SEQUENCE OF EVENT IN CHRISTMAS SEASON . I want to arrange the story connecting Jesus’ birth in their order of events, sequentially or chronological. . You’ve heard that wise men came to the Baby-Jesus; and you’ve also heard that the shepherds came to the Baby-Jesus. Which of the events happened first? That is the question I will help you to find out in this update. However, to tell you the answer before finding it out; I will say, the shepherd visited the Baby-Jesus the same night or the same day He was born (Luke 2:11), but the three wise men visited Jesus at about two years after Jesus was born. . Here are some details and facts you should know: • When the shepherds visited Jesus, Jesus was a day old baby lying in a manger; but when the wise men visited Jesus, Jesus was grown or probably walking or crawling as about two years old child and he was not in a manger but in a house. • The shepherds met Jesus in a manger at Bethlehem (Luke 2:16); but when the wise men came, they met Jesus in a house, not in a manger (Matthew 2:11). And that house was not in Bethlehem as we thought, but in another place, perhaps in Nazareth. But Herod thought the child was in Bethlehem. • Herod thought the child was in Bethlehem because of what the chief priests and scribe told him concerning the prophecy, and Herod even sent the wise men to go look for the child in Bethlehem. However, the moment the wise men left Herod, the Star appeared and led them to another place where the child really was (Matthew 2:1-11). • Herod was expecting the wise men to return with their report to give him location of the child, but God had warned the wise men not to return to Herod or disclose the child’s location. Thus, the wise men followed another way and left. However, Herod used the information the wise men had given to him concerning when the star first appeared to them in the East, which was about two years ago (which defines how Old Jesus was), and the location given by the prophecy through the advice of the chief priests and scribes, to kill all the children born from two years old and below in Bethlehem and the neighboring villages. • The killing of the two years old and below children was not only done in Bethlehem, but also in the neighbouring villages or coasts. Ramah was about three villages or coasts from Bethlehem, yet Ramah was also affected to fulfill the prophecy that was written, saying, “In Ramah was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.” [[Matthew 2:18, Jeremiah 31:15]] • Most likely, Jesus was in Nazareth when the wise men met him, not in Bethlehem; however, when Herod started killing the children from two years and below, Jesus was taken into Egypt in Africa to fulfill the prophecy which says, “Out of Egypt have I called my Son” [[Matthew 2:15, Hosea 11:1]] • After Herod was dead, Jesus was returned to Nazareth to fulfill the prophecy that said, “He shall be called a Nazarene” (Matthew 2:23). Thus, Jesus of Nazareth – As it is written, “Philip found Nathanael, and said unto him, “We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote about, “Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” And Nathanael said unto him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Philip said unto him, “Come and see.” [[John 1:45-46]] . I submit to you that Jesus was in Nazareth before He was taken into Egypt; and from Egypt He was returned to Nazareth. Egypt in Africa was the first foreign country that Jesus was taken as a boy of about two years; and in the land of Egypt, Jesus found refuge and fortress from His enemies at tender age. . Do you know what I have just done? I placed “Luke 2” first before “Matthew 2.” Yes, the account in Luke chapter two first happened before the account in Matthew chapter two. . Here is the sequence of event according to Luke chapter two: 1. In the days of Emperor Ceasar Augustus, Emperor of Rome and the world’s king of kings by then, Ceasar gave a decree that the whole world should be taxed. This made everyone to return to their villages, where the census and taxes shall be collected. 2. It was during the time of the taxing of the whole world that the Saviour of the whole world was born. People did not travel for Christmas to their village by then; rather they travelled for census and for tax payment. 3. Joseph and Mary, were from Bethlehem, and when she was about to be taxed, she was already heavy with the child. And since no room for them in the inn, Joseph took her into a stable before animals; and she was delivered of her first-born child, then she used swaddling wrapper to wrap the child and placed Him on the Manger. Therefore, Manger became the first bed Jesus laid His head after He was born. 4. That same night, the angels sang what we now call, “Christmas Carol;” as they informed the shepherds. The Shepherd came, saw and then broadcasted the news of what they saw and heard to the villagers in Bethlehem. The shepherds were not from Bethlehem, but from neighboring village or coast. 5. On the eight day after the birth of Jesus, He was circumcised and a naming ceremony was conducted for Him in Bethlehem. 6. After about forty days, which is the period required for Mary to regain her purity after she was delivered of a Male Child (which is according to the law of Moses), they travelled out of Bethlehem with the Baby-Jesus for the first time, and came into Jerusalem into the temple for Child dedication. 7. After the Child dedication of Jesus, they took Him and came to Nazareth in Galilee. They did not return to Bethlehem, but to Nazareth. All these were according to the account in Luke 2, before the account in Matthew 2 began its own. However, Matthew 2 was accomplished before the latter part of Luke 2, in which Jesus was about twelve years old. . Now this is what to learn: Understand the difference between what happened on Christmas day and what happened on Christmas season. • The taxing and travelling happened at about Christmas’ Eve. • The announcements, the praises and worship of angels and the witnessing of the shepherds happened during the Christmas day – That was the Christmas proper. • The visitation of the wise men, their worship and gifts happened during the Christmas season. But the journey began from Christmas day: For it took the wise men about two years after the Star appeared to travel from the East to the location where Jesus was by then. . For those of you who celebrate Christmas, I say with the angels: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” [[Luke 2:14]] – Happy Christmas. For those of you who do not celebrate Christmas, I say: “The Lord be with you. Rejoice with them that rejoice in the name of the Lord.” . However, I have one request from you who celebrate Christmas: “Do not say, “Happy Xmas;” rather say, “Happy Christmas.” • It is not ‘Xmas’ that we are celebrating, but ‘Christmas’ – make sure the Christ is mentioned. • It is not ‘Santa-clause’ or ‘Father Christmas’ we are celebrating, but the Father in Heaven and His Son. . Therefore, let us kick both ‘Santa-clause’ and ‘xxx’ out of our celebration of Christ. “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” [[Luke 2:14]]
Posted on: Wed, 24 Dec 2014 22:47:08 +0000
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