“He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” Luke 1:32-33
“Not only was Christ’s miraculous birth prophetically revealed, but God planned his lineage from the very beginning.” Jesus Film Project
- Remember to call your prayer partner today. Pray over your Christmas celebrations, your guests, the work you have left to do, and whatever else comes to mind.
- This time of year, there is always something delicious to drink; pour some hot apple cider, cocoa, or coffee, and plan to exercise some spiritual muscles this morning!
- You will need your Bible for a lot of cross-referencing today. Get ready to turn some pages. We are about to unveil a mystery!
Prophecy of the Messiah
Christmas is such an anticipated time of year! Children of all ages long for the festive lights, decorations, tasty treats, and Christmas carols that herald the days of giving and receiving gifts. However, the excitement that bubbles up within us cannot be compared to the anticipation the Jews had for the birth of the Messiah! Have you ever read the Christmas story and felt the enthusiasm the shepherds must have had as they rushed to Bethlehem to see Baby Jesus? The entire nation of Israel had longed for their Savior for centuries!
For years, the Jewish nation looked for the Messiah to lift them above the persecution and political unrest they had been living in. At the time of Jesus’ birth, Rome had taken over Jerusalem and subverted their customs and religion, challenging them to change their ways. The Israelites longed for the prophecy to be fulfilled and for the promised Messiah to save them. I imagine they awaited with even more zeal and hope than we do for Christmas morning!
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger” (Luke 2:10-12).
For those who were educated at the time, they would have known the signs according to the prophets of old. It wasn’t a mystery that the Messiah was coming as a baby, but they did not expect a humble birth; they expected him to be born in a palace with wealth and power. In fact, as the Magi were on their way to greet Jesus and bestow on him gifts, they stopped to search in Jerusalem, known as the City of the Great King (Matthew 5:35). After they provided King Herod with their strategy of searching for a sign and following the star, they keenly grasped Herod’s ruthless plan to maintain his throne at any cost. God confirmed in a dream that they were not to return with the news of the child and to go home a different route (Hosea 11:1; Matthew 2:13-16).
The gift the world received was the very Son of God: a Prophet, Priest, and King who walked among them blameless and holy, born as an infant in the humblest of places. Isaiah 9:6-9 indicates that Jesus would not only be the Messiah, but also the Prince of Peace and King forever:
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.
Nothing is random with God; every detail is intentional and purposely orchestrated. He specifically gives us over 300 prophetic clues throughout Scripture about the Messiah. Clues about Jesus’ birth and lineage are foretold all the way from Abraham, Ruth, King David, Elizabeth and Mary.
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means God with us). (Matthew 1:22-23)
God knew we needed a Savior and planned in advance to send his very own Son. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” As Christmas approaches, allow God’s prophetic words and master plan to sink into the depths of your heart. Ponder the indescribable gift of Jesus’ miraculous birth: the heavens opening up, the angels proclaiming the GOOD NEWS, and the lowly manger scene that represents how Jesus came for ALL mankind to see the extent of God’s love. Reflect with new anticipation the free gift of eternal life and the life-altering rewards we receive by faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ. Invite Immanuel (God with us) to dwell afresh in your heart, and to be illuminated in your Christmas activities this year!
Blessings and Love,
Rae-Ellen
Questions to Ponder
- When God makes a promise in His Word, He asks us to believe. Do you really believe the Word of God? Many Jews are still waiting for the Messiah to come for the first time because they haven’t accepted Jesus as the Messiah. Others, called Messianic Jews, faithfully believe Jesus came to fulfill the Law. How do you respond to the claim of Jesus the Messiah being God himself? Ask the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob if Jesus/Yeshua is the Messiah. He will lead you in all truth!
Faith-Filled Ideas
Often, you will see passages repeated throughout Scripture to demonstrate the prophecy being fulfilled thousands of years later. Have you ever found New Testament passages that confirm Old Testament prophecy? There are over 48 Messianic prophecies and 324 individual prophecies in God’s Word. If this wows you, there are other resources to help you do an exhaustive search. Challenge yourself to read these Scriptures this season and be in awe of our infinite, omnipotent, everlasting Father!
Matthew 1:1-17
Romans 9:4-5
2 Samuel 7:12-17
Romans 1:2-4
Micah 5:2
Matthew 2:4-6
Isaiah 42:1-7
Matthew 12:15-21
Isaiah 61:1-3
Luke 4:16-19
Malachi 3:1
Isaiah 40:3-5
Matthew 3:1-3
Matthew 3:16-17
Luke 3:3-6
John 1:23
Zechariah 9:9
Matthew 21:1-11
1 Samuel 2:35
Hebrews 2:17
Jeremiah 23:5
Psalm 110:1
Matthew 22:44
Mark 12:36
Luke 20:42
Psalm 17:7
Psalm 18:35
Psalm 20:6
Psalm 73:23
Matthew 26:64
Mark 14:62
Mark 16:19
Luke 22:69
Acts 2:25
Acts 5:31
Acts 7:55-56
Romans 8:34
Hebrews 8:1
In her lifetime, she traveled the world exercising gifts of hospitality and a passion for missions. She now lives in the beautiful state of Colorado with her beloved husband Brian & busy crew.
She loves to be creative with cooking and meets friends for coffee. Rae-Ellen says,"My sweetest coffee dates are with Jesus!"
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