Truly I say to you today. You shall be with me in Paradise.
Say it again. Are you go? We make it hard. We make it so hard. We think we've gotten in some of these things we have to do. We have to believe in Jesus easy get baptized.
Worship go to Bible study.
You have to ask Jesus to remember you that's it. All right, that's it. Now, I hope that if you have not asked Jesus into your life that today is the day that you say Lord remember me. Lord remember me. It's okay. Lord. Remember me? Now by the grace of God, if you have already given your life to Jesus then the best way the best way to give a gift this Christmas. Tell somebody about Jesus material wealth big presents. They don't mean anything. Jesus is a turtle. Jesus is eternal you want to be a neighbor? Show what Jesus is the feet and hands of Jesus and then don't be scared to say. How's your faith? How's your face?
What end with sub? adult tone And it's a poem from a soldier from Vietnam. That was written to Robbie Zachariah Ravi Zacharias. The great apologetic as from the don't know exactly what date but it really sink Taps away.
That transformation. So here you go.
Lord God I've never spoken to you. But now I say to you. How do you do? Is he God they told me that you didn't exist and like a fool. I believed all this last night from a shell hole. I saw your sky and I figured right then and there told me. How do I check in time to see the things you made? I would have known they were not calling a spade a spade. I wonder God if you will take my hand somehow I feel that you will understand. Funny I had to come to this hellish place before I had time to see your face. Well, I guess there isn't much more to say. But I sure am glad God that I met you today. I guess Zero Hour will be here soon. But I'm Not Afraid since I know you're near the signal I want you to know look now. This is will be horrible fight. Who knows. I may come to your house tonight. That wasn't very friendly to you before. I wonder God if you will wait at your door. Look, I'm crying. I'm shedding tears. I'll have to go now. Goodbye. Strange now since I met you. I'm not afraid to die.
John revealed in Revelations when he was at the Hattiesburg MS Really what Jesus is? And it says I am the Alpha and the Omega the beginning in the end. They asked the Lord which is which was and which is to come.