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Unfamiliar Biblical Verses for Christmas

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On December 28, 2009

In Christian, Christmas

During the Christmas season, we hear umpteen number of verses that talk about the birth of Jesus and the most familiar accounts in the Scriptures is what is often heard of.
Some of these include

Matthew 1:21:-23
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Luke 2:11
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

Isaiah 9:6-7
6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

As I wondered as to whether there other verses in the Bible, that we are not so intimately familiar with, which also signify the birth of the Lord Jesus Chirst, the following few verses came to mind.

Genesis 3:15
15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed [Jesus]; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
This is referred to be the first messianic prophecy recorded in the Bible.

Song of Solomon 3:6
6 Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense [two of the gifts presented to Jesus at his birth], with all powders of the merchant?

Revelation 12:5
5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

If you are familiar with other verses that signify the birth of Christ Jesus, please share.

Christmas in a Sentence

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On December 25, 2009

In Christian, Christmas

A friend of mine was sharing with me as to how he responded when some of his peers asked him about Christmas. He said, On Christmas, Christ-mas be told.
It’s Christmas day in the year of the Lord 2009 AD and as I ponder over what Christmas means and if one was given just 30 seconds to share to someone about Christmas, what would that be?

Christmas is God with us a.k.a. Emmanuel (Matthew 1:23);

Christmas is the fulfillment of a Prophecy (Genesis 3:15, Isaiah 9:6-7)
in the Persona of Jesus Christ  (Matthew 1:21, Philippians 2:6-7)
who joyfully endured the Cross in His Passion (Hebrews 12:2)
subduing all including death and the grave through His resurrection Power (John 11:25; Philippians 3:21)
becoming THE Provision of a Savior (John 19:20)
for the Problem of sin (Romans 6:23).

What other one-liners can be used to describe Christmas? Think about it. Time is short, opportunities are little and we must be prepared to share about Jesus, especially on Christmas where Christ must (mas) be told.

The gifts at and the Gift of Christmas

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On December 24, 2009

In Christian, Christmas, The Gift

For the past couple of nights, we have been as a Church going home to home, caroling and proclaiming the good news of God’s presence with man (Emmanuel) by being born into this world in the form of a baby, who is named Jesus, which means Savior a.k.a. He shall save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21-23). One of the songs we sang was ‘We three kings of Orient are’ which narrates the event of the wise men from the east that sought the king of the Jews who fell down and worshipped Jesus, when they came into the house and saw Jesus the child with his mother, Mary and in their act of worship, opened their treasures and presented unto him gifts; gold, frankincense and myrrh (Matthew 2:11).

While the presentation of gifts may be considered customary and happenstance, there is more to learn from this portion of the Scripture, just as any other narrative in the Christmas account.

Let us at first we look at the givers and then we shall look at the gifts.
The givers first and foremost fell down and worshipped Jesus, then they opened their treasures and presented him with their gifts. We must do likewise as well. We must first fall down and worship Jesus for He is King of kings, then we must open up our heart (for out of it is the wellspring [treasures] of life) and present ourselves to Him.  In other words, our act of worship must include wholeheartedly surrendering all we have and are to Him, the King over all.

Now looking at the gifts. The gifts that were given were gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Gold signifies royalty and divinity. It is the gift given to kings. Here we see that Jesus is the King given the gift of gold.
Frankincense signifies the prayers of the saints. Jesus is given Frankincense to symbolize that He is indeed a Priest forever in the order of Melchizedek, the High Priest of the Most High God who is the intercessor on our behalf to God.
Myrrh signifies aroma/perfume which was used when preparing someone for burial. By the presenting of myrrh to Jesus, it symbolizes the preparation for his death on the cross of Calvary as the final and acceptable sacrifice for the salvation of mankind. The cross overshadowed the cradle in the manger on the First Noel, the first Christmas, when the Son of God became the Son of Man, so that the sons and daughters of man could become the sons and daughters of God.

Additionally, we must not forget that the greatest giver was none other than God, Jehovah Jireh, The Provider of a provision for reconciling God with man (Emmanuel), through the greatest gift which was His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, THE GIFT.

What is the gift you/I are/am going to give Jesus?

Matthew 2:11 (KJV)
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.

John 3:16  (KJV)
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Jesus in the OT :: Hosea

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On December 23, 2009

In Christian, Jesus in the O.T.

The book of Hosea gives us a glimpse of who Jesus is in the Old Testament (O.T).

Hosea is the story of a PROPHET commissioned to marry a PROSTITUTE, a symbolic reference to God being faithful in the marriage relationship He has with his people, the Church that has an adulterous relationship with the world. It is an account that visualizes God’s heartache (BROKEN HEART) over his unfaithful people (symbolized by Israel).

 In the article “A physician testifies about the Crucifixion [of Jesus]”, Dr. David writes “Apparently to make doubly sure of death, the legionnaire drove his lance through the fifth interspace between the ribs, upward through the pericardium and into the heart. The 34th verse of the 19th chapter of the Gospel according to St. John reports: “And immediately there came out blood and water.” That is, there was an escape of water fluid from the sac surrounding the heart, giving postmortem evidence that Our Lord died not the usual crucifixion death by suffocation, but of heart failure due to shock and constriction of the heart by fluid in the pericardium.”  You can otherwise say that Jesus died of a Broken Heart.

Hosea 13:14 talks about someone who will ransom his people from death and redeem them from the power of the grave.
14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction:

Who is this person referred to as ‘I’ in that prophecy? To find the answer, we need to look at 1 Corinthians 15:55,57 which answers that question that this ‘I’ is the Lord Jesus Christ who gives victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

In Hosea, Jesus is the faithful one who ransoms us from death and redeems us from the grave, in spite of our unfaithfulness.

Jesus in the OT :: Daniel

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On December 22, 2009

In Christian, Jesus in the O.T.

The book of Daniel gives us a glimpse of who Jesus is in the Old Testament (O.T).

The book can be divided into two major sections. The first half is about the Personal life of Daniel (Chapter 1-6) while the second half  is about the Prophetic life of Daniel (Chapter 7-12), about the visions/revelation to Daniel. Rightfully so, Daniel can be said to be the Revelation of the end times in the O.T.

From the first half of the book, you can see how God is with Daniel and his friends who are faithful, in the midst of fire and fierce lions. God is their judge and the justice of God prevails. The very name Daniel means God is my Judge and you see this character of God being evident in the life of Daniel and his faithful friends. In the story of the 3 Hebrew boys, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, whom we commonly known by their Babylonian names as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, when these boys were thrown into the consuming fire, not only was God’s PROTECTION with them because they came out unscathed, but God’s PRESENCE was with them as well.

The fascinating account is recorded in Daniel 3 and the synopsis of that account is as follows

  1. The boys were cast into the fire bound by the mighty men of the land; They however came out of the fire loosed by the Almighty God of all men
  2. The king saw someone else in the fire whom he identified as the Son of God (Jesus Christ – the Only begotten and beloved Son of God)

Today, irrespective of what your situation is, if you earnestly seek to be free of bondage and the fire around you to be quenched, all you have to do is just open the eyes of your heart and look to Jesus, the Son of God, in the midst of the fire, protecting and freeing you. Pay attention and heed to what He is telling you, for He is the beloved Son of God, in whom God is well pleased.

From the second half of the book, as we continue to explore Christ in the scriptures, lets look at Daniel 7:9 which is recorded as

9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: [on] his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.

Remember Jesus said , Before Abraham was, I am (John 8:58). He indeed is the Ancient of days, from before the time of Abraham or even creation (Psalm 90:2).
Jesus also said that He saw Satan [star] fall from heaven  (Luke 10:18; Rev 9:1). The throne of Satan cast down.

In Daniel, Jesus is the Ancient of days and He is not only the protecting Son of God but He is also the PRESENT Son of God, in the midst of the fire.

Jesus in the OT :: Ezekiel

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On December 21, 2009

In Christian, Jesus in the O.T.

The book of Ezekiel gives us a glimpse of who Jesus is in the Old Testament (O.T).

An excellent book, which on the onset may seem extreme. Ezekiel is a prophet who was asked not to cry when his wife died to symbolize absolutely no sympathy for Israel, a book in which even the dry dead bones come alive.  A beautifully written book in which the fall of the proud one and the means of redemption from the clutches of the fallen are recorded. Ezekiel 28 records the fall of God’s angel Lucifer and Ezekiel 34 avers Jesus to be the True Shepherd with a covenant of peace (Ezekiel 34:23-25) and showers of blessings (Ezekiel 34:26).

Ezekiel 1 records the vision, the prophet Ezekiel has wherein he witnesses the visages of the heavenly creatures. Each had four faces, one face was like that of a lion, one face was like that of an ox, one of a man, and one of an eagle. This beautifully ties into the new  testament wherein in
Matthew – Jesus is portrayed as the Lion of Judah (Face of Lion)
Mark – Jesus is portrayed as the servant (Diligent service as an Ox)
Luke – Jesus is portrayed as the the son of man (face of a man) and in
John – Jesus is portrayed as the Son of God (Eagle symbolizing a divine bird, soaring the heavens).

In Ezekiel, Jesus is the True Shepherd, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the diligent Servant, Son of Man, and the Son of God with a new covenant.

Jesus in the OT :: Lamentations

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On December 18, 2009

In Christian, Jesus in the O.T.

The book of Lamentations gives us a glimpse of who Jesus is in the Old Testament (O.T).

The book of Lamentations has 5 chapters, each with 22 verses except Chapter 3 that has 66 verses and the statement Great is thy faithfulness is in the epicenter of the book (Lamentations 3:23).

Rev 19:11 records the name of Jesus will be Faithful and True;
Faithfulness is the epicenter of Jesus’ character.

We can read in Lamentations, Great is His Faithfulness, because GREAT is THE FAITHFUL ONE. We can sing Great is thy Faithfulness, by replacing faithfulness with Faithful One. And what is even more is that even if we are faithless, He remains faithful (2 Tim 2:11-14)

In Lamentations, Jesus is the Faithful One, the ever Faithful one.

Jesus in the OT :: Jeremiah

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On December 17, 2009

In Christian, Jesus in the O.T.

The book of Jeremiah gives us a glimpse of who Jesus is in the Old Testament (O.T).

The book of Jeremiah is an Autobiography and as the heartbroken prophet writes his life story, a heartbreaking message of doom to its readers, he bathes it with tears of compassion, so much so that he comes to be known as the Weeping prophet.

And as Jeremiah laments and weeps over an unpenitent people, fast forward many years and you see Jesus entering into Jerusalem and he stops and looks at the City (Jerusalem) and weeps over it (Luke 19:41). Why? Because they did not know of the time of God’s visitation or they would not accept the one who came in the name of the Lord as their King (Luke 19:14)

Jesus looked at their past and saw that the city had not seen God visit them through the voice of His prophets.
Jesus looked at the present and saw how some in the city did not recognize God having visited them in the flesh, in His own person.
Jesus looked at the future and wept that the self-righteous impenitent had really only to hope for dread in the days to come, when all they trusted on will crumble as did the city and that they would not possibly still recognize His upcoming visitation when He returns the second time as King of Kings.

In Jeremiah, Jesus is a Weeping GOD hoping that all who hear His voice, will see Him and How God visits man through Him.

Jesus in the OT :: Isaiah

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On December 16, 2009

In Christian, Jesus in the O.T.

The book of Isaiah gives us a glimpse of who Jesus is in the Old Testament (O.T).

The book of Isaiah can be likened to an miniature Bible. Like the entire Bible has 66 books, Isaiah has 66 chapters. In the first 39 chapters, Isaiah stresses the RIGHTEOUSNESS, HOLINESS and JUSTICE of God, a theme similar to the 39 books of the Old Testament. In the next 27 chapters of Isaiah portrays the Lord’s GLORY, COMPASSION and GRACE, a theme similar to the 27 books of the New Testament. In the 40+ years it records, it spans 4 kings of Judah. The Book starts with the Judgment of Judah and the nations and in the middle moves into Redemption, closing with Redemption and Future Glory.

Isaiah, the Latin form of Yesha’yahu (shortened as Yeshaiah) means Yahweh is Salvation and the well known passages in Isaiah that we are familiar with are from Isaiah 9:6 and Isaiah 53.

Isaiah 9:6 which is the prophecy of the ANOINTED ONE reads
For unto us a child is born (expressing the humanity of Jesus),
unto us a Son is given (expressing the divinity of Jesus).

And Isaiah 53 which is a prophecy of the ANOINTED ONE’s ATONING WORK states the Jesus was wounded for our transgressions, Bruised for our Iniquities and The chastisement of our peace was upon him and by His stripes, we are healed and like a Lamb to slaughter, He (Jesus) came.

Now when we fast forward many years, we saw John the Baptist, a man dressed brutishly, alongside a river making a promulgation as recorded in John 1:29 (29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God (Agnus Dei), which taketh away the sin of the world.)

The Lamb that Isaiah saw being led to the slaughter, is the Lamb of God that John the Baptist sees, and it will be this same Lamb that we will all see, seated on the throne, of whom it will be sung –  Blessing and honor, and glory and power be unto him who sits on the throne and unto the Lamb, forever and forever and ever and ever … (Revelation 5:13) and  Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. (Revelation 7:10)

In Isaiah, Jesus is the Agnus Dei, The Lamb of God

Isaiah 53: 5-7
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

Jesus in the OT :: Song of Solomon

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On December 15, 2009

In Christian, Jesus in the O.T.

The book of Song of Solomon gives us a glimpse of who Jesus is in the Old Testament (O.T).

Allegorically the Song of Solomon paints the imagery of the Church as the Bride who is espoused (engaged) to Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom.

As a young student of Sunabeda Public School in Orissa, India, I remember participating once in a quiz competition in which the question that was asked was “What is the expansion of the abbreviation SOS?” Some teams said, Sons of the Soil while others said Song of Solomon and our team got it right by saying the abbreviation SOS stood for Save our Souls. In hindsight today, as I ponder on this, it makes me wonder if God was probably trying to tell me something even in my school days. I feel now as if I just wasn’t paying attention to Him then because now putting the three together, I can now see that the The Song of the King of kings (Jesus) is that the sons of men made from the dust of the ground (a.k.a. the sons of the soil), are soiled in sin, until the King (Jesus) Saves Our Souls.

Celine Dion is famous for her hit song “The Power of Love” but if you really want to know the power of Love, I reckon you read Song of Solomon 8:6-7 which avers
6 Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.
7 Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.

Now if we replace the word love in verse 7 with the word Jesus and read it, what essentially surfaces is if a man would give all the substance of his house for love Jesus, it would utterly be contemned (despised/cursed).

Now to see the glimpse of Christ in the Song of Solomon from the Song of Solomon 3:6-11

6 Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, (remember the pillar of cloud in the wilderness) perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant? (Gifts that were presented to Jesus at his birth) 7Behold his bed, which is Solomon’s; threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel.8 They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night. (Jesus returns with his hosts to make war (Rev 19:11) and out of his mouth comes a Sword (Rev 19:15)) 9 King (of the Jews) Solomon (Jesus) made himself a chariot of the wood (The Cross) of Lebanon. 10 He made the pillars thereof of silver (The Pillar of the Holy Spirit that is a consuming fire, that purifies and refines as silver is refined in the Fire), the bottom thereof of gold (Humility from divinity), the covering of it of purple (The color of the robe that was put on Jesus as he was led to be crucified), the midst thereof being paved with love, for the daughters of Jerusalem. (Via Dolorosa, aka the way of suffering, or in other words – God’s Love Walk) 11 Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon (see King Jesus) with the crown (of thorns) wherewith his mother (we can say God the Father) crowned him (with a crown above all) in the day (day of the Lord) of his espousals (marriage of the Lamb), and in the day of the gladness of his heart (because man, the delight of his heart can once again be restored into a relationship with God).

2 Corinthians 11:2 reads
2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

In Song of Solomon, Jesus Christ is the Bridegroom waiting for you are me, who are engaged to Him.

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