A CHILD…A SON
Today’s Reading: Isaiah 9-10
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
Here again is one of David Reynold’s photos from Nazareth Village. Just imagine what was going through the minds of Mary and Joseph as they gazed upon the little One of whom it was written, “Unto us a Child is born. Unto us a Son is given” (Isaiah 9:6).
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verses: Isaiah 9:2, 6
The people who walked in darkness
Have seen a great light;
Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death,
Upon them a light has shined.
…For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
The border between Zebulon and Naphtali (Isaiah 9:1) is exactly at the town of Capernaum, the place where Jesus lived, taught, and did many miracles for most of the years of His public ministry. Peter, Andrew, James, John, and Matthew lived there. Truly these people saw “a great light!” (read Matthew 4:12-17).
Consider the names of Mary and Joseph’s Child and God’s Son. (1) “Wonderful!” In the Hebrew language this name means, “That which is miraculously accomplished by God.” (2) “Counsellor!” His counsel reveals the heart, mind and will of God. (3) “Mighty God!” No wonder that thousands of Jews, including some of the priests and rulers who believed Isaiah’s prophesies, believed that Jesus is fully God. (4) “Everlasting Father!” Jesus is the Giver of eternal life and is One with the Father (John 10:27-38). (5) “Prince of Peace!” Paul writes of Jesus, “He, Himself is our Peace!” (read Ephesians 2:14-17). Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). And in Isaiah 10:17, in the midst of prophesies of judgment, Isaiah declares that there is hope in “The Light of Israel!”
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, I thank You for the Child, and thank You for the gift of Your only begotten Son! All glory to You for the One who is 100% human and 100% God! Grant me, I pray, all the grace I need in order to enter more fully into His provisions for me, so that I will glorify You all the more. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen!!!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
Here, on the day after Christmas, it’s good to reflect on Jesus’ birth. Some of our blog partners have mentioned that December 25 is probably not the correct date of His birthday. However, I believe that it’s still a great celebration day. The world does pay attention, in spite of all the trappings of a traditional Christmas, to the fact that Jesus did come to live on the earth. There’s got to be an influence when we hear, as I did in a local mall, the words being sung, “Joy to the world, the Lord is come…born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth.”
I read that Zechariah, John the Baptist’s father, was in the line of Abijah, one of the priestly families who served in the Temple for the month of March (approximately). If Zechariah’s wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant immediately after Zechariah’s return home from the Temple, and we know that she was six months along when Mary arrived, then adding Mary’s nine months to Elizabeth’s six months, it would mean that Jesus was born 15 months later. The Shepherds did not pass on the date, neither did Mary and Joseph. The world’s most popular song, “Happy Birthday” had not yet been composed. I think that the message to us is not the date, but the fact that He was “born” and “given!” Let us rejoice and keep celebrating for the next 365 days. That way we’ll be sure to hit the right date. By the way, our friends from the Orthodox Churches celebrate January 6th, and the Armenian Church celebrates January 9th. I’ve just turned to Philippians 4:4 and read, “REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS! AGAIN I WILL SAY, REJOICE!” I refuse to dampen my celebration in any way because of a confusion over dates.
Yours for celebration anyway and just because!
David
same here Mr. Mainse! I don’t get in a knot regarding the “date” Jesus was born. There is a group that puts on Christmas Tales with Justyn Rees & Russ Rosen. it’s a musical and involves grown actors, guys who play instruments and tell the story of the birth of Jesus! If anyone ever wishes to book this group, contact justynrees.com or russrosenband.com It is very entertaining evening, they appeared at the Baptist church in my town!
Blessings to everyone.
I am of the same thinking. It does not matter about the exact date of our Saviour’s birthdate only that I believe
I am a sinner and Jesus redeemed me by His Death and Resurrection. Now it’s up to me to learn the Christian Faith in the study of the Bible and fellowshipping with other believers; for growing in grace and knowledge of who Jesus is for me as a Christian. God bless 100 Huntley Street.
Absolutely rejoice for our Savior is born.
Amen, David! The date of Christ’s birth is not the point. Let us rejoice in the fact Jesus was born and came to earth so that we might be saved by His enduring love and selfless sacrifice for us. Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13). Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (John 14:27). Wishing all saints a blessed day, in our Lord.
It Is Well With My Soul
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZIY142gjqs&index=3&list=PL2ACD992264D713AC
Yes, thank God Jesus came to save all people.
Agree, the actual date is not the most significant detail. Jesus was born and we will rejoice.
So neat that these beloved passages in Isiah are our readings just when we are celebrating Christ’s birth! Great timing!
HE CAME!!! HE LIVES FOR EVERMORE!!! PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME!!!
HE LIVES, HE LIVES, CHRIST JESUS LIVES TODAY, HE WALKS WITH ME AND TALKS WITH ME ALONG THE NARROW WAY. HE LIVES HE LIVES SALVATION TO IMPART, YOU ASK ME HOW I KNOW HE LIVES…HE LIVES WITHIN MY HEART!!!
THANK YOU JESUS, YOU CAME!!! “JOY TO THE WORLD THE LORD HAS COME…LET EARTH RECEIVE HIS KING, LET EVERY HEART PREPARE HIM ROOM…!!!!
Amen to the fact that the date is not important just that it is. I of course celebrated Christmas all my growing up yrs. and all the hipe that went with it, then I met Jesus personally. Wow what a difference. Now it is Christmas every day of the year. Life still goes on with its ups and downs but to know Jesus is right here with me through it all is the living hope, and the hope for Eternity!
When I read Scripture it is very clear God doesn’t do anything by accident or on a whim. The time and date He chose for His Son to enter into humanity as one of us, is significant. Maybe not in terms of when to “celebrate a holiday”, but in terms of God’s plan in relation to what was and what is to come, so to say the actual date has no real importance is short changing God’s intricate design of timing. So yes, I agree as far as picking a date to “celebrate” that isn’t vital, because creating holiday around the birth of Jesus was not part of God’s plan, yet the actual date of His Son arrival was chosen for a reason and is important because it is the date God chose.
thank you Marg Walker I like your blog! Yes, life goes on with all its ups and downs! Yes, it is a miracle that Jesus walks right beside us through life!
And please don’t anyone misunderstand me! God saw that the world was not right and HE choose a time for His Son to be born! AMEN AMEN AND AMEN!
In eternity there are no dates.I wrote this post a few days back on the same subject on my FB timeline:
” Bill Marshall
December 19 at 7:17pm ·
No one knows what day Jesus was born on but it was not in winter.Someone picked a day which was a pagan holiday.Was it a smooth move to slowly convert the pagan holiday to a Christian one as well as with Easter?Does it not seem like divine guidance because without these two days Christianity could have fractured into many different cults with much disagreement and fighting,stopping any real growth and playing right into the devil’s hands.Just my 2 cents worth….You decide “
Have you ever considered it might have been the other way around? Perhaps it was the devil who created pagan holidays around the holy days of the early Church as a means to discredit them. If that it is the case then it worked because many including Christians believe this false notion the early Church chose Dec 25 for the date to celebrate Jesus’s birth solely for the purpose to Christianize a pagan ritual.
Actually the reason they chose Dec 25th was because it was nine months from March 25th. March 25th had great significance in early Christianity as a date linked to the cross, Mary’s conception and the belief the earth was created on that date. There are many good Catholic web sites that can explain these reasons better than I did here, but all of them agree picking that day had nothing to do with the pagan festivals– which bring me back to my original question.
As for the idea there are no dates in eternity I don’t know if that is true or not because I’ve never been there to say so as a fact, but I do know the Bible is filled with references that suggest time still exists in eternity and God does order it, keeps it and measures it. His measurement is different than ours, one example being a day is like a thousand years here on earth, but there seems to be more Scripture evidence that supports the idea some form of dating time exists in eternity— anyway food for thought
Thank you for that info.I was under the ‘impression’ (I forget the reasoning why) that the pagan holidays existed long before Jesus was born.I have noticed that the R Catholic Church has blended local religion (I’m thinking of vodoo in Hati.) with Christianity in order to convert the locals.I am very open to correction and have several mature Christians who have mentored me but I have only been a Christian for 4 years.I have recently completed my ‘first’ 2-yr bible study.
Just over a year ago,I inadvertently ‘unsubscribed’ from 100 Words and have been unsuccessful at re-subscribing.I have done everything suggested (many times) to correct this but your confirmation email does not come through.Also,I have a friend,on a different ISP,who can not subscribe so the implication is that there my be many more in this category hiding the true number who read 100 Words.I use the direct link in my bookmarks (which is quicker anyway).
I am very grateful for this blog.Thank you and may God bless