Transcript CHRISTMAS MESSAGE - Cedar Springs Christian Church

CHRISTMAS MESSAGE
WHEN WAS CHRIST BORN?
DECEMBER 25TH
WHEN WAS CHRIST BORN?
YEAR?
DIFFERENCE OF OPINIONS
1 BC
2 BC
3 BC
ALL THE WAY BACK TO 7 BC
DEATH & RESURRECTION
IT OCCURRED OVER PASSOVER
BUT WHAT YEAR?
28 AD
30 AD
APRIL 32 AD
BEST SOURCE
BIBLE
MAY PROVIDE US WITH SOME CLUES TO
THE TIMING OF THE BIRTH OF CHRIST
O.T. CLUES ABOUT HIS COMING
MICAH 5:2 “ 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 are from of old, From
everlasting.” …For now He shall be great To the ends of
the earth; And this One shall be peace.
ISAIAH 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a
sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a
son, and will call him Immanuel.
IMMANUEL MEANS = “GOD WITH US”
DANIEL’S PROPHECY
Daniel 9:26 “ Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy
city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for
iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to
anoint the Most Holy. “ Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth
of the command To restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince,
There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built
again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times. “ And after the sixty-two weeks
the Anointed One shall be cut off, but not for Himself;...Then he shall confirm
a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring
an end to sacrifice and offering.
(Known as Daniels 70 Weeks)
After seven and then sixty-two 'sevens = 69 Weeks
the Anointed One = (MESSIACH/JESUS)
Cut off = Killed
but not for himself = (For OUR Sins)
WEEKS BROKEN UP:
UNDERSTAND THE FORMULA
(1 WEEK = 7 YEARS)
7 WEEKS X 7 = (49)
62 WEEKS X 7 = (434)
TOTALS = 69 WEEKS or (483 YEARS)
1 WEEK X 7 = (7)
70 WEEKS = 490 YEARS
483 YEARS LATER
DANIEL 9 That from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem
KINGS OF PERSIA (CYRUS/DARIUS/ARTAXERXES)
GAVE THE DECREE FOR THE JEWS TO RETURN TO
THEIR LAND TO BUILD UP JERURSALEM
69 WEEKS OR 483 YEARS SOMETHING SPECIAL WAS ABOUT TO OCCUR
483 YEARS
MORE TIMING OF THE MESSIAH
PROPHECIES BY MICAH/ISAIAH/DANIEL
THE O.T. PROPHETS COMMON THEME
A MESSIAH/KING WAS COMING TO CONQUER THEIR ENEMIES
&
HE WOULD SET UP HIS KINGDOM IN ISRAEL
MALACHI LAST PROPHET IN O.T.
400 YEARS GAP
A NEW PROPHET ARRIVES - JOHN THE BAPTIST
TIMING OF EVERYTHING COMING TOGETHER
EXPECTATIONS
PEOPLE LOOKING FOR MESSIAH AROUND THE TIME OF CHRIST
RABBI SIMEON
Luke 2:25-26 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was
Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of
Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him
by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the
Lord’s Christ.
So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in
the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he took
Him up in his arms and blessed God and said: “ Lord, now You are letting
Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have
seen Your salvation Which You have prepared before the face of all
peoples, A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your
people Israel.”
PROPHETESS ANNA
Luke 2:38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she (Anna) gave thanks
to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the
redemption of Jerusalem.
BUZZ THROUGHOUT THE WORLD
Tacitus (Roman Historian) wrote this:
“a persuasion existed in the minds of many that some
ancient writings of the priest contained a prediction
that about that time an eastern power would prevail
and that persons preceding out of Judea would
dominate and take dominion of the world.”
WHERE WAS JESUS BORN?
JUDEA
WHERE TO FIND THE CHILD?
Mathew 2:2 It talks about the Magi
(Wise Men) coming from the East
They come to Herod
(Roman Leader of Judea)
WHERE DO THE ANCIENT
SCRIPTURES SAY A SPECIAL KING
WILL COME FROM
PHARISEES REFERRED TO MICAH 5
Micah 5:2 But you, Bethlehem
Ephrathah, though you are small
among the clans of Judah, out of
you will come for me one who will
be ruler over Israel, whose origins
are from of old, from ancient times.
HEROD CONCERNED
HEARD KNEW JEWISH PROPHECIES
OUTSIDE OF JUDEA PEOPLE ARE COMING
HEROD’S GETTING CONCERNED
CHILDREN AGES 2 & UNDER WERE
MURDED IN BETHLEHEM
(SIMILAR TO EGYPT)
WHY DID THE MAGI COME?
FOLLOWED THE STAR
DANIEL IN CAPTIVITY
DANIEL PRAYED OVER WHEN THE CAPTIVITY WILL END
BIBLE SAYS DANIEL HAS A SCROLL OF JEREMIAH
THIS SCROLL READ THAT THE JEWS WOULD BE IN CAPTIVITY FOR 7O YEARS
(JEREMIAH 25:11)
Daniel asks God will you fulfill this word?
70 years are almost up…are we coming out?
GOD GAVE DANIEL A PROHECY WHICH DOES NOT BEGIN UNTIL JERUSALEM IS BUILT UP
DANIEL STAYED
DANIEL NEVER WENT BACK TO JUDEA
(STAYED IN BABYLON)
HIS TOMB IS IN BABYLON (IRAQ)
Daniel was a prophet King of Babylon
(Nebuchadnezzar)
Darius the Mede (King of Persia)
WHERE WERE THE MAGI FROM?
DANIEL LOOKED OVER THE MAGI IN PERSIA/BABYLON
BABYLONIANS & PERSIAN RESPECTED HIS WIDSOM
MAGI HAD PROPHECIES OF DANIEL AND OTHER JEWISH WRITERS
UNDERSTOOD THE HEAVENS FROM A GODLY PERSPECTIVE
MAGI SCHOOL OF THE EAST – (PHILO OF ALEXANDRIA)
(POSSIBLY LED BY DANIELS TEACHINGS)
UNDERSTANDING OF THE TIMES
PERSIANS/BABYLONIANS UNDERSTOOD THE TIME FRAME OF THE
MESSIAH BASED ON DANIEL’S TEACHINGS
It makes sense that The Magi (Kings of the East) who came to worship
Jesus would be from the area of Persia or Babylon
LOOKING FOR A COSMIC SIGN
Jewish tradition according to Josephus was this:
Seth (the son of Adam) was given a sign that
one should be born when there would be a
very bright star appearing in the heavens
IRON SCEPTER CONNECTION:
Balaam is prophesying:
Numbers 24:17 I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will
come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads
of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth.
GENESIS 49:8-10 “ Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall
praise; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your
father’s children shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion’s
whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down,
he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him? The
scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between
his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of
the people.
REVELATION 2:27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a
potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
REVELATION 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations
with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
HISTORICAL RECORDS OF A STAR
Ignatious (early church father): it sparkled brilliantly above all other stars
SOME HISTORIANS: IT LASTED THE LIFE TIME OF CHRIST
125 BC there was an astronomer that observed a new
star in the heavens and he drew it in his star catalog
Patolama 150 AD said: he saw the star with his own eyes
but it began to fade away and eventually disappeared
CHINESE: record a star being seen that had never been seen
before and it appeared at about the time of the birth of Christ
WHAT WAS THE STAR?
WHAT DID THE MAGI SEE?
STAR WAS 1 OF 3 THINGS:
THE STAR WAS SUPERNATURAL
THE STAR WAS AN ANGEL OR ANGELIC BEING
(STAR OR PLANET CANNOT STAND OVER A CHILD)
A RARE COSMIC ARRANGMENT
(POSSIBLY NEVER SEEN BEFORE)
SUPER NATURAL STAR?
GOD SUPERNATURALLY PLACED THE STAR IN A LOCATION DURING A CERTAIN TIME PERIOD
ANGEL OR ANGELIC BEING?
STARS CAN BE NATURAL OR FIGURTIVELY
RARE COSMIC ARRANGMENT?
ALIGNMENT OF PLANETS
MANY SCHOLARS BELIEVE THERE WAS A SPECIAL ALIGNMENT OF PLANETS
WHICH APPEARED TO BE A BRIGHT STAR IN THE SKY
JUPITER (LARGEST)/VENUS (BRIGHTEST)/REGULAS (KING STAR)
SEPTEMBER 3BC THIS ALINGMENT APPEARED IN THE CONSTELLATION OF LEO THE LION
SCEPTER COMES OUT OF JUDAH (LION)
SAME CONJUNCTION SEEN
AROUND BIRTH OF MOSES
3 years before Moses was born these planets were in conjuction in a constellation
called Pycies “the constellation the represents the nation of Israel
Egyptians read it as favor to the Jews and disfavor towards the Egyptians
Josephus (Jewish Historian) said: astronomers told this to Pharoah and
that’s the reason that pharoah started killing the male babies
WHY WOULD PHAROAH WIPE OUT A WHOLE GENERATION OF SLAVE BABIES?
IMPORTANCE OF PLANETS
2 Planets are extremely important to the Jews:
Saturn and Jupiter
MARS – PLANET OF WAR
SATURN & JUPITER ARE MOST IMPORTANT
Jupiter known as King David Planet
STAR OF DAVID
Do you remember years ago the
bombardment that took place on Jupiter?
There was 16 pieces of a comet that struck
Jupiter and it was like billions of tons of TNT
going off like a huge Nuclear Explosion
The signing of the Oslo Accords
It was the first direct, face-to-face
agreement between the government of
Israel and the Palestinians.
Intended to be the one framework for
future negotiations and relations
between Israel and the Palestinians,
within which all outstanding "final
status issues" between the two sides
would be addressed and resolved.
Arranged by President Bill Clinton and
signed by Palestines Yasar Arafat
and Israels Yitzhak Rabin
RABBIS RESPONSE
Rabbis that said that Jupiter is the planet of King David
THE PLANET REPRESENTS THE ROYAL SIDE OF ISRAEL
WHEN THEY SAW THE BOMBARDMENT THEY SAID THAT WE
ARE SELLING OURSELVES OUT TO OUR ENEMIES
IT’S A SIGN THAT WE ARE GOING TO SUFFER LIKE JUPITER
MAGI FOLLOWED THE STAR
HOW MANY MAGI?
GOLD - FRANKINCENSE - MYRRH
WHEN THEY SAW THE STAR THEY DID
NOT GET THERE OVERNIGHT
WHEN THEY ARRIVED IN JERUSALEM
THE STAR WOULD HAVE BEEN
SOUTH DIRECTLY ABOVE
BETHLEHEM
WHEN THEY ARRIVED JESUS WAS IN A HOUSE
CLUES FROM WHEN CHRIST WAS BORN
Bible tells us that Herod was ruling Matthew 2:1
Caesar Augustus was involved in Luke 2:1
A MAN BY THE NAME OF QUIRINIUS
(Pronounced: Sarinious)
THE GOVENOR OF SYRIA IN LUKE 2:2
SCHOLARS DOUBTING LUKE
Scholars use to doubt the book of Luke based on when
Quirinius (Sarinious) ruled
He didn’t rule until 15 years after Jesus Birth
HE RULED TWICE!!!
Quirinius the govenor of Syria
(Took a Census around the Birth of Christ)
TIMING OF A CENCUS
AUGUSTUS SENT OUT A CENSUS
JEWISH HISTORIANS SUGGEST IT WAS TO REGISTER
THE JEWISH FAMILIES AND TO SWEAR AN OATH NOT
TO OVERTHROW THE ROMAN EMPIRE
I believe the reason they did that was knowing a King
was about to be born of the Jews..their trying to set
things in motion for that
CENSUS WAS TAKEN EVERY 5 YEARS
HISTORICALLY THE LAST ONE OCCURRED IN 8 BC
3 BC WOULD BE THE NEXT
OUR EVIDENCE
PROPHECIES
MAGI FROM THE EAST
STAR (PLANET) ALIGNMENT
OTHER RULERS
3 BC
SEASON OF THE BIRTH
WHAT SEASON WAS THE BIRTH?
BIG CLUE TO THE BIRTH OF JESUS AS FAR AS THE MONTH & SEASON COMES FROM
THE LIFE OF JOHN THE BAPTIST
LUKE 1: PRIEST IN THE TEMPLE NAMED ZECHARIAH
HE HAD A WIFE NAMED EILZABETH
LUKE 1:5 TELLS US ZECHARIAH WAS FROM THE PRIESTLY DIVISION OF ABIJAH
O.T. THERE WERE 24 DIVISIONS OF PRIESTS
IT FELL HIS SEASON TO BURN INCENESE ON THE BURNING ALTAR
(HE WENT INTO THE HOLY OF HOLIES TO SEND INCENSE OR PRAYERS UP TO GOD)
GABRIEL MET HIM THERE AND TOLD HIM HE WAS GOING TO HAVE A SON
DIDN’T BELIEVE HIM—WANTED A SIGN
HE WENT DEF AND DUMB FOR 9 MONTHS (COULDN’T SPEAK)
WHEN HE RETURNED TO ELIZABETH HE FOUND THAT ELIZABETH WAS PREGNANT
THE 6TH MONTH
Luke 1:24 she (Elizabeth) hide herself for 5 months…in
the 6 month the angel came to Mary
IS THIS THE 6 MONTH ON THE JEWISH CALENDAR?
EZIZABETH HID HERSELF FOR 5 MONTHS & 1 MONTH
LATER THE ANGEL GABRIEL CAME TO MARY
Elizabeth = 6 MONTHS PREGNANT WHEN MARY ARRIVES
CALCULATING THE PREGNANCIES
Mary realizes she’s Pregnant and
decides to visit Elizabeth
LUKE 1:43 John the Baptist started leaping
in his mothers belly and became full of the
holy spirit
LUKE 1:56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for
about three months and then returned
home
WHY 3 MONTHS?
TO WITNESS THE BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST
6 MONTHS + 3 = 9 MONTHS
JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS BORN BEFORE JESUS
LOOKING FOR A PROPHET
JOHN THE BAPTIST BORN AROUND PASSOVER
PEOPLE WERE LOOKING FOR ELIJAH
MALACHI 4:5 "See, I will send you the
prophet Elijah before that great and
dreadful day of the LORD comes.
WAS JOHN THE BAPTIST ELIJAH?
PHARISEES ASKED JOHN IF HE WAS ELIJAH
WHY DID THEY THINK HE WAS ELIJAH?
WHAT DID ELIJAH WEAR?
CAMEL HAIR & A LEATHER GIRDLE
GIRDLE STORED
AT THE GOLD ALTAR IN THE TEMPLE WAS A
DRAWER WHERE ELIJAH’S GIRDLE WAS
STORED FOR HIS RETURN
PRIEST ZECHARIAH (HAD ACCESS TO GIRDLE)
BIBLE TELLS US HE CAME IN THE SPIRIT OF ELIJAH
HIS FATHER, ZECHRAIAH GAVE HIM THE GIRDLE
(ACCORDING TO JEWISH TRADITION)
AT THE JORDAN RIVER
MATTHEW 3:4 And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a
leather girdle about his loins
STARTING A MINISTRY
JOHN CAME FROM THE ABIJAH DIVISION OF PRIESTHOOD
(REMEMBER HIS FATHER ZECHARIAH WAS A PRIEST)
CANNOT START YOUR MINISTRY UNTIL THE AGE OF 30
JESUS DID NOT START HIS MINISTRY UNTIL WHAT AGE?
30 YEARS
JESUS FOLLOWED THE HIS OWN LAW
JOHN BEGINS AROUND PASSOVER
JOHN STARTS HIS MINISTRY AT 30 YEARS OLD
BORN AROUND PASSOVER
JEWISH MONTH OF NISSAN 14TH AND 15TH DAY
STARTS HIS MINISTRY AROUND PASSOVER
6 MONTHS OLDER THAN JESUS
6 MONTHS LATER
JESUS MINISTRY 6 MONTHS LATER
WHICH ALSO MEANS WHAT?
HE WAS BORN 6 MONTHS LATER
15TH OF TISHRI
1ST DAY OF THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES
BUSY TIME
JESUS BORN 1ST DAY OF TABERNACLES
NO ROOM ANYWHERE WHY?
BECAUSE YOU HAD TO LIVE IN A BOOTH OR
SOMEPLACE OTHER THAN YOUR HOME
STABLE NOT TOO BIG OF DEAL
NOT WINTER
PEOPLE ARE LIVING OUTSIDE
SHEPPARDS ARE STILL IN THE FIELD
JERUSALEM & BETHLEHEM GET COLD
2500 FT IN ELEVATION
THE 8TH DAY
ON THE 8TH DAY JESUS HAD TO BE CIRCUMSIZED ACCORDING TO JEWISH LAW
8TH DAY OF THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES
CALLED DAY OF REJOICING (IN THE TORAH)
SIMEON (A PRIEST AT THE TEMPLE) TAKES THE BABY AND REJOICES!!!
PROPHETESS ANNA TAKES THE BABY AND REJOICES!!!
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and tabernacled
(dwelt) among us; and we saw His glory, such glory as an only
begotten son receives from his father, full of grace and truth.
START OF JESUS MISTRY
JESUS BEGAN IN THE FALL AROUND FEAST OF TABERNACLES
WHAT DID JESUS DO BEFORE HE BEGAN HIS MINISTRY?
WANDERED IN THE WILDERNESS FOR 40 DAYS
WHAT WAS THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES CELEBRATED?
IN REMEMBERANCE OF ISRAEL’S JOURNEY THROUGH THE
WILDERNESS FOR 40 YEARS
WHEN WAS JESUS BORN?
IN THE FALL OF 3 BC
HEBREW MONTH – TISHRI
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER
CENTERED AROUND
“THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES”
WHY DECEMBER 25TH?
1ST & 2ND CENTURY CHURCH FOLLOWED AND
CELEBRATED/RECOGNIZED JEWISH CUSTOMS & FEASTS
UNDERSTOOD THE HEBRAIC ROOTS TO CHRISTIANITY
WHAT HAPPENED?
JEWISH HATRED
3RD & 4TH CENTURY TOOK IT AWAY
ANTI-SEMITISM CAME INTO PLAY
HATED THE JEWS
TOOK EVERYTHING JEWISH
CONNCETED TO CHRISTIANITY OUT
CHANGES OCCURED
CHANGED THE CALENDAR FROM JEWISH
(LUNAR) TO THE ROMAN CALENDAR
WORSHIP CHANGED FROM SATURDAY
(SABBATH) TO SUNDAY
OLD TESTAMENT WAS TOO JEWISH
TAKE FOCUS OFF THAT JESUS WAS JEWISH
BLENDING IN WITH OTHERS
DEATH & RESURRECTION NO LONGER
CONNECTED TO PASSOVER
DEATH & RESURRECTION ASSSOCIATED WITH A
HOLIDAY CALLED EASTER (PAGAN HOLIDAY)
EASTER DEDICATED TO EASTRE THE FERTILLITY GODDESS
(DATING BACK TO THE WIFE OF NIMROD)
BIRTH OF CHRIST MOVED
THE BIRTH NO LONGER CONNECTED TO THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES
BIRTH OF CHRIST MOVED TO THE 25TH OF DECEMBER
A PAGAN WINTER SOLSTICE OR CELEBRATION
DECEMBER 25TH
December 25th is the traditional Protestant and Catholic date
January 6th is the Armenian Apostolic Church
January 7th is the Eastern Orthodox Church
354 AD it is mentioned in an early historical calendar as the traditional birthday of Christ
Became a major date on with the Catholic church in 378 AD
Introduced as the official date of Christ birth in Constantinople
sometime in the 4th Century—many say this was done by
Constantine
Date totally disappeared and then was reintroduced by a Post Nicene
Church Father by the name of John Crusostom in the year 400
ARE YOU CONFUSED YET?
SHOULD WE NOT CELEBRATE CHRIST’S
BIRTHDAY ON THE 25TH OF DECEMBER?
OKAY TO CELEBRATE DECEMBER 25TH
MAKE SURE WE MAKE THAT DAY ABOUT HIM
CLOSE YOUR EYES & LISTEN