Christmas Happened

"A normal looking boy of a kingly Jewish heritage"

CHRISTMAS HAPPENED. Only not at Christmas. And it wasn’t called Christmas. It was more Second Century and oppressive government and overtaxed poor people, which sounds modern but wasn’t. It wasn’t celebrated, except by shepherds and two years later, wise men. Who interestingly enough probably came from a long line of wise men who’d been taught under Daniel. Like, the lion’s den Daniel? Why else would men from a far country search for a Jewish king?

Christmas happened. Only not Christian. And not New Testament. Jesus was born into the Mosaic Covenant with all its laws, feasts, and sacrifices. He was circumcised the eighth day, attended synagogue, traveled with His parents to Jerusalem to offer gifts in the temple. Spoke Aramaic, read Hebrew, avoided Gentiles. Learned who He was through the teaching of the Holy Spirit, and interestingly enough, didn’t sin when He didn’t follow Mom and Dad home, age twelve, even though they panicked and scolded Him for it. Nor when He called a Syro-Phonenician woman a dog.

Christmas happened. But not in December. And not with any symbolism, no tchotchke. Minister Rick Renner says the stable was more of a stone cave. The shepherds raised sacrificial lambs, temple sheep, and the time of year thus probably more in the spring. Think of this: the Lamb of God was born amongst the lambs dedicated to God, who were raised by shepherds, a flock who searched to find the Good Shepherd born and laid in a manger and wrapped like a newborn lamb.

When Christmas happened it was to set a date on the Christian calendar that men could celebrate instead of pagan holidays. But the reason for Christmas, the Christ born into a Jewish culture enslaved to Roman government, was an unknown baby whose parents weren’t known much further than their immediate families. No one knew Mary was a virgin, except Joseph. Not many wondered why he fled to Egypt, except a handful who heard of the slaughter of infants, two years old and younger. No one wondered why he didn’t immediately come back. He returned because of a dream. He married Mary because of a dream. He named her child Jesus because of a dream.

When Christmas happened, the wise men were traveling west and most likely, there were more than three and a long train of camels. Herod hadn’t heard of an infant king. The rabbis knew but hadn’t looked for him. No one looked at Jesus and thought, “There’s our Messiah.” No one listened to twelve-year-old scholar Jesus and thought, “He must be the Messiah.” His own parents, who knew because they’d been told by God, had to think about it when Simeon and Anna prophesied over Him. John the Baptizer didn’t know Him until the Spirit descended upon Him and the Father spoke.

Christmas wasn’t an event when Christmas happened. The family of Christmas were an average family in a normal Judean town who had a son they adored. He was the eldest of His siblings, the most insightful young boy, though no one understood why. Well read, though not many knew why. Well spoken, though no one realized who anointed His words. The Spirit who was supposed to be on the ark of the covenant, behind the veil of the Holiest place, was upon Him without measure, a normal looking boy, of a kingly Jewish heritage, who’d happened to be born during the year a census was taken.

Christmas fulfilled the plan the boy made when He was the Word spoken at Creation. But there was no fanfare, just a single declaration in the skies of Bethlehem by a host of angels who promised this boy in this place, born to this family, amongst these people, as nondescript and unknown as He was, would save the entire world. And some believed.

John 3:16
(MSG) This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.

(AMP) For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life.

(LSV) For God so loved the world that He gave the only begotten Son, that everyone who is believing in Him may not perish, but may have continuous life.

(Phillips) For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that every one who believes in him shall not be lost, but should have eternal life.

(WNT) For so greatly did God love the world that He gave His only Son, that every one who trusts in Him may not perish but may have the Life of Ages.

Boy Image by Volodymyr from Pixabay

Nativity Image by Moondance from Pixabay


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com