Reflections on the First Christmas

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Reflections on the First Christmas

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Contemporary Nativity Scenes

• Christmas Cards
• Birthday Party in Bethlehem
• December 25, 0000 AD
• Stable full of farm animals
• 3 Kings
• Shepards
• Christmas Pageant
• Pageantry and spectacle
• Singing Angels
• Camels, Donkeys Cows
• The Glory of Christmas (?)

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Nativity Truth

• What is the truth surrounding Christs Birth?
• What is the proper chronology of events?
• The Biblical Accounts
• Matthews gospel
• Lukes gospel

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Outline

• Questions Regarding the Nativity
• The Forerunner Cousin John
• Marys Pregnancy
• Visiting Cousins
• The Bethlehem Events
• The Magi
• Out of Egypt
• Conclusions

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Questions Regarding the Nativity

• When was Jesus born?
• Christmas Day, 0 AD, right(?)
• What was unique about Jesus family?
• What was the familys genealogy?
• What were the special roles performed by his
  uncle, aunt, and cousin?
• Was Jesus mother a virgin? Did she remain a
  perpetual virgin?
• Where was Jesus born?
• In a stable surrounded by the farm animals?
• Who was present for the birthday event?

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Questions Regarding the Nativity

• What was the shepards experience?
• What were they doing out in the fields in the
  middle of winter?
• What song did the angels sing that night?
• What do we know about the 3 kings?
• Were there only 3 kings?
• Where did they come from?
• How long did it take them to reach Palestine?
• What about their Christmas presents?

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When Was Jesus Born?

• Birth-year probably B.C. 4
• Errors introduced by the Julian calendar
• Corrections made by the Gregorian calendar
• 360 days/year ? 365 days/year leap years
• Corrections were not retroactive
• Reference The Companion Bible Appendix 50
• Birth-date late September / early October
• Reckoned from the Temple Course of Abia (Abijah)
• Priestly service by Jesus Uncle Zacharias
• Priestly courses outlined in 1 Chronicles 2410
• Locates John the Baptists conception and birth
• 23rd Sivan (24th June) conception
• 7th Nisan (28th March) birth
• Suggests Jesus conception and birth
• 1st Tebeth (25th December) conception
• 15th Tisri (29 September) birth
• Reference The Companion Bible Appendix 179

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The Forerunner Cousin John

• Luke Chapter 1
• Zachariah and the Jewish Priesthood
• Family of Aaron
• 24 courses of service (2 weeks/year)
• Course of Abia (Abijah)
• Second ministration on 12-18th Sivan (13-19th
  June)
• Angelic Revelation to Zachariah
• Call his name John
• Hebrew Johanas Beloved of God
• Filled with the Holy Spirit
• The Spirit (Inspiration) and Power (Authority) of
  Elijah
• The Greek huion sons in verse 16, not
  children son representative (Greek)

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The Forerunner Cousin John

• Angelic Revelation to Zachariah
• Gabriel mentioned by name
• Greek apostelo commissioned with authority
  (not merely sent)
• Zachariah made mute
• Elizabeth conceives and hides

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Marys Pregnancy

• The Divine Record (Luke 126-38)
• Angelic Revelation to Mary
• Six months after Elizabeths conception
• Angelic Statements Concerning Jesus
• Son of the Highest
• Heir to the throne of his father (King) David
• Eonian reign over the house of Jacob
• Of His government there shall be no end

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Marys Pregnancy

• Matthew Chapter 1
• The so-called virgin birth
• The term translated birth in Matt. 118 is the
  Greek gennao generated
• Jewish betrothal married
• Not merely an engagement (our modern term)
• No further marriage ceremony was required
• Pregnant by the Holy Spirit
• Pregnant prior to any sexual relationship
• The Key Point
• Either God projected himself and entered the
  human race or Jesus was just an ordinary
  illegitimate child

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Marys Pregnancy

• Josephs Lineage
• Heir to the thrown of David
• Lineage confirmed
• Royal Line (Matt 11-17)
• Natural Line (Luke 323-38)
• Josephs Contemplations
• Death by stoning (Deut. 2221)
• Bill of divorce (Deut. 241)
• The Angelic Explanation
• Call His Name Jesus
• Hebrew Joshuai Jehovah-Savior

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Visiting Cousins

• Luke 139-45
• Mary journeys to see Elizabeth
• Commonly called the Visitation
• Nazareth to Judah
• Marys Song
• God, My Savior (Luke 147)
• Mary stays for 3 months
• Elizabeth gives birth
• Zachariah regains his voice
• Zachariah's Benediction (Luke 167-80)

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Roman Empire, 1st Century to AD 150
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Palestine Under the Roman Empire
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The Bethlehem Events

• Nazarene family fulfills Gods prophesy
• The City of David
• Caesar Augustus calls for a Census
• The unwitting accomplice
• Greek oikoname inhabited earth (not world)
• Circumstances of the Birth
• Environment
• Mediterranean Climate ? Mild
• Oriental Culture ? No stables
• Mangers used to hold animal feed
• September/October birth date
• On or around 29-30 September
• Reckoned from Johns conception
• The course of Abia (Zacharias service)
• Reference The Companion Bible, Appendix 179

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The Bethlehem Events

• Shepards of Palestine
• Sheep kept in a pens (corrals)
• Keeping Watch standing guard at the corral
  entrance
• Angelic Revelation to the Shepards
• One angel, then many
• No singing - just speaking
• Into Bethlehem
• Shepards worshiping is not mentioned
• Not enlightened regarding the virgin birth

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The Return from Trip Bethlehem

• The Family goes to Jerusalem
• Jesus was a Jew from birth
• Requirements of Jewish Law
• Mothers period of uncleanliness
• Foreskin removal (circumcision) required of males
• Temple sacrifices prescribed (two doves/pigeons)
• Interaction with Devout Jews
• Simeon (Luke 224-35)
• Waiting for the consolation of Israel
• Your salvation-bringing Messiah
• Anna (Luke 236-38)
• Spake of him to all that looked for redemption
  in Jerusalem
• The Family returns to Nazareth (Luke 239)

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The Magi

• The Magi Meet King Herod (Matt. 21-9)
• Magi
• Term is derived from a Persian religious caste
• Astrologers
• Known in the ancient world as government
  counsels, prophets, and dream interpreters
• Recognized the star as a divine communication
• Number of Magi is not disclosed
• Magi homeland not disclosed
• Their journey from the east took several
  weeks/months (from Persia or Arabia)
• Jerusalem was the first stop in Palestine
• Searching for the one born King of the Jews

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The Magi

• The Magi Redirected to Bethlehem
• When did that star appear (asked Herod)?
• Two years before (they answered)!
• Priests/Scribes provide the compass
• Pointed to Bethlehem
• The star reappears and leads the Magi
• Caravan stops at a house (Matt. 211)
• This meeting took place in Nazareth (not
  Bethlehem)
• 3 Gifts Gold, Frankincense, Myrrh
• 3 Symbols, perhaps
• Symbols of Deity, Humanity, and Death?
• The Magi Return Home
• Warned by God in a dream
• Returned home in secret (Matt. 212)

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Out of Egypt

• An Angelic Warning
• Joseph warned of King Herod in a dream
• Greek apollumi destroy (Matt. 213)
• The family flees to Egypt
• Herod slays the children of Bethlehem
• Two-years and younger
• Information provided by the Magi (!) regarding
  the appearance of the special star
• Bethlehem and surrounding enclaves
• Roman records and population demographics
  indicate that this equated to approximately 8-10
  two year old male children
• Jeremiah 3115 fulfilled

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Out of Egypt

• The Family Returns from Egypt
• In time, King Herod died
• Family returned to Nazareth in Galilee
• Hosea 111 fulfilled

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Conclusions

• God synchronized the events for his own purposes
• God provided a precursor, a herald for his
  Messiah (John the Baptiser)
• God preserved the royal lineage of King David
• God has recorded that the virgin birth was indeed
  just that
• The Bethlehem events were simple, not a big
  pageant
• The Magi arrived on the scene several years (most
  likely two years) after the birth
• God used humans to achieve His ultimate goals
• Including
• Removal of Adams sin
• Removal of personal sin
• Provision of the Salvation of Israel
• And the ultimate defeat of the Evil One (Satin)
• Merry Christmas!