GOD IS WITH US

 

                  What a wonderful season it is! Christmas may be busy and demand that our time be split in many different directions, but when we finally settle down and reflect on its true meaning, the love of Christ warms us through and through. The birth of Jesus is a joyous time. It’s a time to remember how much God loves us. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

We also remember the passages of Scripture reminding us that the birth of Jesus was prophesied thousands of years before He actually came in the flesh.

 

It all started in Genesis 3:15 when God told the serpent, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

Isaiah 7:14, says, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel.”

 

In Isaiah 9:6-7, the prophet said, “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.”

 

Then in Micah 5:2, the place of His birth was prophesied. “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”

 

            The Messiah, Jesus, Christ, Emmanuel was born just as prophesied. He lived His life and ministry just as the prophets had foretold. Here are just a few of the prophecies concerning His life as the Son of Man.

 

Isaiah 61:1-2 – “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;”

 

            Jesus died, was placed in a tomb, rose again the third day and then ascended back to the Father. All of this had been prophesied, too. He was born to die for our sins so we can live. Once again, these are just a few of the prophecies concerning His death.

 

Isaiah 53:7 – “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.”

 

Isaiah 50:6 – “I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.”

 

Isaiah 53:5 – “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.”

 

Isaiah 53:12 – “Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”

 

And there were prophecies of His resurrection and ascension:

Psalm 16:10 – “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.”

 

Psalm 49:15 – “But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.”

 

Psalm 68:18 – “Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them.”

 

            It is amazing how detailed some of these prophecies are, and yet they came about exactly as foretold. All the other prophecies that are yet to be fulfilled will be fulfilled when the time is right. There is another prophecy that has been fulfilled that Jesus Himself prophesied.

 

John 14:16-17 – “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.”

 

Acts 1:8 – “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

 

This prophecy had also been given in Joel 2:28-29.

 

“And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

 

We can read about it happening in Acts 2:1-4.

 

“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

 

            Thank God for the birth of Jesus, and thank God for sending us His Spirit to live in us and guide us in the way of Truth. Jesus may not be with us in bodily form, but He can be in us by the Holy Spirit if we will allow Him to come in.

            Knowing these prophecies that have come to pass in perfect harmony with what God said gives us even more reason to expect every other prophecy to come to pass.

 

In Mark 13:25-27, Jesus said, “And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.  And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.”

 

Philippians 2:9-11 – “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

 

Thank God Jesus came and dwelt among us in human flesh.

Thank God His Spirit still dwells in us with the same power, wisdom and love.

We have His treasure in our earthen vessels.

And thank God Jesus is coming again to rule and reign forever!

 

Have a very Merry Christmas!