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because He loves us too much. The Word (God) was
made “flesh” John 1:14. The Good News was heralded by the prophets of the Old
Testament with such particular specifications in other for us not to be fooled
by the deceivers or the pretenders of our time. I am inviting you to a brief
Christmas study from the Old to the New Testament.
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The exact
place of
birth by
Micah
(Mic.5:2)
The prophecy
of Micah was
written many
years before
the birth of
Christ,
around the
VIII century
B.C (740 and
687).
However,
there was no
mistake as
far as the
location,
the town,
and the
time. “But
you,
Bethlehem
Ephrathah,
though you
are little
among the
thousands of
Judah, yet
out of you
shall come
forth to me
the One to
be ruler in
Israel;
whose goings
forth have
been from
old, from
everlasting.”(Mic.
5:2)
Bethlehem
(house of
bread) is a
city of
prophecy,
history, and
mystery.
Without any
doubt, this
is one of
the
clearest,
convincing
and most
striking
piece of
evidence of
who Jesus
Christ is.
He is the
true bread
of life by
location of
birth as we
will see in
the Gospel.
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The
fulfillment
of Micah’s
prophecy
in the New
Testament
(Luke 2:
4, 8-11)
The
identification
of the true
Messiah was
not only
important to
the Jew by
the manner
of birth,
but also the
location
provided by
prophecies.
It is
generally
agreed that
prophecy
taught and
treasured by
every devout
Jew was that
of Micah
5:2. When
the Magi
came to
Jerusalem
seeking the
new born
King, Herod
and all his
people were
deeply
troubled. He
inquired
from the
chief
priests and
scribes of
where the
Christ was
to be born
(Matt.2:4).
They replied
without
hesitation
“In
Bethlehem of
Judea, for
thus it is
written by
the prophet”
(Matt. 2:5).
The Gospel
of Luke
presents the
place, the
time, and a
sign that
are
associated
with God’s
visitation
to earth in
the person
of Christ.
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The
Immaculate
Conception
(Isaiah
7:14)
(Matt.
1:18-23)
In
order to
save others
from sin,
that savior
should be
sinless.
From Adam to
the last
person that
will be born
of man, the
Bible
declares:
“All have
sinned, and
come short
of the glory
of God.”(Rom.
3:23) The
birth of a
Savior could
not and will
never be the
result of
sexual
relationship
between one
man and a
woman.
Isaiah, the
prophet
indicates
the manner
of birth.
“Therefore
the Lord
himself
shall give
you a sign:
Behold, a
virgin shall
conceive,
and bear a
son, and
shall call
his name
Immanuel”
(Isaiah
7:14). The
fulfillment
of that
prophecy is
found word
for word in
three of the
four
gospels.
Matthew
found it
very
important
not only to
present the
manner of
conception,
but also the
place of
birth
“Bethlehem”
Matt. 2:1.
Jesus, the
only Savior
of the
World, has a
sure
Biblical
platform to
stand on, in
order to
accomplish
the rescue
mission from
sin.
Conclusion-As
followers of
Christ, do
not let
ourselves
entangle in
the
celebration
style of the
worldly. Do
not waste
our time
neither
fighting
over a
specific
date. Praise
God! Two
thousand
years ago,
Im-man’-u-el
came down to
reconcile us
with God.
Let us
rejoice and
be merry in
that
remembrance.
Merry
Christmas to
all our
members and
friends!
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