Special / Holiday (Written)

Artwork by Douglas Kallerson

Matthew 4:12-16
A Great Light

Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. ¹³ And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, ¹⁴ that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:
¹⁵ “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles:
¹⁶ The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light,
And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death
Light has dawned.”

(Typed 2 December 2024) The sermon text seems to have little to do with the birth of Jesus. We’ll discover that it does later. But even the surface text is comprised of words that wonderfully express the contrast between what the Bible considers good and bad.

The clauses in verse 16 compare darkness to the shadow of death. Both clauses provide light as a contrast. Elsewhere in the Bible, darkness is seen to be a metaphor for a spiritually dead state because of sin. Light, however, is given as a state of perfection, holiness, moral purity, and life.

At times, when someone doesn’t have the truth, he is said to be without light. To have light shine is to reveal the truth. The Apostle Paul lacked the truth, but then suddenly, light shone around him from heaven in such dazzling brightness that it blinded him.

His sin-stained life was literally stunned by the overwhelming brightness of the perfection of God in Christ, the risen Jesus. The contrast between the two highlights how far away from the truth Paul was.

With his conversion, Paul saw the true Light for who He is. He became the apostle to the Gentiles to lead them from the same state of spiritual darkness that he suffered under. Simeon beheld the Child Jesus and he prophesied this would take place…

Text Verse: “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace,
According to Your word;
³⁰ For my eyes have seen Your salvation
³¹ Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
³² A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.” Luke 2:29-32

Simeon’s words reflect the tenor of Isaiah 49:6 where Isaiah spoke of the restoration of Israel and the light of the Messiah being provided to the Gentiles. As for the law, it is not considered a light, except as it is included in the greater body of writings which comprise the Lord’s word.

If the law itself was a sufficient light, there would have been no need for a Messiah. That should clue people into the purpose of the law, but it escapes many. Thus, they become mired in the same darkness in which Paul found himself.

Rather, the word of God in both testaments refers to the Lord as Light or being the Source of light. For example, Psalm 36:9 says of the Lord, “in Your light we see light.” It is a way of saying that life, something associated with light, is found in the light of the Lord.

As we contemplate the significance of Christmas, we should consider more than a Baby lying in a manger, but what that Baby signifies. Light is just one aspect of His superlative greatness. It is the aspect that we will consider today concerning the Lord Jesus, the Child of Christmas. He is the great Light who has come to illuminate the world with the splendor of God.

This truth is carefully and exactingly highlighted in His superior word. And so, let us turn to that precious word once again, and… May God speak to us through His word today, and may His glorious name ever be praised.

~~~~~~~

The incarnation of Jesus Christ came about at this time of year, right around the time known in John 10:22 as the Feast of Dedication. This can be deduced from an exacting timeline given in the Bible, but it must be elicited from passages in both Testaments.

This timeline shows us that Jesus was born in the September/October timeframe, corresponding to the Feast of Acclamation recorded in Leviticus 23:23-25. Backing up from this time, the number of days for human gestation brings one to the end of December in our modern calendar.

Thus, Jesus’ incarnation was at this time of the year, corresponding to the Feast of Dedication, also known as the Festival of Lights. The Light of the World entered into the darkness, preparing to illuminate the way for man.

This pattern is seen time and again in Scripture. The Bible says in 1 John 1:5, “that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” In Genesis, on the first day of creation, it says –

“The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
³ Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.” Genesis 1:2, 3

There was darkness, and then there was light. But if God is light, then that means He purposefully created with darkness so that afterward, the light could be revealed. He was setting a pattern for us to understand what would come later, meaning things coming from outside to accomplish something inside, as well as light overcoming darkness.

Adam was created outside of Eden and was only afterward placed in the Garden. Adam is never equated to light, but through his misdeeds came the pall of spiritual darkness.

Abraham was called, and only then did he enter into the land of Canaan. Paul says –

“And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, ‘In you all the nations shall be blessed.’ ⁹ So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.” Galatians 3:8, 9

In Canaan, Abraham received the gospel, meaning the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith. And what does Paul equate the gospel to? The answer is found in 2 Corinthians 4:4, where he refers to “the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.” Light had come into Cannan.

Jacob was called into Canaan from Padan Aram, being renamed Israel as he entered the land. Israel was to be the bearer of light, meaning the hope of God in Christ.

From there, Israel, the nation, was birthed in Egypt (see Exodus 4:22), and only then were they brought into Canaan. The land of spiritual darkness was being prepared, through Israel’s time of darkness under the law, to receive that light, a light that would be emitted to the whole world –

“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest;
For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
⁷⁷ To give knowledge of salvation to His people
By the remission of their sins,
⁷⁸ Through the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;
⁷⁹ To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
To guide our feet into the way of peace.” Luke 1:76-79

The Light of God in Christ, Jesus, came from outside of this darkened earthly realm and entered into it. The patterns of the past were given to show what God would do. From that springboard, a new direction is given, but following the same pattern.

Believers are called outside of the New Jerusalem in anticipation of being brought in. But Paul says that we are as lights in the world in Philippians 2:15, meaning we were lights brought forth in the darkness. The light of God in Christ continues through His people as they bring the light of the gospel to this world darkened from sin.

Understanding these things, we can more fully appreciate the verses of our sermon text…

¹² Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee.

Akousas de ho Iēsous hoti Iōannēs paredothē anechōrēsen eis tēn Galilaian – “And Jesus, having heard that John – he was surrendered, He withdrew into the Galilee.” These words follow directly after Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness. Unlike Adam, who had failed and succumbed to the devil’s testing, Jesus had prevailed over it. With these temptations behind Him, it next says, “And Jesus.”

Some manuscripts, and thus some translations, do not include the name Jesus here. For example, the Berean Literal Bible says, “And having heard that John had been arrested, He withdrew into Galilee.”

As always, there are those who claim one text or another is correct, but the context is completely understandable either way. Jesus is the Subject of the words. Of Him, it next says, “having heard that John – he was surrendered.”

The word is paradidómi. It gives the sense of giving or turning over. Thus, it can be putting someone in prison, entrusting someone with goods, betraying someone, etc. The word simply means to surrender.

John was arrested or surrendered to the prison. This event is not necessarily chronological. Matthew presents things in more of a categorical manner. Of this, Charles Ellicott notes the following –

“Between the 11th and 12th verses there is a great break, and it is well to remember what passed in the interval: (1) the return to the Baptist, and the call of the six disciples (John 1:29-51); (2) the marriage at Cana, and the visit to Capernaum (John 2:1-12); (3) the cleansing of the Temple; the interview with Nicodemus, and the last testimony of the Baptist (John 2:13 to John 3:36). At this stage comes in the imprisonment of John (mentioned here, but not narrated till 14:3-5) and the consequent journey through Samaria to Galilee (John 4:1-42). The verse now before us may be noted as implying a ministry in Judæa, which for some reason the writer does not narrate.” Charles Ellicott

Jesus continued His ministry. Eventually, He heard of John’s imprisonment, and so it says, “He withdrew.”

The word is anachóreó. Strong notes that the “underlying idea perhaps is of taking refuge from danger or of going into retirement.” In other words, Jesus is withdrawing to the Galilee. This would keep His ministry from overexposure in Judea until the right time for His ministry to come to its completion. It next says, “into the Galilee.”

Most translations do not include the article. Rather, they simply say Galilee. But even in the Hebrew, the location is normally preceded by the definite article. It is a region, the Galilee, first noted in Joshua 20:7. It signifies a circle or circuit. In 1 Kings 9:11, it included twenty cities that were given to Hiram, king of Tyre, by Solomon.

Because it designates an area, “the Circle,” inclusion of the article more appropriately defines the area when it is included in the Greek text.

Of this verse, the Expositor’s Greek Testament says, “In a few rapid strokes the evangelist describes the opening of the Messianic work of Jesus in Galilee. He has in view the great Sermon on the Mount, and the group of wonderful deeds he means thereafter to report, and he gives first a summary description of Christ’s varied activities by way of introduction.”

This statement is somewhat misleading. As noted above in Ellicott’s commentary, Jesus carried out His ministry for some amount of time in the area of Judea. However, Matthew’s focus is more categorical than chronological. It is good to remember this when evaluating the gospels in order to avoid theological misunderstandings.

At times, the actual chronology of when Jesus said things can be difficult to determine because of how the gospels present their narratives. Therefore, it is better to have a side-by-side comparison of the content of the gospels before jumping to erroneous conclusions.

With such a side-by-side comparison, the events of Jesus’ life make a much fuller and more understandable picture from a chronological perspective. Such comparisons can be found right online, so when you are trying to sort things out, do a search, and you can explore things in that manner. With that noted, Matthew continues with…

¹³ And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali,

kai katalipōn tēn Nazara elthōn katōkēsen eis Kapernaoum tēn parathalassian en horiois Zaboulōn kai Nephthalim – “And having disregarded Nazareth, having come, He dwelt in Capernaum, the seaside, in borders Zebulun and Naphtali.” After Jesus heard that John was arrested, He withdrew to the Galilee. The narrative continues with, “And having disregarded Nazareth.”

The Greek spelling of Nazareth here is Nazara. It is only spelled this way here and in Luke 4:16 when the people of the town heard Him speak, were offended by His words, and tried to cast Him off a cliff, rejecting Him and His ministry.

Matthew speaks of a visit to Nazareth in Matthew 13, which seems to parallel Luke’s account. This identical spelling between the two is a clue that the two accounts are, in fact, referring to the same event.

The meaning of the name Nazareth is highly debated. Most Lexicons and Concordances admit its origin is unknown. Scholars think it is likely the origin comes from the Hebrew word netser, a branch, or nazar, to consecrate oneself.

From there, Old Testament references to these words are used to force meaning into the text to explain Matthew’s words that say, “that [hoti] a Nazarene He will be called” (Matthew 2:23). However, this is unnecessary.

Matthew wasn’t quoting Scripture as translations imply by using quotation marks, rather, he was making a point about the writings of Old Testament prophets, such as Isaiah 9:2. Isaiah is saying the light is Christ, and being called a Nazarene is a fulfillment of this prophecy.

For example, if a prophecy noted someone would be a famous surfer in Sarasota, and he was actually living on Siesta Key, they may say, “He will be called a Siesta Surfer.” As Siesta Key is a part of Sarasota, the prophecy would make complete sense to those who understood it.

This explains why hoti, that, is included in Matthew’s words. If he was citing a prophecy, the word would not be needed. But it is an explanatory pronoun. If Joseph had moved to Tiberius instead of Nazareth, the words of Matthew would still speak of the fulfillment of the words of the prophets. For example –

“…that it should be fulfilled having been spoken through the prophets, that a Tiberian He will be called.”

With this understanding, and with no need to force meaning into the name Nazareth, Abarim derives it from a verbal form of zara, to scatter. This form is used several times in the Old Testament, such as in Numbers 5, where it says v’nizr’ah zara – “And scattered seed.” Thus, they translate Nazareth as Scattered or Sown.

As for Jesus’ movement as recorded in this verse, some people think there were two visits to Nazareth, allowing Him to now leave the city. Others think the visit recorded in Luke 4, Mark 6, and Matthew 13 each refer to the same visit.

As noted, Matthew is not necessarily presenting a chronological narrative, so it is likely all of the visits are the same. Despite this, pretty much every translation of Matthew 4:12 says “left,” “leaving,” “having left,” etc., as if He was there and then departed from Nazareth.

The word, however, is kataleipó. The word means “to leave down.” Thus, it signifies to abandon, forsake, neglect, leave, etc. Here in Matthew 4, it probably means “passed by.”

In other words, Jesus was in Nazareth, as recorded in Matthew 2:23. It is where He grew up. Matthew 3:13 notes that Jesus came from the Galilee to John. One would assume that means He left Nazareth, which is in the Galilee, and went to John to begin His ministry.

Now that He is returning to the Galilee (4:12), one would expect Him to return to Nazareth. Instead, He passes by, or disregards, Nazareth, forsaking it as His base and dwells in Capernaum instead. The word is used this way in Acts 21:3 –

“And having sighted Cyprus, and having disregarded it on the left, we sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre. For there the ship was to be unloading the cargo” (CG).

Properly translating the word in this manner resolves the difficulty presented by all translations. Understanding this, it next says, “having come, He dwelt in Capernaum.”

The name is derived from the Hebrew word kaphar, a village, and Nakhum, the Hebrew name of the prophet Nahum. His name comes from nakham, to sigh, meaning to breathe strongly. As such, it is a word signifying to console, comfort, reconsider, etc. Each case is determined by the context.

Thus, his name means something like Compassion, Comfort, or Consolation. Hence, the name of the location is Village of Compassion or something similar. As the base for Jesus’ ministry, it is a beautiful parallel to Him and His work. Of the location, it next says, “the seaside.”

The word is found only here in Scripture, parathalassios. It is derived from para, beside or by the side of, and thalassa, sea. Thus, “seaside” is a literal translation. Of this location, Wikipedia says –

“…a fishing village established during the time of the Hasmoneans, located on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. It had a population of about 1,500 in the 1st century AD. Archaeological excavations have revealed two ancient synagogues built one over the other. A house turned into a church by the Byzantines is held by Christian tradition to have been the home of Saint Peter.

The village was inhabited continuously from the 2nd century BC to the 11th century AD, when it was abandoned sometime before the First Crusade. This includes the re-establishment of the village northeast of the earlier location in c. 700, during the Early Islamic period.”

It was rediscovered in 1838 but not identified as the same location until later. Of this location, it next says, “in borders Zebulun and Naphtali.”

Zebulun means Glorious Dwelling Place. Naphtali means My Twistings or My Wrestlings. As will be seen, this move to Capernaum in this particular area of inheritance within the tribes of Israel is made by Jesus to fulfill prophecy.

Before going on, it should be noted that because of the way translations are made, it becomes almost a herd mentality to continue to translate things the same as everyone else. Otherwise, a variation by one translation may seem completely out of place and might even be a source of derision.

But if Jesus only made one trip to Nazareth, there must be an explanation as to why He didn’t actually go to Nazareth and then depart from there in Matthew 4. The word used to explain this, when properly translated, provides that explanation.

It is best not to get stuck in the herd mentality but to go where the narrative actually leads. In Matthew 19:5, the same word as used here in Matthew 4:13 is used when citing Genesis 2:24. A man will depart, kataleipó, from his father and mother and be united to his wife.

This does not mean that he has to physically depart from them. In fact, throughout history, such has not been the case. Rather, a man is to depart from them in the sense of them being his top priority. His primary allegiance to them is disregarded for the sake of his wife. His duties to her become the main priority.

As a life lesson, never stop considering what the word is telling you. Don’t reject anything off hand when it may be correct, but also don’t be duped by those who claim to have new or secret knowledge that nobody else has.

Rather, take everything with a grain of salt until you have personally checked things out. This is wise. It is the prudent way of avoiding many pitfalls in your theology and in your walk with the Lord.

¹⁴ that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:

hina plērōthē to rhēthen dia Ēsaiou tou prophētou legontos – “That it might be fulfilled, the ‘having been spoken’ through Isaiah the prophet, saying…” Matthew next begins with, “That it might be fulfilled.”

In other words, the movement of Jesus to Capernaum in the regions of these two tribes of Israel was actually a fulfillment of prophecy in Scripture. Concerning where the prophecy is, Matthew tells us with the words, “the ‘having been spoken’ through Isaiah the prophet, saying.”

Some say Nazareth is a town located within Naphtali. However, some place it in the tribe of Zebulun. The ancient borders are not completely known. Either way, it is rather certain that Capernaum was located in the territorial allotment of Naphtali. Between the two places He lived, the fulfillment of Isaiah’s words, as will next be described, is certainly realized in Jesus’ life and ministry.

There are many literary styles in Scripture, including prophecy. Matthew claimed that Isaiah prophesied these things. One proof that God’s hand is behind the word is prophecy.

Things are stated by Him, and then they come to pass. Many prophecies have been fulfilled. Others are in an ongoing process of being fulfilled (such as God’s promises to keep Israel as a people). And others are yet future to us today.

Because of the innumerable prophecies that have already been fulfilled, we can be sure of several things:

The word is reliable. God has spoken, and what He says faithfully comes to pass. Thus, it proves that He is fully in charge of the future as it unfolds.

Jesus is the Messiah. God promised a Messiah. He has given prophecies in His word that tell when He would come, what would be the situation with Israel at His coming (and afterward), what family He would descend from, what His birth would be like, the things the Messiah would do, etc. Only Jesus qualifies concerning the fulfillment of these prophecies. Also, no person can ever fulfill them in the future based on the way God has arranged things.

Past performance assures us of future results. Because the word is trustworthy in the fulfillment of prophecy, we can be certain that those things which have not yet been fulfilled will be as well. And this isn’t just true with exacting prophecies but also with general and specific promises.

In the word, we are told that there will be a rapture. We can rest in that promise, being assured that it will come to pass. We are told that those in Christ who have died before us will be raised to eternal life. We should not worry one iota that it might not happen. God has promised us eternal life in a state we cannot yet understand. One without pain, fear, or death.

God’s past performance is a reliable testimony that His promises about the future for His people will be realized.

Do not fret, fear, or be uneasy about where life is taking you. Rest in the truth that God’s word will stand. Jesus has prevailed, and we will, too. Hold fast to this as the world around us continues to spin out of control. It really isn’t out of control at all.

God is allowing man to take the course he chooses until the time when He will set things straight. With those things to reassure us, we continue with Matthew’s words which cite the prophecy of Isaiah…

¹⁵ “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles:

Gē Zaboulōn kai gē Nephthalim hodon thalassēs peran tou Iordanou Galilaia tōn ethnōn –

“Land Zebulun and land Naphtali,
Way of the sea, beyond the Jordan –
Galilee of the Gentiles.”

These words are the specific words of prophecy by Isaiah, which begin with, “Land Zebulun and land Naphtali.”

The words come from Isaiah 9, the first seven verses of which are filled with descriptions of the coming Messiah. Matthew’s citation is not directly from the Hebrew or the Greek. Rather, it appears that he was writing from memory and giving the substance of the idea.

Isaiah’s words are directed to the area of two tribes that sat north in the land of Israel. Naphtali extended to the northern border of Canaan. Its eastern border rested along the Jordan and the Sea of Galilee. Zebulun’s border ran next to Naphtali in approximately its southwest area. Isaiah’s words are addressed to this particular area, next noting, “Way of the sea.”

The sea is speaking of the Sea of Galilee. There is a route that leads to these areas by going around the sea, but so close to the sea that it is considered a sea highway. The next words of Isaiah, “beyond the Jordan,” are usually ignored or completely misunderstood.

The word is peran. It means over, on the other side, beyond, etc. It answers to the Hebrew noun ever, the region across or beyond. Both give the sense of a location that is opposite to the point of reference. However, Naphtali and Zebulun are within the borders of Canaan. Therefore, it seems like the thought is erroneous.

Why would a prophecy about these two tribal inheritances be given as if from across the Jordan when Isaiah was in Jerusalem on the west side of the Jordan?

Because of this, the words are ignored at times. Some say that they are speaking of the two areas as a base for Jesus’ evangelism on the other side of the Jordan (something not indicated by the words of Isaiah). Others will note it means something like what Albert Barnes says –

“This does not mean to the east of Jordan, as the phrase sometimes denotes, but rather in the vicinity of the Jordan, or perhaps in the vicinity of the sources of the Jordan.” Albert Barnes

Such a notion is incorrect. The word means the other side, beyond, etc., and it is used here as if from the area east of the Jordan. It does not mean “in the vicinity of.” The answer comes from looking at the fuller words of Isaiah in the surrounding context. Isaiah 8:1-10 refers to the invasion of Assyria. For example –

“Then I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son. Then the Lord said to me, ‘Call his name Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz; ⁴ for before the child shall have knowledge to cry “My father” and “My mother,” the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be taken away before the king of Assyria.’” Isaiah 8:3, 4

The rest of Isaiah 8 will first describe this invasion, and then it will describe the state of the people within the land, ending with the words, “Then they will look to the earth, and see trouble and darkness, gloom of anguish; and they will be driven into darkness.” It is from this springboard that the majestic words of hope come forth in Isaiah 9.

Therefore, the words “beyond the Jordan” refer to the area of the land of Israel’s northern kingdom, which included Zebulun and Naphtali, but they are spoken from the perspective of Assyria, which is east of the Jordan. It is in this area that hundreds of years later, the Messiah would bring hope to a land that had been through so much anguish and darkness at the time of Isaiah.

It is a land that still languished spiritually at the time of the coming of Christ Jesus. Understanding the reference to Isaiah’s words clears up the otherwise seemingly incomprehensible words. From this springboard, Matthew continues with, “Galilee of the Gentiles.”

This area contained land given to the Gentile king of Tyre, Hiram, as recorded in 1 Kings 9. It was later invaded by Assyria, and the people of the northern kingdom were taken into exile. From there, the Assyrians took Gentile people and moved them into this area, as noted in 2 Kings 17:24, 25.

Because of problems within the land, one of the priests of Israel was sent back to instruct these new inhabitants on how to live there properly (1 Kings 17:27, 28). The account next says –

“However every nation continued to make gods of its own, and put them in the shrines on the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in the cities where they dwelt. ³⁰ The men of Babylon made Succoth Benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima, ³¹ and the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and the Sepharvites burned their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim. ³² So they feared the Lord, and from every class they appointed for themselves priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the shrines of the high places. ³³ They feared the Lord, yet served their own gods—according to the rituals of the nations from among whom they were carried away.” 1 Kings 17:29-33

The pagan practices never departed from the area, and it always remained a place without the light of the Lord. This is why the Jews of Jesus’ time who lived in the north, and who would travel to Jerusalem, would avoid Samaria.

It was a place that developed its own worship of the Lord with its own modified version of the writings of Moses, known as the Samaritan Pentateuch. It is to this land of spiritual gloom that Isaiah’s prophecy is directed…

*^{16 (fin)} The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light,
And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death
Light has dawned.”

ho laos ho kathēmenos en skōtei eide phōs mega kai tois kathēmenois en khōra kai skia thanatou phōs aneteilan autois –

“The people sitting in darkness, it saw Light – great,
And sitting in a country and death-shadow,
Light – it arose upon them.”

The words begin with “The people sitting in darkness,” and they explain the situation described in the previous verse.

The Assyrians came in and conquered the land, removing the northern ten tribes for their faithless conduct before the Lord. In place of them, pagans from around the Assyrian empire were brought in. They worshiped all the gods of their homelands, bringing great spiritual darkness when they did.

Many of these false religions were intermingled with the customs and religion of the Jews, as it said –

“They feared the Lord, yet served their own gods—according to the rituals of the nations from among whom they were carried away.” 2 Kings 17:33

This lack of properly worshiping the Lord continued throughout the years. This verse uses a present participle, sitting. Translations that render it as “sat” do a disservice to the intent. They were sitting and continued to sit.

The light of the worship of the Lord under the law did not permeate the darkness in which they sat. Something greater was needed to pull them out of the state of darkness in which they were stuck. But when Christ came, this area of darkness, “it saw Light – great.”

It is referring to Jesus and His ministry. This area was His main focus for an extended period. And it wasn’t just to the Jews, even though that was the primary calling. An example of Jesus bringing light to others is found in John 4, where He was presented as the Messiah to the Samaritans in Sychar.

Throughout the region, there was only darkness, and this included the religion of the Jews in the synagogues. They had been taken over by the religious leaders who misdirected the people with their false, self-centered teachings. These received the greatest rebukes from Jesus. As He said to them –

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.” Matthew 23:15

Thus, the words of Isaiah continue, referring to the masses of this region, “and sitting in a country.” The people were sitting in darkness, and the darkness is here equated to the country. The area is within the original borders of the land of Israel, and yet there was only darkness.

Something greater than the law was needed to move them into a right relationship with the Lord, as the words of the prophecy next note, “and death-shadow.”

The Greek is two separate nouns: skia, a shadow, and thanatos, death. Taken together, they translate the single word found in the Hebrew of Isaiah, tsalmaveth – “death-shadow.” The death referred to carries a double connotation. It is the spiritual death that results in the physical death of humanity.

In other words, without the spiritual life of Christ, man is destined to die. This is what Jesus came to change. He came to give light and life to His people, bringing them out of the spiritual death in which they lived and from the physical death that all suffer because of it.

The words of the prophecy say of His coming, “Light – it arose upon them.” The words are beautifully explained by John as he opened his gospel narrative –

“In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵ And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
⁶ There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷ This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. ⁸ He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. ⁹ That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.” John 1:4-9

In Jesus’ appearing, the words of Isaiah are fulfilled. He is the Great Light that came into the world and who appeared in the spiritually dark lands noted by Isaiah. In John 7, it says –

“Then the Pharisees answered them, ‘Are you also deceived? ⁴⁸ Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him? ⁴⁹ But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.’
⁵⁰ Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them, ⁵¹ ‘Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?’
⁵² They answered and said to him, ‘Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.’” John 7:47-52

These religious leaders had the words of Isaiah right before them, and yet they refused to accept what he had written because it did not fit their presuppositions about the Messiah.

This is still the case today. Why are there some who follow the doctrines of Calvinism and some who completely reject Calvin’s main points? Why are there people who accept that you can lose your salvation, while others teach salvation is eternal?

Many believe in a rapture, while others reject the notion as silly. And even among those who accept the premise of a rapture, there are disagreements on the timing of the event.

This is a teeny portion of various disagreements within Christianity over doctrine. In fact, it is an infinitesimally small portion of them. Why is this?

There are several reasons. One is that people are arguing from different viewpoints about the source of what they believe. Some hold to Scripture alone, but they may hold to a single source text of the Hebrew or Greek or to a single English translation.

Some think that the church has been given ongoing authority to set doctrine, while others accept that the Bible is the sole source of doctrine for believers. But this still leads back to “which source text or translation.”

Even if a standard is agreed on, if one fails to take the Bible in its proper context, there can be no agreement on how doctrine is presented. If Jesus speaking to Israel under the law is used to make a doctrinal point in the church, and if that conflicts with what Paul says in his epistles, then there will be a disagreement on a particular doctrine.

And, of course, there are those who simply pull doctrines out of thin air and teach them as if they are biblically correct. These may be based on emotions, sensational events, or desires for power or money. In using those as the basis for instructing others who are uneducated in proper theology, people are captivated and brought into often disastrous situations.

We must each decide what standard we will accept as authoritative. As God has said His word is authoritative, that is the safest place to find the truth. From there, each step of the way, we should consider our next step carefully while fixing our eyes on Jesus, whom the Bible says is “the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).

If we do this, our priorities should be right as we continue our walk before God. Let us do this above all else as we seek His face in the Great Light of the face of Jesus Christ our Lord, as Paul notes in 2 Corinthians 4:6.

This light had to start somewhere. Reading these words of Matthew, who cites earlier words of Isaiah, tells us a story that is deeper than the surface text. By taking the names and details of verses 12-16, we are given a picture of this.

And Jesus (Salvation), having heard that John (Yehovah Has Been Gracious – the final witness to Israel) – he was surrendered, He withdrew into the Galilee (the Liberty – signifying freedom from the law). ¹³ And having disregarded Nazareth (Sown – the nation of Israel), having come, He dwelt in Capernaum (Village of Compassion), the seaside, in borders Zebulun (Glorious Dwelling Place – the heavenly promise) and Naphtali (My Wrestlings – the completed work of Christ). ¹⁴ That it might be fulfilled, the ‘having been spoken’ through Isaiah the prophet, saying,

¹⁵ “Land Zebulun and land Naphtali,
Way of the sea, beyond the Jordan (the Descender – Christ’s
incarnation) –
Galilee (Liberty) of the Gentiles.
¹⁶ The people sitting in darkness, it saw Light – great,
And sitting in a country and death-shadow,
Light – it arose upon them.”

The Lord, the Descender, came from heaven, united with human flesh, fulfilling all that was necessary to bring us back to a state of perfection that is acceptable to God. But to descend means from somewhere, meaning from God.

Just as in the Genesis 1 account, the Light that existed in God entered into the darkness of His creation. He did this in the form of a human being. But the Light came at the Feast of Dedication, the Festival of Lights, the time that we celebrate Christmas.

The Light that shone in Israel and that dawned upon the Gentiles is the Lord God. When we celebrate Christmas on the 25^th, we are not really celebrating the birth of a baby born in Bethlehem. Rather, we are acknowledging the most incredible moment in all of human history: the uniting of the eternal Creator with His creation in the womb of a woman.

What Israel missed, for the most part, is what the Gentiles have come to understand intimately. Someday, Israel will understand too, but that day is yet ahead. For now, we can and should rejoice in the wonderful workings of God where He saw fit to join with us in this struggle against darkness and to prevail for us so that we can join Him in perfect fellowship for all eternity.

Thank God for the Child of Christmas and for the Light of the world, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Closing Verse: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.” Luke 1:35

Next Week: *Malachi 3:5, 6 It is a truth that cannot be refuted… (For I, Yehovah! Not Transmuted) (7^th Malachi Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. He sent His own Son into the world to reconcile you to Himself. Remember the enormity of what that means each day of your life. And then, follow Him and trust Him as He continues to do marvelous things for you and through you.

The Zeal of the Lord of Hosts

Unto us a Child is born
A time to rejoice and not to mourn

Unto us a Son is given
The One to lead us from death to a’livin’

And the government will be upon His shoulder
Every eye will see Him; every soul will be His beholder

Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom’s realm
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever – He at the helm
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this

And His name will be called Wonderful
The Counselor and Mighty God is He
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, pure and white as wool
Of the increase of His government and peace, no end shall we see

Do not be afraid, for behold
I bring you good tidings of great joy
Which will be to all people, forever told
The wondrous story, the birth of a Boy

For there is born to you this day
In the city of David, a Savior, it is He
Christ the Lord whom heaven’s hosts obey
The Messiah has come; and now you may go and see

And this will be the sign to you:
You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes
Lying in a manger, a glorious view
The Christmas Child whom our Heavenly Father bestows

A Child like no other has come to dwell among us
He shall lead us in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake
And His name is called out, His name is JESUS
Come, and of the Heavenly Child partake

He is God’s gift and heaven’s treasure
He is Immanuel – God with us
And He bestows upon us grace without measure
The Christmas Child, our glorious Lord – JESUS!

Hallelujah and Amen…

 

 

 

Artwork by Douglas Kallerson.

Psalm 42:5
For I Shall Yet Praise Him

Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house; ¹⁴ and a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, ¹⁵ when the Sabeans raided them and took them away—indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
¹⁶ While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
¹⁷ While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
¹⁸ While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, ¹⁹ and suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
²⁰ Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. ²¹ And he said:
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked shall I return there.
The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away;
Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
²² In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong. -Job 1:13-22

In 1776, and under a completely different context, Thomas Paine wrote a pamphlet called The American Crisis. It was a call to stir up the American army, which had faced defeats as they faced the British during the Revolutionary War. In his words, Paine wrote, “These are the times that try men’s souls.” It was such a poignant and stirring line that it has remained embedded in the American psyche ever since. It was also a key impetus for inspiring the army to cross the Delaware and attack the Hessian Army stationed at Trenton, New Jersey, becoming the American’s first significant victory of the war.

Job faced the times that tried his soul, and he prevailed over the battle that Satan brought against him by remaining steadfast in his faithful devotion to God, despite the inordinate amount of loss he faced.

But Satan was not through with him as Chapter 1 closed out. Rather, he continued to incite Job to sin against the Lord by attacking his physical body, covering him with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. All he was left with was potsherds to scrape his miserable, festering skin, pain from each swipe of a boil, and a nagging wife who implored him to “Curse God and die.” The latter being the greatest punishment of all. And yet, his words back to this treacherous woman vindicated his faith that God was just –

“But he said to her, ‘You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?’ In all this Job did not sin with his lips.” Job 2:10

In 1979, Steve Martin starred in the movie The Jerk. He was a white boy born as a poor black child, lacking any skills or abilities that could elevate him out of a life of mediocrity. And yet, through a series of events, he became extremely wealthy. But as such things go, it was all lost just as quickly as it appeared. When their downfall came about, he said to his wife, played by Bernadette Peters, that it was just money, and they could make more of that. Her response was, “I don’t care about losing all the money. It’s losing all the stuff.”

Is that what our life is to be remembered for? Stuff?

For me, it is Monday, 7 October. It is 4:30 am, and I have walked the dogs, read the Bible (over two cups of coffee), and quickly surveyed a property that has been our home since 1993 and the home of my father for another fifteen or so years beyond that.

In the previous ten days, we have gone through the most significant flooding of our lives. Dad moved onto the island in 1948. There have been storms, and there have been times of green grass and then high tides, but there was never a time where the high tides overflowed the island and completely swept away the green grass as it retreated… until late September of this year. And yet, within just a few days of that ending, we are set to face another hurricane, most likely as a direct or near-direct hit. Monday morning at 2 am, the forecast places the storm upon arrival as a category 3 with a significant storm surge.

The only question is whether it will veer a bit south, a bit north, or come directly at us. Each has positives and negatives concerning winds and tides, but none appear appealing at this point. And more, this storm will not just affect the coastal homes of the west coast of Florida as Helene did. Rather, every person in this church – even Ron and Shannon, who live many miles north and far inland will be on my mind because of the track once landfall is made.

Every person in this church is a burden upon my mind as I sit in the dark and type. Along with them are family and friends throughout the area. But what else does this day represent? A storm lies ahead, but 365 days ago, on this day, a storm of a different kind swept through parts of Israel when they were brutally attacked by a terrorist force bent on killing the people of Israel.

The Islamic forces of Hamas murdered, raped, and tortured the people they encountered. We have time to at least prepare for the next few days and decide what we will do as the storm approaches. Those people, like Job, simply faced the satanic onslaught as it came about, and they had to face the consequences of it once it had passed by. Many in Israel found out what was truly important at that time. And the nation as a whole had to decide what to do about what transpired. Their response, and the battles they continue to face, are a part of the unfolding drama of the prophetic scenario known to God all along.

As for those of us in the path of Hurricane Milton, time will tell what the result of its passing will be. As for Helene, we – meaning my father, Hideko, and I – have gone through that. It was a truly trying ordeal. As we watched the house fill with water, we heard appliances – one after another – fail. The washer-dryer unit, which wasn’t even running, came on and started to churn. Within a couple of minutes, it burned up. A freezer in the garage sparked and died.

The waters rose more and came into the house. Suddenly, there was a heavy smell of ozone, and the refrigerator gave off some scary rattling noises and died. What could we do? I got Dad to come from his house to ours, we all retreated upstairs, and we waited to see what the outcome would be.

Throughout the night, something kept happening that I will never forget. I called it “the sound of car death.” Different houses have been built on different levels of dirt brought in from the mainland in hopes of beating such an event, but for most, it wasn’t enough.

As the minutes turned to hours, again and again, there would be the steady beeping noise of a car alarm as the waters began to reach the electronics. The beeping would continue for a while and then become erratic, like a child who wasn’t getting his way over the toy he wanted Mommy to give him. And then, within a few minutes, the whining would stop… the car had died.

The next morning, and for the next days afterward, we saw Porches, Lamborghinis, Maserati’s, and other cars worth more than our house towed away to be made into other useful things, like razor blades and tin cans. One could almost hear the repetition of the words of Bernadette Peters… “It’s losing all the stuff.”

Along with the cars, tons and tons (and tons) of household goods were carried out to the roadside and heaped unceremoniously in piles that I eventually called “the walls of sorrow.” Scrappers came through each day, taking whatever their eyes alighted on. That reduced the level of junk a bit. But the walls of sorrow continued to grow for the next week as people came into town to survey the damages in these, their winter homes.

As a side note to highlight our own situation, and something you might find comical, as we watched the things stored up for a lifetime slowly being destroyed by the waters, I remember seeing a brand-new pack of Bounty paper towels bobbing around in the garage. Hideko had bought them just a couple of days before, and they were unopened when the storm hit. The ruin of those paper towels affected me more than almost anything else. We had used the washer/dryer for a year (it was Hideko’s retirement present).

We had used the refrigerator for eons. It was set to go anyway. The sofa had been slept on innumerable times, and every dog we had with us for thirty years probably threw up on it a dozen times in order to stake its rightful claim over it. But those Bounty towels were never opened. It was like taking $20.00 and just lighting it on fire. The waste seemed so… so… so pointless. Surely, these are the times that try men’s souls. The loss of the HMS Bounty didn’t seem as important to me as the loss of those paper towels call Bounty.

We have to consider each event as it comes, process it in whatever way it affects us, and then live with what happened. This is true for something as insignificant as a big pack of Bounty towels that wound up on the side of Midnight Pass Road without ever having served the purpose for which they were made.

As I sit here on Monday morning, I wonder if the coming storm will lift up those towels and the tons and tons of other things sitting out there, as yet uncollected, and deposit them, once again, all over our property.

And what about the people in the church? The storm is coming, and each one of them will probably face it to some extent. Will these, my family in Christ, be ok? All I can do is type, pray, and place my hope in the Lord’s hands for each of them.

The psalmist gave us words to consider in such times –

¹ As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So pants my soul for You, O God.
² My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?
³ My tears have been my food day and night,
While they continually say to me,
“Where is your God?”
⁴ When I remember these things,
I pour out my soul within me.
For I used to go with the multitude;
I went with them to the house of God,
With the voice of joy and praise,
With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.
⁵ Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him
For the help of His countenance.
⁶ O my God, my soul is cast down within me;
Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan,
And from the heights of Hermon,
From the Hill Mizar.
⁷ Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls;
All Your waves and billows have gone over me.
⁸ The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime,
And in the night His song shall be with me—
A prayer to the God of my life.
⁹ I will say to God my Rock,
“Why have You forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”
¹⁰ As with a breaking of my bones,
My enemies reproach me,
While they say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
¹¹ Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God;
For I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God. Psalm 42

The rest of the week, like our very next moment of existence of each moment we live, is unknown to me. And so, shall I fret as we await the coming storm? Shall I call out and curse God if things don’t go well? Shall I throw a temper tantrum at the God who created all things and who temporarily gives them to us to enjoy?

Rather, I have determined now that in whatever comes, I shall yet praise Him. He alone is worthy of that. He alone determines the end from the beginning. When Sunday morning arrives, if it arrives for us as individuals and for us as a church gathering, I would hope that regardless of what transpires, each of you will say, “The Lord is my Rock. He is my Fortress, my Defense, my Hope, and my Hiding Place. Through the days of my life, I shall yet praise Him.”

What is stuff? For the most part, it is a distraction from our relationship with God. If we are wise, we can incorporate the things of our lives into that relationship. When a large and delicious meal is set before us, we can thank Him for it. Should we be in a foxhole with C-rations, we can thank Him for that. And if the week ahead finds any of us eating a meal provided by Samaritans Purse as we sit under a tent, having lost everything, we can thank Him for that as well.

Life, the spark of life that impels us forward, is not about stuff. Our lives will be judged based on our response to the things that occur around us and the situations in which we interact throughout our days, not on the amount of stuff we collected and idolized. If our responses and interactions acknowledge the goodness of the Lord while we are in the land of the living, He will justly and adequately reward us according to His goodness in relation to our faith. It is Monday morning for me as I type.

I am already trying to process the week ahead in ten thousand possible permutations of what could be. I am already mourning with those who are mourning. I am already burdened with those facing loss. I am already grateful for the storm that… that didn’t happen (oh! To pray and dream!).

To pass this week, as with each day of our lives as they occur, I am looking forward to it with the Lord as a part of it. Cursed God and die? It shall never be! You speak as one of the foolish women speaks!

In the Revolutionary War, many men gave everything to secure a land and a freedom for those who followed. On October 7^th, 2023, many of Israel saw the futility of life without God as loved ones were taken from them.

When Hurricane Helene pushed north in late September, lives were uprooted, towns and villages were swept away, and many lives were lost. Some were faithful Christians, while others rejected that path. Eternal destinies were set as lives were extinguished through raging floodwaters.

In Butler, Pennsylvania, a president was spared while Corey Comperatore lost his life protecting his family. Corey was a saved believer in Christ, no one is really sure about President Trump. Which is in the better position right now? Life is about choices.

Now, another storm is just ahead. And if this sermon is given on Sunday, the 13^th of October, it will be just behind. It has been my main goal and purpose in life these past years to prepare people for just such an event, actually, for the choices that should be made before such an event. Why do bad things happen to “good” people? First and foremost, the question is flawed. Jesus Himself told us this –

“Now behold, one came and said to Him, ‘Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?’
¹⁷ So He said to him, ‘Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.’” Matthew 19:16,17

The words of Jesus speak of an ultimate standard of goodness. The same word, translated as good, is used to speak of people elsewhere in a comparative sense. Jesus says in Matthew 12 that a good man, out of the good treasure of his heart, brings forth good things. Barnabas is called a good man in Acts 11:24.

These and numerous other examples are given as comparative uses of the word good. But in the eyes of God, apart from His Son, there are none truly good. The defect of sin remains in us, and we are prone to being anything but good.

However, if we go by the comparative sense of the word, we can and do ask why God allows the good to suffer. We question how God can be just when evil things happen to us. But consider the premise! Where do we live? Some of us chose to live in Florida. Now that… that is good.

We enjoy the benefits of the land we have chosen to live in. And. yet, there is not a person with a modicum of reason in his head who doesn’t know that Florida is prone to hurricanes. Should we move here and suddenly expect to be exempt from such an ordeal now that we have graced this land with our presence? What about those in Asheville, North Carolina? They moved in, and all was good. They lived their lives with God or apart from God as they so choose. Their choice of home was “good,” and they were “good” in whatever comparative sense filled their heads.

But is it reasonable to expect God to send the floodwaters upon Asheville and exempt the “goodest of the good” while sweeping away the less “good” because they weren’t quite as good as those gooder than them?

When a person goes water skiing, there is a chance that he will –

Have a heart attack.
Get bit by a shark and bleed out.
Get run over by the boat that is supposed to pull him along for a day of fun.
Hit a rock or a dock and come to a sudden end.
Etc.

Are these things God’s fault? Is God expected to bubble-wrap humanity so that they are free from such things? If God said, “No, I don’t want you water skiing. It’s just too dangerous,” you would shake your fist in His face and tell Him to mind His own business.

You probably did it with your own parents a time or two when they told you “No” over something not so intelligent that you were planning to do. But when your boyfriend slams into a dock and dies from sudden trauma, there is always God to blame… to question… to be angry at for allowing such a thing to happen. “I hate God. He took my wife from me.” I have personally heard this. Maybe you have, too. It is always God’s fault when tragedy arises, but it is almost never to His credit when the good things of life come about. “I achieved!” “I won!” “I earned!” “I built!”

How rare and wonderful it is to the ears of the Lord when someone gets his “I’s” corrected, and he finally sees things properly and as they should be. Why do bad things happen to good people? They don’t. Good things happen to us despite our lack of any true goodness.

Only in Christ, and only by the power of His goodness, can we even be looked at by God with the slightest hint of favor. If you don’t believe that, try reading Genesis 6. In fact, let’s see about all those comparatively “good” people and what God thought of them at that time –

“Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. ⁶ And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. ⁷ So the Lord said, ‘I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.’ ⁸ But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” Genesis 6:5-8

After only fifteen hundred years of man on earth, he had so corrupted his ways that there was no remedy left but to destroy him. And so, in the year 1656 Anno Mundi, the rains fell, the great storehouses of the deep, filled with the wrath of God, exploded forth, and the world went into a cataclysmic period of complete destruction.

All of the “good” people, comparatively speaking, on the planet didn’t measure up. Today, there are “good” people in Tel Aviv. Mom says, “He’s a good boy, and I am so proud of him and his husband.” In Los Angeles, there is a “good” District Attorney, respected by his colleagues and by every criminal he fails to prosecute. His walls are lined with awards and accolades, he wields power and authority, and he is a “good” man, comparatively speaking. In North Korea, there is a “good” leader, worshipped by his people as a living god and who wields complete authority over his “good” people.

Kamala Harris is a “good” person who will defeat evil Trump, who has come to destroy the “good” way of life introduced by those on the left. Donald Trump is a “good” person who wants to protect the “good” values of Americanism and democracy.

Each person before the flood was “good” on some unknown curve that was established within his own mind or within the minds of those around him. Each person on the planet today thinks he is “good” in some comparative way.

Why do bad things happen to “good” people? Ask those of the pre-flood world. Ask those who were in the seats of United Airlines Flight 175 that flew into the South Tower of the World Trade Center on September 11^th, 2001, at 9:03 am. Or better yet, ask those who flew that plane into the tower.

Why did some of us suffer loss this past week? Why are my father and Doctor Bridges 91 years old while others have died at 87 or… 21, or… 3? Where does our standard of “good” come from? If it isn’t from God, then we have a faulty impression of goodness. And when we carry this impression around, of course, we will blame God when our favorite animal dies. “O God is so cruel.”

We have spent the entire life of that dog, from the moment it was a newborn puppy until the last moment of its life thinking about how great it is that we have this dog, never considering thanking the God (the God we don’t believe in) for allowing us to enjoy it while it is alive.

But the moment the dog dies, we blame God, tell Him that we hate Him (even though we don’t believe in Him!), and angrily and sadly bury it in the back yard. And then we go in and have a big steak for dinner, never considering that the cow on our plate was just as much a unique animal as the dog we just buried.

Last year my “good” wife (the best in fact ☺️) got cancer. Should we have blamed God for interrupting our “good” life? Last year, our house plumbing – all of it, water and sewer – exploded. Our “good” lives were upheaved. Should we have blamed God?

Twice in three weeks, we are facing possible complete annihilation of our home. Should we just give up, raise our fists to the heavens, and blame God? We are “good” people. Why doesn’t God give us a break? What about the “bad” guy down the road? Should God put up a wall to protect us and wash him away?

Why do bad things happen to “good” people? Because we make choices in a world of uncertainty. We choose to live in Florida. We choose to live in Sarasota. We choose to live on Siesta Key. We choose to continue to stay in a house that was built 76 years ago with substandard building materials. We choose the cars we drive, the workplace we go to each day, the route we take to get there, the store we shop at, and so much more. Life is a stream of choices in a world that is preset for certain events to occur at certain times to direct the course of history as it marches toward an inevitable conclusion that is already recorded in the pages of God’s word.

We have the overall blueprint, but we lack the details. And so, we make choices… “good” people (well, comparatively) in a fallen world. Many chose not to come to church today, or any Sunday in fact, and worship the Lord who created them.

Some choose to rob, murder, rape, and so forth. And yet, there is someone out there who will say, “He is a good person. He didn’t mean it.” They will rationalize away the crimes based on their past lives, the unfairness of the skin color they were born with, or for a thousand other reasons, and they will appeal to society that they are “good” people.

What happened to you this past week? Did you suffer loss? Praise the Lord for what you had. Thank Him it wasn’t worse. Did someone you know die? Thank the Lord that you were blessed to know that person. Did you come out unscathed completely? Praise Him for the blessing and pity those who were dealt a different hand.

It’s Monday morning. I’m sermon typing. I was just sent photos from a friend in Israel. Twice this week, he had to go into a bomb shelter while missiles flew in from the north. He sent pictures of bomb craters, a bombed-out car, pieces of shrapnel, windows pelleted with holes, etc.

In the next message, he said, “So I hear that the hurricane that’s coming tomorrow will push 18 feet of water from the shore line and 2-3 feet up beyond sea level. Are you guys evacuating?” He’s being bombed from the skies at random times and from random angles, and he is concerned about us in Florida. Does this “good” guy deserve the hatred leveled against him simply because he exists as a Jew (a Jesus-believing Jew, BTW) in the land of Israel? Is his concern for us in Florida rational while he actually faces greater uncertainty from moment to moment than we will in the days ahead? One thing is for sure: if we are alive and able, on our respective days of worship, that is where we will be – Yosi and me, on other sides of the ocean, praising the same Lord who has granted us the time and places of our lives in His presence.

We will be worshiping, praising, and serving the Lord who gave us this temporary, uncertain life. It is a life filled with loss – floating Bounty paper towels, if you will – that is completely uncontrollable. But it is a life worth living in the presence of God no matter how bad it gets, and no matter how good it can be.

We will praise Him in the storm, and we will thank Him for the abundance. He is the Creator and we are the created. The pot has no right to complain against the potter, “Why did you form me like this?” He formed us. We must live within the parameters of existence for which we are formed.

These may be the times that try men’s souls, but these are the days of our lives. We have to live them. And so, let us live them in a way that honors God. We have every right to mourn. Jesus wept. He surely wept over the madness of rejecting Him for the things of this world. He has come to show us the very heart of God the Father. Instead, we blame God the Father… for everything bad. And we ignore Him during the times when all is good.

Jesus wept. We, too, can mourn. Abraham mourned for the loss of Sarah. David mourned over the loss of Absalom. Why? Everyone else thought he was a loser, and indeed he was. He usurped his father’s throne, came after him to kill him, and wound up dead himself. And in his dying, David mourned –

“O my son Absalom—my son, my son Absalom—if only I had died in your place! O Absalom my son, my son!” 2 Samuel 18:33

What prompted David to so tenderly love such an unlovable person? What force, what thought, what eternal love impelled God to send His Son to die for such unlovable, unworthy, unholy creatures as us? What kind of love impelled the God who destroyed the entire world by the flood to send Jesus to die for billions and billions of Absaloms?

The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell.
It goes beyond the highest star
And reaches to the lowest hell.
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled
And pardoned from his sin.

O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure—
The saints’ and angels’ song.

When hoary time shall pass away,
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall;
When men who here refuse to pray,
On rocks and hills and mountains call;
God’s love, so sure, shall still endure,
All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
The saints’ and angels’ song.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made;
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.
-Frederick M. Lehman

For some, these indeed are the times that try men’s souls. But is our life about a bunch of stuff? Is it about petting puppies while having steak? Is our life about the house we live in, the refrigerator we possess, or the car we drive?

And why do bad things happen to good people? It’s because God has allowed it to be so. Though He slay me, yet I will trust Him. He is God, I am the work of His hands, and so I will trust Him. May this be your state as well? Today and every day, let us entrust our souls to God, who formed and fashioned us for His purposes.

And may He be glorified on our lips, in our actions, and throughout our days. May it be so. We have a meeting with Him in due time. May that day be one of joy and rejoicing because of the simple faith that pleases Him more than anything else.

Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! Thank God for Jesus, who truly makes us “good” in the sight of God. Because of Him, we can forever plumb the mysteries of why things are the way they are, knowing that all things meet a plan and a purpose that extends far beyond our current days of uncertainty, sadness, and loss.

Closing Verse: And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. ²⁹ For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. ³⁰ Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.  -Romans 8:28-30

Next Week: Judges 20:36-48 An amazing story to tell, line by line… (No King in Israel, Part IX) (56^th Judges Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. It is He who judges His people according to their deeds. So, follow Him, live for Him, and trust Him, and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

Hallelujah and Amen…

 

Artwork by Douglas Kallerson.

John 10:22
The Feast of Dedication

“Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ²⁴ ‘Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. ²⁵ You shall do no customary work on it; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord.’” Leviticus 23:23-25

“Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. ²³ And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. ²⁴ Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, ‘How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.’

²⁵ Jesus answered them, ‘I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. ²⁶ But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. ²⁷ My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. ²⁸ And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and My Father are one.’” John 10:22-30

Admittedly, I have heavily plagiarized my Leviticus 23 sermon, which detailed the Feast of Acclamation for this sermon. I made an incorrect statement in that sermon, which has always bugged me. Whenever I tell someone about it, the normal response is, “That’s not a big deal.” But to me, it is.

Precision with the word is important. Therefore, to retell the details of the feast without that blunder is a great relief to me. There are also new details included in this sermon. But even if there weren’t, reviewing all that was previously said is a wonderful reminder of the marvel of what God has done in Christ for us.

Text Verse: “That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.” John 1:9, 10

The most important question a person can ever be asked is, “Do you know Jesus?” In this case, the question is not “Have you heard of Jesus?” or “Do you know about Jesus?”  Rather, it is “Do you know Him for who He is and believe that what is known is true, accepting by faith that He is the Savior of the world?” John explains that in John 1:11-13 –

“He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. ¹² But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: ¹³ who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

Who is this Child of Christmas that we celebrate each year at this time? What does the Bible have to say about His coming, His work, and how that pertains to us? The marvel of what God has done is clearly and precisely laid out by God, and yet, it requires much study and careful analysis to fully appreciate the unfolding of the story.

We will see a part of that in today’s sermon. I pray that it will bless you, even if you have heard some of the details before. The Christmas story never gets old because it is the story of the love of God in Christ.

Such great things are to be found in His superior word. And so, let us turn to that precious word once again, and… May God speak to us through His word today, and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. The Feasts of the Lord

Leviticus 23 details the eight feasts of the Lord. In Leviticus 23:2, these feasts are called moade, the plural of moed, signifying an appointed time, place, or meeting. Specifically, they are called moade Yehovah, or Feasts Yehovah. Then the Lord again specifically says, eleh hem moaday – “These, they, My feasts.”

Thus, these are not Feasts of Israel nor Jewish feasts. They are Feasts of the Lord. It is true that these were proclaimed to Israel and observed by the people, but the Subject of the feasts is the Lord. For a detailed analysis of each of the feasts, to the Leviticus 23 sermons by Superior Word, you are commended. It is an offer now extended. If by you the offer is attended, as recommended, you will find them splendid.

If you choose not to follow this path, they will remain unapprehended or maybe incorrectly comprehended. Set yourselves, therefore, to do as rightly intended, and your time will have been well expended. And with that, my urging on this matter has ended… but perhaps it should be rescinded J

As these are the feasts of the Lord, they are given in anticipation of the coming of the Messiah, the Lord God incarnate. Everything about them will give us insights into His work or how that work is lived out in His people.

Of these eight Feasts, the first is a weekly feast, the Sabbath. Its observance is detailed in Leviticus 23:2. The Sabbath was first given as a sign to Israel in Exodus 16. It was given to no other people on earth, and it was given to anticipate greater truths to be found in Christ Jesus.

As it is designated as a Feast of the Lord, it will be realized and fulfilled in the coming of Christ Jesus.

The next seven feasts are annual feasts. They are:

The Passover. It is mandated in Leviticus 23:3. However, the details of Passover observance are given great attention elsewhere in the books of Moses, beginning with the record of the Passover from Egypt starting in Exodus 12.

Immediately following the Passover is the Feast of Unleavened Bread. It is instructed in Leviticus 23:6-8. Its rites and rituals are detailed elsewhere as well.

That is followed by the Feast of Firstfruits, which is directed in Leviticus 23:9-14.

The next is the Feast of Weeks. It is commanded in Leviticus 23:15-22. This feast is also called the Feast of Harvest in Exodus 23.

That is followed by the Feast of Acclamation. As we saw in the opening, it is detailed in Leviticus 23:23-25. Quite often, it is incorrectly called Rosh Hashanah or the Feast of Trumpets. Rosh Hashanah signifies the beginning of the year. That is based on the original calendar used in Scripture. It is also the Regal calendar (that of the kings of Israel) and the modern calendar used by Israel.

The name Feast of Trumpets is given because it was common for the people to blow trumpets on this day of the year in fulfillment of the words given in Leviticus 23. However, the words read zikron t’ruah, “memorial acclamation.”

In Scripture, the word t’ruah includes the blowing of trumpets at times, but it also signifies a shout of joy, a shout of alarm, etc. In other words, it is a loud acclamation. For example –

“And now my head shall be lifted up
above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
sacrifices with shouts [t’ruah] of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the LORD.” Psalm 27:6 (ESV)

Thus, the Feast of Acclamation more appropriately describes the feast.

That is then followed by the Day of Atonement as specified in Leviticus 23:26-32. Extremely detailed instruction for the Day of Atonement is found in Leviticus 16.

Finally, the eighth feast, and the last annual feast, is the Feast of Tabernacles. That is stipulated in Leviticus 23:33-43. It is also called the Feast of Ingathering in Exodus 23:16.

Of these eight feasts, an additional word is used to describe three of them, khag. It is a festival, coming from the verb khagag, to make a pilgrim feast. Specifically, however, it means to move in a circle as if marching in a sacred procession. Further implied in the word is to be giddy and dance, whirling with joy.

These three feasts typologically anticipate the work of the Lord, but being pilgrim feasts, they anticipate the believer’s life in the Lord. This is why the people were specifically mandated to attend these pilgrim feasts each year.

Their participation in them was an anticipation of our participation in the full, final, finished, and forever work of Christ. Each of them is shown to be completed in the work of Jesus as described by the apostles in the New Testament. Paul specifically gives details on their fulfillment –

1) Colossians 2:16, 17 (The Sabbath), “So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, ¹⁷ which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.” It is also noted in Hebrews 4:3, where it specifically explains the typology of the Sabbath, “…for we who have believed do enter that rest.”

2) 1 Corinthians 5:7 (Passover), “Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.”

*3) 1 Corinthians 5:8 (Unleavened Bread), “Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”

4) 1 Corinthians 15:20 (Firstfruits), “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.”

*5) Ephesians 1:13 (and elsewhere – Pentecost), “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.” Weeks, or Pentecost, is literally shown to be fulfilled in Romans 16:5 and 1 Corinthians 16:15 –

“Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia to Christ.”

“I urge you, brethren—you know the household of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia…”

The presentation of the two loaves with leaven in Leviticus 23:17 provides a typological example of what those verses are speaking of – one a Jew, one a Gentile. There is one gospel message that is realized in the saving of all.

6) 1 Corinthians 15:47 (Day of Acclamation), “The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven.”

7) Romans 3:24, 25 (Day of Atonement), “…being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵ whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood.”

*8) 2 Corinthians 5:7 (Tabernacles), “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

*The three pilgrim feasts are highlighted with an asterisk.

The particular feast noted as the Day of Acclamation is held in the September/October timeframe. So, one might question why that is especially highlighted. What can we derive from a feast that occurs in the fall that could help us appreciate what we have come to celebrate in the dead of winter concerning the day we call Christmas?

With the snow piled up outside the church doors, we can sit warmly inside and discover for the first time, or remind ourselves again, of the wonderful details outlined in Scripture that lead us to the celebration of this wonderful day.

Shout to the Lord! Shout with acclamation
It is He who is our King, and He who rules over us
Shout to the Lord, you holy nation
Shout to the King, our Lord Jesus

Let the sound be loud; shout joyfully
Let the land be filled with noise to herald the King
Don’t sit and be silent; don’t act so coyfully
Get up, people, raise your voices and sing

It is He who has created and He who has redeemed us
It is He who sits as King upon the throne of heaven
It is He who rules, even our King Jesus
So shout aloud at the beginning of month number seven

II. The Feast of Acclamation

Earlier I noted that the Feast of Acclamation was fulfilled in Paul’s words of 1 Corinthians 15:47, “The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven.” Of all of the fulfilled Feasts of the Lord, it is the only one that requires a bit of speculation to demonstrate its fulfillment. However, it is sufficiently evident from Scripture that it is fulfilled in the birth of Christ.

It was to be held on the first day of the seventh month, according to Leviticus 23. There are two distinct calendars in the Bible. The first is the creation calendar, and the second is the redemption calendar. This same pattern of creation/redemption is seen throughout the Bible. God creates, and then He redeems.

For example, the reason for giving the Sabbath in the Ten Commandments in Exodus is based on creation, “For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth…” (20:11). However, it is based on redemption in the giving of the Ten Commandments in Deuteronomy, “And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm” (5:15).

Overt examples of the fulfillment are found elsewhere in Scripture, such as in the book of Revelation, where a doxology of praise to the Lord was uttered in Revelation 4 based on His effort in creation, whereas in Revelation 5, another doxology of praise to Him is given based on His effort in redemption.

Briefly, the seventh month was originally the first month of the year based on creation, but that was changed at the time of the exodus when the Lord declared the first month to commence in the springtime in the month of Aviv (later known as Nisan). That is recorded in Exodus 12:2, and it is based on redemption.

It is the redemption calendar that is used in designating the Feasts of the Lord. Although citing non-biblical sources is not something I like to do, the commentary on the 1^st of Tishri, provided by Chabadba, gives invaluable insight into what we need to know –

“The 1st day of creation, on which G-d created existence, time, matter, darkness and light, was the 25th of Elul. (Rosh Hashanah, on which we mark “the beginning of Your works”, is actually the 6th day of creation, on which the world attained the potential for the realization of its purpose, with the creation of the first man and woman, Adam and Eve. Rosh Hashanah is therefore the day from which the Jewish calendar begins to count the years of history; the 1st day of creation thus occurred on the 25th of Elul of what is termed -1 from creation.” Chabadba

In other words, man was created on the sixth day, according to Genesis 1. This would be the first day of the first month of the creation calendar and, later, the first day of the seventh month of the redemptive calendar.

The words of the commentary from Chabadba are actually supported by an anagram that occurs between the first word in the Bible. This anagram is concerning creation and the first day of the month of Tishri. They are both spelled with the same letters, but when rearranged, the Hebrew letters reflect one or the other. “In the beginning,” bereshit, is an anagram of “the first of Tishri,” aleph b’tishri.

בראשית
אבתשרי

As noted earlier, Tishri is also the first month of the regal calendar, as detailed in the books of Kings and Chronicles. That this is the first month of these calendars is significant, as will be seen.

As for the first of this month, it is seen three other times in Scripture. In Genesis 8:13, it is the day that the waters were dried up from the earth, and Noah removed the covering of the ark, looking upon the new world.

Ezra 3 mentions that this is the day Jeshua and Zerubbabel, after their return from Babylon, built the altar of the God of Israel and began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord. It is also the day in Nehemiah 8 when Ezra brought forward the Law of Moses and read it to all the people.

Each instance anticipates Christ. Noah, looking upon the new world, looks to new life in Christ, our Ark of safety. The building of the altar and sacrifices on it anticipate Christ, our Altar of sacrifice, and our Sacrifice. The reading of the Law pictures Christ, the fulfillment of the law.

As this is the first of the month, it would coincide with New Moon celebrations, which are mentioned at various times in the Bible. However, this day in Leviticus, the first of the seventh month, is certainly what is being referred to in Psalm 81, where the word rua is used –

“Sing aloud to God our strength;
Make a joyful shout [rua] to the God of Jacob.
² Raise a song and strike the timbrel,
The pleasant harp with the lute.
³ Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon,
At the full moon, on our solemn feast day.” Psalm 81:1-3

Thus, the New Moon solemn feast coincides with the Day of Acclamation, the darkest night of the month. The full moon solemn feast, the brightest night of the month, would be at the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which immediately follows the Passover. It was on these holy convocations, and others like them, that joyful shouts were to be raised.

It is on the first day of the seventh month that Jesus would have been born. Some claim Christ was born in the spring. This conclusion results from a poor analysis of what Scripture is saying, faulty tradition, and incorrect assumptions. It has no basis in reality.

Others claim that Jesus was born during the Feast of Tabernacles, stating that His coming in the flesh to tabernacle among us is fulfilled in His birth. This is also incorrect.

As noted, the Feast of Tabernacles is a pilgrim feast. It signifies believers’ lives in Christ, not the birth of Jesus. It is a common mistake based on a misunderstanding of the Hebrew word khag, which points to believer’s participation in what He has done.

To understand the proper timing of the birth of Jesus, it needs to be fleshed out from what is provided in Scripture. First, Acclamation is the only feast that falls on the first of the month, the time of the New Moon. As noted, this is when the skies are the darkest, having no light from the moon to illuminate them, the significance of which will be seen later.

As for the precise dating, to see the proper pattern develop, we first go to 1 Chronicles 24. This reveals the order of the 24 details of priests who served at the temple in Jerusalem. The division of Abijah was the 8^th division –

“And the scribe, Shemaiah the son of Nethanel, one of the Levites, wrote them down before the king, the leaders, Zadok the priest, Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the priests and Levites, one father’s house taken for Eleazar and one for Ithamar.
⁷ Now the first lot fell to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah, ⁸ the third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim, ⁹ the fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin, ¹⁰ the seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah…” 1 Chronicles 24:6-10

Next, Luke 1 reveals that Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, was of the division of Abijah. He was serving at the Temple and was given the promise of a son –

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. ⁶ And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. ⁷ But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.
⁸ So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, ⁹ according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. ¹⁰ And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. ¹¹ Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. ¹² And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
¹³ But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. ¹⁴ And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. ¹⁵ For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. ¹⁶ And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. ¹⁷ He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
¹⁸ And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”
¹⁹ And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. ²⁰ But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.”
²¹ And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. ²² But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.
²³ So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house. ²⁴ Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, ²⁵ “Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.” Luke 1:5-25

Later, in Luke 1:36, it is revealed that Mary was visited by Gabriel in the 6^th month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, “Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren.” From this point, we have the details to know the timing of Jesus’ birth –

Mar/Apr       Apr/May      May/June         Jun/July

Month        Nisan            Iyar              Shivan              Tamuz
Division     1 & 2            3 & 4            5 & 6                7 & 8 Abijah

*Zechariah would have been at the temple in Jun/Jul (Tamuz)
*Add 6 months until Gabriel spoke to Mary – Dec/Jan (Adar)
*Add 9 months until Christ the Lord was born – Sep/Oct (Tishri)

However, an obvious assumption must be made, which is that Zechariah got his wife pregnant rather quickly. And yet, that is hardly an assumption at all. First, he couldn’t speak until the child was born, something that may have made Elizabeth quite happy, but it is something he would want corrected right away.

Second, if they had been hoping for a child for so long, they would have wasted no time in getting started with the tough work. The assumptions are obvious. Further, Luke, under inspiration of the Spirit, continues the timeline in an uninterrupted fashion, asking us to look at the dates based on the other time frames he provided, meaning in a united fashion.

Based on the evidence, it is clear that Christ Jesus was born in the September/October timeframe. This corresponds to the Hebrew month of Tishri. From that, we can reasonably determine that Jesus was born on the first of Tishri. We can do this in several ways.

First, we look to 1 Corinthians 15 to see a pattern based on the tradition showing that Adam was created on the first day of Tishri, the 6^th day of creation. It would follow reasonably that Jesus, the “second Adam,” was born on the same day, 4000 years later, thereby completing a biblical pattern. 1 Corinthians 15:45-48 tells us Jesus is the last Adam –

“And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
⁴⁶ However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. ⁴⁷ The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. ⁴⁸ As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly.”

When Adam was created, the Lord who created him became, in effect, his King at that moment. That He is a King is reflected, for example, in the 47^th Psalm –

“God has gone up with a shout,
The Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
⁶ Sing praises to God, sing praises!
Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
⁷ For God is the King of all the earth;
Sing praises with understanding.” Psalm 47:5-7

However, the man turned from his King. God knew this would happen from the beginning. Both Peter and John state this unambiguously. Speaking of Christ Jesus, 1 Peter 1:20, 21 says –

“He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you ²¹ who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.”

And so, in order to redeem man, God sent Christ into the world, using the same pattern as is found throughout Scripture – creation and then redemption. He created Adam on the first of Tishri, and He sent the Redeemer on that same day. It was the first of the month of the creation calendar and the first of the seventh month on the redemption calendar.

And, as noted, this is the only feast designated specifically as occurring on the New Moon, which is the first day of the month. It is the darkest day of the month. Thus, it was the best day for the glory of the Lord to be highlighted –

“Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.” Luke 2:8, 9

These words of Luke are used to claim that Jesus had to have been born in the spring, saying that it was too cold for flocks to be out in December. As such, the claim is that Jesus could not have been born then.

First, He wasn’t. The details demonstrate that He was born in the fall. But more, the claim is ignorant. The animals are never sheltered away from the weather. They remain in the fields throughout the year. Thus, the entire argument for this Cahn-job is rendered false.

As I said, such analyses result from a poor analysis of Scripture, faulty tradition, and incorrect assumptions. As for the heralding of a king, in 1 Kings 1:34, it is seen that the shofar, the ram’s horn trumpet, is blown at the coronation of the king. In that case, it was Solomon.

It then becomes obvious why the Lord mandated this feast on this particular day. It is the day when all of Israel would be joyously shouting with acclamation and blowing shofars throughout the land. On this day, the King of the Universe was being born among men. Little did they know that they were heralding in the true, great King of Israel – Jesus Christ.

The patterns are too rich, too many, and too well orchestrated to be by mere chance. Again, in Numbers 23:21, we read these words –

“He has not observed iniquity in Jacob,
Nor has He seen wickedness in Israel.
The Lord his God is with him,
And the shout of a King [t’ruat melekh] is among them.” Numbers 23:21

This is the same word, t’ruah, used in Leviticus to signify this particular day in the redemptive calendar. This was certainly fulfilled in the praises of the heavenly host at the birth of the great King, Jesus! And again, Psalm 47, a psalm read on the first day of this particular month in synagogues around the world, it says –

“Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples!
Shout [rua] to God with the voice of triumph!
² For the Lord Most High is awesome;
He is a great King over all the earth.” Psalm 47:1, 2

Without Israel even now understanding the significance of what they are proclaiming, the idea of rua, shouting to the King, is identified with this day. Three verses later, the psalmist says –

“God has gone up with a shout,
The Lord with the sound of a trumpet.” Psalm 47:5

There, the t’ruah, or shout of acclamation, is combined with the sound of the shofar, all pointing to this one particular day in history when Christ was born, and the King of the universe was made manifest among us.

Again, it is certain that Christ was born on the same day that Adam was created, on the first day of the first month of the creation calendar, which is the first day of the seventh month of the redemption calendar.

But we can ask, “Did anything happen in the Bible on the first day of the first month of the redemption calendar?” The answer is, “And it came to pass in the first month of the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was raised up” (Exodus 40:17).

The tabernacle, every detail of which points to Christ and His ministry, was erected on the first day of the first month of the redemption calendar. Thus, we again have, as has been seen many times in Scripture, the pattern of creation being followed by redemption. The Creator is our Redeemer.

The King has come; shout aloud and rejoice
He has come to redeem fallen man
Let your shouts be heard with a resounding voice
Blow the trumpets aloud, as hard as you can

He has come! The King of the ages is here
We gather around Him, the King of the Jews
Yes, all people come, see the sight, draw near
And then go forth and spread the glorious news

The Baby born in a manger is the King of Israel
This Child lying helplessly shall rule all the world
It is the most marvelous news; go forth and tell
May joy from the heart now be unfurled

III. The Significance of Christmas

We are gathered here in December to celebrate Christmas. But why are we doing so if Jesus was born in the fall? Couldn’t we just stay home and not plow the driveway before driving in all this miserable snow? No! We have gathered at this time for a reason.

When you ask a Korean person how old he is, he will give you an answer that doesn’t fit with the Western notion of age. The reason why is they consider their age from conception, not from birth out of the womb.

Understanding this will help you grasp why what they tell you at one time doesn’t seem to match with what you might find out at other times.

Even though Christ, the second Adam and the King of the universe, was born on the first day of the seventh month of the redemption calendar, there is another point that needs to be addressed. What is the significance of our coming together to celebrate on 25 December?

Traditionally, people have said this was a Catholic attempt to align the holiday with a pagan festival to accommodate older beliefs for those who were assimilated into the faith. Whether this occurred or not has nothing to do with what Scripture tells us concerning Jesus.

The equinoxes and solstices were created by God, and they reflect what He is doing in the world of creation and redemption. If this has been misused by other religions, it doesn’t change the true intent for when these things occur. The significance of 25 December is far more beautiful than some crude attempt by Roman Catholicism to harmonize pagan beliefs with those of Christianity.

The human gestation period is approximately 270 days. It does vary, but this is right at the average. If you go back 270 days from the first of Tishri, you will at times come to 25 December.

What this means is that Christ was conceived on this day, approximately 270 days before His birth into the world. And so, the true celebration on this day is not the birth of Jesus from the womb. Rather, what we’ve been celebrating is the incarnation of Jesus in the womb, when God united with human flesh.

Understanding that, eight times in the past one hundred and seventeen years, both Christmas and Hanukkah (the Festival of Lights), have occurred at the same time – 24/25 December. In 2024, it will occur again on 25 December, and in 2027, it will occur on December 24.

This same day is known as the Feast of Dedication, mentioned in John 10:22, and which was included in our opening verses.

Elsewhere in the gospel of John, John cites Jesus’ words concerning His fulfillment of that feast. Although it was not a Leviticus 23 feast, it is noted as a feast nonetheless in the New Testament. Along with our Text Verse today, there are other clearly stated verses that tell us this –

“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.’” John 8:12

“Then Jesus said to them, ‘A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. ³⁶ While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.’ These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.” John 12:35, 36

As incredible as it might seem, Jesus was probably conceived on the Festival of Lights (Hanukkah), also known as the Feast of Dedication, and He was certainly born on Yom T’ruah. The prophetic patterns of the Bible completely and amazingly support the wonderful fulfillment of the Feasts of the Lord in Jesus!

Scripture has carefully recorded special circumstances that occurred in one particular line of priests, that of Abijah, for a reason. It then carefully and methodically gives other time frames necessary to pinpoint the time of year Christ was born.

It also gives numerous patterns that confirm the exact date within this time of year for us to know, with all certainty, that He was born on the 1^st of Tishri and that he was conceived at what we call Christmas. The Light of the World has come to dwell among us!

None of this is by chance. Rather, these things are recorded because God is alerting us to the fact that Jesus is the Messiah anticipated in every type and picture given in Scripture. And more, He is the fulfillment of them all. As this is so, then He is obviously asking us to follow through with what the Bible says is necessary for our lives concerning Christ.

It says that He is God’s gift to the world and that all who believe in Him will be saved. It further says that He is the only path to salvation and that no one can come to the Father but through Him. He is the one and only Mediator between God and men. In other words, God only acknowledges those prayers that are directed to Him through Jesus.

If you have never accepted Jesus, I would ask you today to consider your eternal state. Think it through, look at what God has done in Christ, and call out to Him for salvation. All He asks is that we simply believe that He has done all the work. Salvation is God’s gift, appropriated by faith in the work of Jesus.

He was conceived at the time of the Feast of Dedication (aka, the Festival of Lights, Hannukah).

He was born on first of the seventh month of the redemption calendar which is the first month of the creation calendar, at the time of the New Moon, the darkest night of the month. God’s glory lit up the heavens, and the heavenly host proclaimed the event. Scripture is revealing to us that the true Light had entered into the spiritual darkness of the world to accomplish all that God had set before Him.

Remarkably, He then died just before the start of the brightest night of the month, the night of the full moon. Again, a spiritual picture was given to us – our Hope is not extinguished by darkness. As it says in John 1:5 –

“And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

Let us remember this and carry the true Light with us. May the hope of the Christmas Child remain with you always. And may the Light of Christ shine upon you now and forever. May it be so! Amen.

Closing Verse: Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. ¹¹ For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” Luke 2:10-12

Next week: Judges 6:1-10 To Me alone you shall worship and applaud… (I Am the Lord Your God) (17^th Judges Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. He sent His own Son into the world to reconcile you to Himself. Remember the enormity of what that means each day of your life. And then, follow Him and trust Him as He continues to do marvelous things for you and through you.

The Zeal of the Lord of Hosts

 

Unto us a Child is born
A time to rejoice and not to mourn

Unto us a Son is given
The One to lead us from death to a’livin’

And the government will be upon His shoulder
Every eye will see Him; every soul will be His beholder

Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom’s realm
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever – He at the helm
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this

And His name will be called Wonderful
The Counselor and Mighty God is He
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, pure and white as wool
Of the increase of His government and peace, no end shall we see

Do not be afraid, for behold
I bring you good tidings of great joy
Which will be to all people, forever told
The wondrous story, the birth of a Boy

For there is born to you this day
In the city of David, a Savior, it is He
Christ the Lord whom heaven’s hosts obey
The Messiah has come; and now you may go and see

And this will be the sign to you:
You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes
Lying in a manger, a glorious view
The Christmas Child whom our Heavenly Father bestows

A Child like no other has come to dwell among us
He shall lead us in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake
And His name is called out, His name is JESUS
Come, and of the Heavenly Child partake

He is God’s gift and heaven’s treasure
He is Immanuel – God with us
And He bestows upon us grace without measure
The Christmas Child, our glorious Lord – JESUS!

Hallelujah and Amen…

Artwork by Douglas Kallerson

Matthew 1:21
You Shall Call His Name JESUS

Read Matthew 1:18-25. The old saying “You can’t see the forest for the trees” is true of many things in our daily lives. And it is certainly true in the spiritual life of man as well.

All over the world, there are “trees” that have been planted by people throughout the ages. They have actually stolen away man’s ability to perceive what the root of the problem between God and man is. Every new religion introduced is like a tree that man may look at and say, “This is the answer.”

And every offshoot of every religion only further blocks the view of the main issue. People go from tree to tree – or even from branch to branch – looking at what they can do to be pleasing to God, but the main subject, the overall forest, is never considered.

The same is also true with the Bible. The Bible talks about salvation, and so we will also talk about it today. But what people think about salvation as defined in the Bible can be as far from the main issue as are the teachings of Buddha.

This doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with the contents of the Bible. Rather, it means that the focus is on a lesser point and it, therefore, misses the main point. To ensure that would not be the case with the announcement to Joseph of the coming of Jesus, the angel was clear, precise, and succinct in his words.

There is one main subject, a problem, that is addressed by the Bible that needs to be tended to. And there is one Man who came to tend to it.

Text Verse: “So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’

⁵⁵ ‘O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?’

⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. ⁵⁷ But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:54-57

Paul’s words get to the heart of the issue and they tell what the effect of dealing with that issue is. If it isn’t dealt with, a completely different outcome will be the result. All of this is minutely explained in the Bible. We just need to make sure that the main issue isn’t obscured.

Once it is seen for what it is, then understanding the remedy for it is the most wonderful thing a person can ever grasp. We look at the cross and we know that Jesus died for us, but we may not appreciate the magnitude of the event.

God Himself was willing to deal with the problem so that we could be handed the blessing. The story of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus is the most important story in human history. It is so important that God has put the total focus of His word on this event.

And so, it is good for us to come together each year and highlight this most magnificent occurrence. There is passion, pain, and death involved, and there is a price that God did not need to pay. And yet, He voluntarily accomplished this through Jesus Christ in order to bring us back to Himself.

May we consider this and remember, with awe and appreciation, what occurred when Jesus was nailed to the cross of Calvary, when He was buried, and when He rose again. Let’s consider this most incredible event in all of human history.

The revealing of the majesty and perfection of God in Christ is to be found in His superior word. And so, let us turn to that precious word once again, and… May God speak to us through His word today, and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. Conceived of the Holy Spirit

Does it seem odd that on Resurrection Day we would begin with the birth announcement of Jesus? But considering that the words in Matthew 1 are the first recorded words in the New Testament of one individual speaking to another, and considering that those words explain the nature of and reason for Jesus’ coming, it should no longer seem surprising.

Of His nature, the text is clear. The child in Mary’s womb was conceived of the Holy Spirit, meaning the Spirit of God. How the Spirit is presented in Scripture should lead a person to no other conclusion. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God. For example, it says in Genesis 1 –

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. ² The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” Genesis 1:1, 2

The Spirit of God is who God is. But more, He is God made known in an expressible way. To get an understanding of this, we can evaluate the word translated as spirit. In Hebrew, it is ruakh. Being translated as “spirit,” one would think it is used specifically in reference to the spirit of a being, be it God, man, or animal.

But the word is variously translated. It means wind, breath, and spirit, and is also translated other ways depending on the context. The same is true with the Greek word pneuma. It is also translated as wind, breath, and spirit.

If one thinks of breath, that is an extension of the life of a person. A person without breath is dead. Wind is an extension of something else. There wouldn’t be wind unless something caused it to go forth. These physical expressions of the words ruakh and pneuma are given to help us understand what is being conveyed when we consider what the spirit of a being is.

A review of the phrase “my spirit” from the Old Testament gives us insights into what is being said concerning the spirit of man or of God. The spirit of man can be afflicted (Job 7:11), it can be entrusted to another (Psalm 31:5), it can seek out something (Isaiah 26:9), etc. Such descriptions are expressions of who the person is, what the person is feeling, and so on.

The same is true with God. In Genesis 1, the Spirit of God is God expressing Himself as He hovered over the face of the waters. The word translated as hovered comes from a root signifying “to brood.” It was as if God was fluttering over His creation, beginning to express Himself in it.

This would be the first note of what we term General Revelation in Scripture. This is a way of God expressing Himself in the creation so that we can understand things about Him, meaning what He is like.

In Genesis 6:3, the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever.” The words reveal an expression of God, telling us of His nature toward the wickedness of man. In 2 Samuel 23, it says –

“Now these are the last words of David.
Thus says David the son of Jesse;
Thus says the man raised up on high,
The anointed of the God of Jacob,
And the sweet psalmist of Israel:
^2 ‘The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me,
And His word was on my tongue.’” 2 Samuel 23:1, 2

This means that the Spirit of the Lord was expressing Himself through David. It is an example of Special Revelation, a way of the Lord specially revealing Himself. It is something that cannot be known or deduced from General Revelation, but it must be imparted by God directly from Himself.

Thus, the term Holy Spirit is referring to the Spirit of God, but it is expressing the Spirit of God in a particular manner. The word qodesh, or holy, signifies sacredness and apartness.

A sanctuary is set apart as a place for the things of God. Holy people are to be set apart from what is common or profane. Thus, the Holy Spirit is the sacredness and apartness of God in relation to other things. For example, after David sinned, he wrote this –

“Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.” Psalm 51:10, 11

The Holy Spirit had been imparted to David, but because of his sin, he was concerned that God would remove Himself, meaning His Spirit, from him. As noted before, the Spirit of God is who God is. In asking for God to not take His Holy Spirit from him, David was asking Him to not remove the expression of His presence from him.

As God is omnipresent, He cannot actually be removed from David in the absolute sense. But it is the special presence and expression of Himself that had been imparted to David that he was concerned with.

Now we come full circle to the statement of the angel to Joseph, “that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.” The sacredness and apartness of God’s Spirit, this special presence of God, is the instrument of conception in the womb of Mary.

The word used to describe this is the verb gennaó. It means to beget; to procreate a descendant. It is the same word used 40 times in the genealogical listing from Matthew 1:2-16, one person begetting the next, beginning with Abraham and ending with Jesus.

In Matthew 1:20, we have something similar to, but far more intimate than what was said in Genesis 1:2. There, God was hovering over the waters, preparing to express Himself in the creation in a general way.

However, in Matthew 1:20, God’s Holy Spirit would actually beget a Child. This, then, is not General Revelation but Special Revelation. God is personally and intimately revealing Himself to the world in a unique way. Luke’s record of the account provides another point of view –

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.” Luke 1:35

In understanding these things, we can then make several logical deductions concerning what is being said. It is the heart of what God is telling us in this word:

• Mary, the mother of Jesus, is a human being. As all things beget after their own kind (Genesis 1), then this Child is a human being.
• The Holy Spirit, the sacredness and apartness of God, is the Father of this Child. As all things beget after their own kind, then this Child is God.

These are obvious conclusions that can and must be made from what we are being told in the text. This coming Child, who had been prophesied since the very beginning of man’s need for Him, is to be God incarnate; the God/Man.

To say otherwise would be to ignore the very purpose of using the word gennaó 40 times in a row, from Abraham to Jesus. The 40^th time, it said, “And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ” (Matthew 1:16).

The wording plainly indicates that Jesus was born of Mary, but it in no way implies that He was begotten of Joseph. Rather, He is begotten of the Holy Spirit and of Mary. Despite the clear and unambiguous meaning of what is conveyed there, the nature of Jesus Christ, being the God/Man, is often denied as such.

But the record stands and it is verified in Matthew’s words which explain what the angel had told Joseph –

“So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ²³ ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.’” Matthew 1:22, 23

The type was given to direct us to the Antitype. Someone would be named Immanuel, indicating that the parents believed that God was with them and their people. However, the prophecy, anticipating the fulfillment in the Messiah, wasn’t merely indicating that God was with the people in a general way, but in a specific way.

These words are not being used as a name but as an explanation of the nature of Jesus, the One conceived of the Holy Spirit. God entered into a special relationship with His creation, meaning humanity, uniting with it. The magnitude and importance of this are then realized in what Jesus was born to do…

You are He who took me out of the womb
And You have been with me all the way
You shall deliver me from the tomb
Death will be defeated in that day

I was cast upon You from birth
And from my mother’s womb, You have been my God
To You, O King of infinite worth
The nations shall stream and the peoples applaud

You are enthroned in the praise of Israel
They cried to You and were delivered in that day
Now to the nations, this story we tell
That You, O God, have provided the way

II. He Will Save His People

The reason why we want to focus on the conception and birth of Jesus is to explain the life of Jesus. John said in his gospel narrative –

“And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.” John 21:25

As John wrote an entire gospel about Jesus, and as he concluded his gospel with these words, we can conclude that Jesus did a great deal of things. But everything recorded about Jesus had to have an initial reason for it to be.

How would you explain what God was going to do in the Person of Jesus as that initial thought? We find the answer right in the text itself. After the angel explained that Jesus would be both God and human, he continued by saying He would be a male. “And she will bring forth a Son.”

Until this point, Joseph could not have known that. All he could have known was that Mary was pregnant and yet she claimed she was a virgin and that her Child would be the Son of God. Joseph obviously didn’t believe this, because the Bible says that he was minded to “put her away secretly.”

However, with the angel’s words to Joseph, the matter is now settled. He would be both a human male and the Son of God. And, as a summary of what He would come to do, the brief words of the angel continue, saying, “and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people.”

The name is designated by God to reflect the nature of the Person. In Greek, the name is IESOUS, but the name would have been conveyed to Joseph in Hebrew, YESHUA.

This needs to be explained though. The Greek name Iesous is transliterated from the Hebrew Yehoshua or Joshua. That is derived from the divine name YHVH and yasha which means to save. Combined the name means The Lord is Salvation.

However, it is generally (but not universally) accepted that the shortened form of Yehoshua was what the angel spoke to Joseph, YESHUA. This simply means He Will Save. Thus, as often occurs in the Bible at the naming of a child, a pun is made: “and you shall call His name He Will Save, for He will save His people.”

An obvious question that arises is, “What do the words ‘His people’ signify?” It could be speaking of a person belonging to a group, such as, “Charlie is an American.” Or it could be referring to a group belonging to another, such as, “These are God’s people.” For example, the latter is used in Luke 1 –

“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest;
For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
⁷⁷ To give knowledge of salvation to His people
By the remission of their sins.” Luke 1:76, 77

The answer, based on a reading of the New Testament, must be the latter. For example, John says –

“He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. ¹¹ He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. ¹² But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: ¹³ who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 1:10-13

These and other verses show us that “His people” is referring to those who belong to Him. As He is God, it is referring to any who are God’s through Him. Though this is inclusive of Israel, it is not limited to them. As Paul says –

“What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, ²³ and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, ²⁴ even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
²⁵ As He says also in Hosea:
‘I will call them My people, who were not My people,
And her beloved, who was not beloved.’
²⁶ ‘And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them,
“You are not My people,”
There they shall be called sons of the living God.’” Romans 9:22-26

Unless Joseph was a true scholar of the words of Scripture, he probably would not have known such references as Paul cites, but it was revealed at various times in the Jewish Scriptures, such as Job’s inclusion in the Hebrew Old Testament even though he was a Gentile. Isaiah stated it even more explicitly –

“And now the Lord says,
Who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant,
To bring Jacob back to Him,
So that Israel is gathered to Him
(For I shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord,
And My God shall be My strength),
⁶ Indeed He says,
‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant
To raise up the tribes of Jacob,
And to restore the preserved ones of Israel;
I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles,
That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’” Isaiah 49:5, 6

Understanding these things, that Jesus is God incarnate and that He came to save His people, we are left with a final thought to consider from the words of the angel…

What a wonderful, marvelous thing that God has done
He has brought us back to Himself this day
Through the giving of Jesus, His only begotten Son
We have the smooth path; He has paved the way

In Him is found life and length of days
To Him we look and call out His name
To God, through Jesus, we shall give all our praise
He has removed our guilt and taken away our shame

Praise God all you saints of His, praise Him today!
Rejoice in the marvelous thing that He has done
God Himself has made the way
Through the precious gift of Jesus, His only begotten Son

III. From Their Sins

The idea of salvation can mean various things in Scripture. One can be saved from his enemies in battle, or saved from oppression, or from famine, violence, injustice, or death.

Because the Hebrew writings focus so much on salvation from such physical things as these, and because the writings are so heavily focused on the people of Israel, it would be only natural for them to assume that the Lord was going to send the Messiah to deliver them in such a manner.

But the underlying problem that Scripture focuses on, and which the many battles and trials of Israel only typologically represented, is the problem of sin. Standing back and taking a global look at Scripture, this becomes perfectly evident.

The first problem introduced in Scripture is sin. The reason for the destruction of the entire world apart from Noah and his family was sin. The introduction of the Law of Moses was to highlight sin.

Detailing the conquest of Canaan and the eradication of the inhabitants in the land was because of their sin. The record of the judges, kings of Israel, and the people continuously highlights their lives in relation to sin. The writings of the prophets regarding the state of the people time and again were to highlight their sin.

It is the primary issue found in Scripture when properly considered. If the angel came to Joseph and told him that the Child would save His people and stopped there, Joseph would probably have thought, “Israel is going to be freed from her enemies!”

Those who ruled over them, physically oppressed them, and of whom they were afraid in many ways, would have been on the mind of Joseph and anyone else within Israel.

The angel could not just say that this Child would save them. Rather, he had to explain what that meant, because a greater enemy stood against the people. The angel’s explanation comes in four words in the Greek which equate to three words in our translation – apo tōn hamartiōn autōn, “from their sins.”

The Child was sent to save His people from their sins. This is what God directed the angel to say –

“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. ²¹ And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:20, 21

And that is all he said. If Joseph sat down and thought about the magnitude of those words, he would have been as amazed as we are today. God was entering into the stream of human existence in order to save His people from their sins.

The reason why this is such an incredible statement is because Israel was ostensibly saved from their sins. The Law of Moses provided for that. How could they need to be saved from their sins if the law, at least in part, was intended to save them?

To this day, observant Jews look at the law as fully capable of doing this. And, unfortunately, many people in supposed Christian churches believe this as well. If that was true, the record of Israel’s history would have been completely different.

In fact, there would have been no need for a Messiah. Israel, through the law, would have been the Messiah. The promises of the Law of Moses tell of the exaltation of Israel for obedience. Does one need a Messiah if already in a place of exaltation?

One only needs a Messiah to be saved. Who needs to be saved if sin is dealt with, the people are secure and free from oppression, and they have been accepted by God?

This was an ideal of the law that was never realized. Hence, Israel anticipated the coming of a Messiah. But their thoughts concerning Him and His coming were skewed. They failed to consider the first words concerning sin recorded in Scripture –

“And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; ¹⁷ but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.’” Genesis 2:16, 17

Sin results in death. Man sinned and thus he died. The spirit of the man was separated from God, spiritual death. Man’s separation from God led to physical death. If the Law of Moses could correct that, then people would no longer die. That is even explicitly stated in the law itself –

“You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the Lord.” Leviticus 18:5

But every person in Israel who was there at the giving of the law died. And every person since that time also died. Thus, they needed salvation from sin that the law could not provide, at least not by themselves. It is this thought that highlights the enormity of what God in Christ would do.

Suppose someone under the law actually did what the law demanded, year after year, never sinning. He fulfilled every precept of the law on his own. Would that be sufficient to save Israel? No, he would only save himself.

The same is true if lots of people never sinned under the law: They would only be able to save themselves. And their lives under the law would only continue until they sinned, at which time, they would die. Thus, they wouldn’t have really saved themselves. Rather, they would have merely prolonged their existence.

But more, there is the problem of original sin. Suppose a person didn’t sin under the law for a long, long time. If he confusedly thought, I am tired of living under the law and so I am going to die by my own hand so that I don’t have to live under the law anymore, then he would obviously not continue to live.

But more, he would not come back to life free from the constraint of the law. This is because he did, in fact, have original sin. He may have lived a long time because he never broke the law, but he would remain dead (spiritually separated from God), because of the sin in him that occurred apart from the law.

Paul explains how this is by using the example of someone who was never under the law –

“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— ¹³ (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. ¹⁴ Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.” Romans 5:12-14

So because of sin death reigned in all men until the time of Moses. With the introduction of the Mosaic Law, a provision for life was given, but if that life ended, the original sin in him still kept that person from restoration with God, and thus, from resurrecting.

All of this is tied up in the angel’s words that Jesus would save His people from their sins. We know this is so because it has already been established that “His people” is referring to those who are His through what He would accomplish, not merely the nation of Israel.

God Himself would have to enter into the stream of human existence in order to save His people. In this occurrence, the Child to be born would cut the line of sin that began in Adam. He would be born without sin.

As He was born to Mary, the espoused bride of Joseph, He was born under the law. Think on that for a moment! The law that He gave to Israel, and which no person under that law had been able to fulfill – attested to by their continued deaths – is the burden that He placed Himself under.

As He was born without sin, He could – like Adam – potentially live forever. Unlike Adam, however, he didn’t have one simple command to obey. Rather, He had the entire Mosaic Code to live out without erring, even once.

As long as He continued to do this, He would not die (meaning spiritual death leading to physical death) because, as Leviticus 18:5 noted, the man who did the things of the law would live. This was the task set before Him.

This, then, is the purpose of the gospels. They are not merely provided to show us what Jesus came to do, but what He did. They are a written testimony to the life of the sinless perfection of Jesus Christ. So confident was He in this that He told it to Israel –

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. ¹² But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. ¹³ The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. ¹⁴ I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. ¹⁵ As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. ¹⁶ And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
¹⁷ Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” John 10:11-18

If Christ laid down His life knowing that He had the power to take it again, then He knew that He was in a state of sinless perfection. And more, He didn’t just say that He would lay down His life, but that He would do it for His sheep. The meaning is obvious: His death would be for rescuing their lives.

He was telling them that the Law of Moses, with its inability to save the people from death, was only a foreshadowing of what He came to do.

In His perfect life and subsequent death, the law would be considered fulfilled in Him. This could not be the case with a person who bore original sin. His eventual death would bear the stain of that original sin.

Jesus, on the other hand, died in sinless perfection, fulfilling the law. In this fulfillment, God – through Him – offers a New Covenant. What is behind this thought requires a thorough study of the book of Hebrews, but Chapter 7:11-28 gives the gist of it.

Within those verses, the most precise explanation is found in verses 11-19 –

“Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? ¹² For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. ¹³ For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar.
¹⁴ For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. ¹⁵ And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest ¹⁶ who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. ¹⁷ For He testifies:
‘You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek.’
¹⁸ For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, ¹⁹ for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.” Hebrews 7:11-19

This is the error in thinking possessed by observant Jews and those Gentiles who put themselves under the Law of Moses. They reject the only hope for rescue from sin. Sin is the problem. All of the other things we think we need deliverance from are merely a part of a fallen world.

We think we need rescue from enemies, from debt, from an abusive father, a tedious job, or whatever else is harming a hoped-for state of contentment. But it is sin, leading to death, that we need deliverance from. Without that, there can never be a state of contentment in our lives.

This is what God came to do when He united with humanity in the person of Jesus Christ. And this is what He offers to anyone who will accept the premise that He has done just that.

Entrance into the New Covenant is what brings freedom from sin, and it can only be obtained through Christ Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. It makes no sense to assume that God has made any other path to restore man to Himself. This is why Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).

Sin! Sin is the problem. If sin is not addressed, then there can be no restoration. But God in Christ has made the way available for us. He Himself has dealt with the sin issue, and all He asks is for us to believe, as is stated in 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4 –

• Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.
• Christ was buried.
• Christ rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.

This is the message that we proclaim. God in Christ has done it. He alone prevailed over sin because He had no sin. And He offers His sinless perfection to anyone who will come to Him by faith. In Christ is:

• The gift of God. A gift cannot be earned.
• The grace of God. Grace is unmerited favor.
• The mercy of God. He withholds what we deserve because it has already been meted out in the crucifixion of Jesus.

In Jesus’ dying humanity, God poured out His wrath on all the sins of mankind.

Think of it! In the flood of Noah, the entire world was destroyed because of God’s wrath at sin. And yet, that outpouring was insufficient to do what the cross of Jesus Christ accomplished. An entire world full of people perished and yet the sin debt remained unpaid. But in the giving of Jesus, it is finished. The proof of that is an empty tomb and a risen Savior.

Thank God for Jesus Christ our Lord. May we submit to Him and be cleansed according to the promise of God that is realized in the Lord Jesus Christ. He has saved His people from their sins. Hallelujah and Amen.

Closing Verse: “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29

Next Week: Joshua 19:10-16 You will probably be amazed when the sermon is done… (The Inheritance of Zebulun) (39^th Joshua Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. It is He who has defeated the enemy and who now offers His people rest. So, follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

A Celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

This is the gospel which was preached to you
It is also the one you received and on which you stand
It is the gospel of salvation, providing life that’s new
And which will carry you to the promised Holy Land

What is delivered to you is what was before received
That Christ died for our sins according to God’s word
He was buried and He rose, and so we have believed
And many witnesses testify to this message you have heard

Now, if Christ is preached that He is risen from the dead
How can some among you say the resurrection isn’t true?
If there is no resurrection after Christ was crucified and bled
Then our faith as well as yours is certainly askew

And if so, we are found false witnesses of God
Because we have wrongly testified of this mighty deed
And our faith is futile, no heavenly streets we’ll trod
And we are still dead in our sins; fallen Adam’s seed

Even more, those who have fallen asleep in the Lord are gone
And we are the most pitiable creatures the world could ever look upon

But indeed, Christ is risen from the dead
He is the Firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep
And as death came through one man, Adam, our federal head
So Christ will make all alive; our souls He will keep

There is an order to the Resurrection call
Christ was first, the pattern for the rest when He comes
When He does, He will make a shout out to us all
And we will rise as if to the sound of heavenly battle drums

Then comes the time, when He delivers the kingdom to the Father
When all rule, authority, and power have come to an end
The last enemy to be destroyed is death, never more to bother
Then the Son will to the Father eternal rule extend

But you ask, “What will we be like after our time of sleep?
After we have been buried in corruption’s pit so deep?”

Our body is sown in dishonor, but it will be raised in glory
It is sown in weakness, but raised in power – the resurrection story

The first man Adam became a living being, it is true
The last Adam became a life-giving Spirit, life to me and you

And as was the man of dust, created so long ago
So are those likened unto him, also made of dust
And as is the Man, the Lord from heaven, you know
That we shall bear His image for eternity just as we’ve discussed

Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God
Nor can corruption inherit that which is incorrupt
Be we shall all be changed, and so, heavenly streets we’ll trod
In the twinkling of an eye, the change will be abrupt

When the last trumpet sounds, we will be taken to glory
We shall all be changed, completion of the gospel story

Where O Death, O where is your sting?
When Christ our Savior, us to Himself does He bring

Where O Hades, O where is your victory?
When Christ translates His children to eternal glory

The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin the law
But thanks be to God who gives us victory through our Lord
My beloved brethren be steadfast in all you’ve heard and saw
And cling confidently to God’s eternal word

Know for certain that your labor is not in vain
Be of good cheer, Christ is coming again

Hallelujah and Amen…