Christmas: A Promise Kept

Luke 2:1-7 New King James Version

Luke 2:1 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.

Luke 2:2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria.

Luke 2:3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

Luke 2:4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,

Luke 2:5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.

Luke 2:6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered.

Luke 2:7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

How did we get here? What led to this?

Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.”

When you have a big mess to clean up, where do you start?

Genesis 12:1 Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you.

Genesis 12:2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.

Genesis 12:3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

One person > one family > one nation > all the families of the earth

Abraham, Isaac, Jacob

Genesis 46:3 So He said, “I am God, the God of your father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there.

Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah

Genesis 49:10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.

1 Samuel 17:12 Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem Judah, whose name was Jesse, and who had eight sons. And the man was old, advanced in years, in the days of Saul.

2 Samuel 7:12 “When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.

2 Samuel 7:13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

2 Samuel 7:14 I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men.

2 Samuel 7:15 But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you.

2 Samuel 7:16 And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.” ’ ”

In the time of David’s grandson, Israel divided into two kingdoms: Israel (Northern) and Judah (Southern).

The people were unfaithful to the Lord, were conquered, and dispersed by the Assyrians, then the Babylonians.

The promise seems to be lost.

But God promised that His people would return to the Promised Land.

Jeremiah 29:10 For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place.

During the Persian period, Jews are allowed to return to the Promised Land to rebuild the temple.

Eventually the Greeks defeat the Persians, and the Romans defeat the Greeks. Israel is an occupied territory of the Roman Empire.

Yet, God’s promise remains steadfast.

If fulfilling the promise were not difficult enough, God raised the stakes by adding more caveats to promise.

Over 700 years prior to the event, God promised that the Savior would be born of a virgin.

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.

680 years prior to the event, God promised that the Savior would be born in Bethlehem.

Micah 5:2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”

Luke 1:26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,

Luke 1:27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.

Luke 1:31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.

Luke 1:32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.

Luke 1:33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

We have a problem: There is a virgin but she is not in Bethlehem.

Luke 2:1 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.

Luke 2:2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria.

Luke 2:3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

Luke 2:4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,

Luke 2:5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.

Luke 2:6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered.

Luke 2:7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Galatians 4:4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

Galatians 4:5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.