Christmas Facts (advanced)

[Guest guest]

It was not Jesus' birth but his death—and its history-making

significance—that he commanded his followers to commemorate. (Luke

22:19, 20) No, it was not as a helpless baby in a manger that Jesus

wished to be remembered, for he is nothing of the kind now. More

than 60 years after his execution, Jesus revealed himself in vision

to the apostle John as a mighty King riding into battle. (Revelation

19:11-16) It is in that role, as Ruler of God's heavenly Kingdom,

that we need to get to know Jesus today, for he is a King who will

change the world. You pray for this earthly kingdom when you say

the Lord's prayer which is an example of things to pray about (if

you listen to what you say). namely: Thy Kingdom come TO THE

EARTH as it is in heaven. Most people don't realize that Jesus

taught people about bringing peace TO THE EARTH in the future, not

by man but by God with Jesus as King. Ever read " the righteous

shall inherit the Earth " ???????

 

If God had wanted Christians to celebrate Jesus' birth, then the

Bible would have provided the exact date. Does it? After mentioning

that Jesus was born at a time when shepherds were out-of-doors at

night watching their flocks, 19th-century Bible scholar Albert

Barnes concluded: " It is clear from this that our Saviour was born

before the 25th of December . . . At that time it is cold, and

especially in the high and mountainous regions about Bethlehem. God

has concealed the time of [Jesus'] birth. . . . Nor was it of

consequence to know the time; if it had been, God would have

preserved the record of it. "

 

By contrast, the four Gospel writers clearly inform us of the day on

which Jesus died. It happened on the day of the Passover, which was

held on the 14th of the Jewish month Nisan, in the spring. Moreover,

Jesus specifically commanded his followers to commemorate that day

in remembrance of him. (Luke 22:19) The Bible contains no such

command to celebrate Jesus' birthday, nor, for that matter, any

other person's birthday. Sadly, controversies over the date of

Jesus' birth may overshadow the more noteworthy events that took

place about that time.

 

If one must know about when, you can figure it out counting back

from when he died at 33 1/2 yrs. Brings you back to October 1-2

33 1/2 yrs prior (our calendar) as I stated in other post. Plus

other recorded historical events in the Bible substantiate it.

 

Carol hartwell, CNHP