NATIVITY By Mike Herron

Nativity

A devotional commentary on the birth of Christ

Daily Readings From December 14 th through December 30 th

the glory of the lord

musical

By J. Michael Herron

Foreword

Saint Paul instructs Timothy to see himself as a worker that is approved by God because he does his best to correctly explain the scriptures. (2 Timothy 2:15) I believe Mike has taken that counsel seriously for the past 40 plus years and given us sound instruction and inspiration from the Bible. In his latest contribution, 'NATIVITY' he has once again brought the relational synthesis of both Old and New Testament to life. From the genealogies which many skip over, to Jesus taking on human flesh in the presence of the animals he created, the prophetic promises of our Redeemer and their detailed fulfillment are presented in a systematic study that is informative and inspirational. Mike's insight into the cast of characters God selected to be part of the NATIVITY story opens up a pantry full of healthy thoughts to consider for our own life's narrative!

Joseph Tosini: Founder of ‘John 17 Movement'

Endorsements

I have studied to present the NATIVITY each Christmas Season for over twenty years as a Lead Pastor, and like many serious students of the Scriptures, I had stumbled across much of the material Mike presented in his Commentary, however I have NEVER found such a concise wealth of well researched material on the NATIVITY pooled together in one place and presented in such an accessible manner. The material I was not familiar with added such depth, credence and additional meaning to the birth of Christ that it left me even more grateful and amazed by all miraculous stories that led up to and followed the miracle birth of our Savior. Don't let the condensed treatment of each text fool you. Though brief, the depth and insights presented in "NATIVITY are brilliant and refreshing. Drink deep, you will not be disappointed! This is one resource you will want in your library! Thank You Mike!! DON CURRY; Lead Pastor of New Testament Church, Plattsburgh, New York

Chapter One

The Eternal Word In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.

John 1:1,2

Chapter 1: IN THE BEGINNING (December 14)

he Good News of the Kingdom of God begins in eternity with Jesus Christ existing in endless life with The Father and the Holy Spirit. He precedes the act of creation in Genesis; He was God the spoken Word who brought the worlds into existence. There never was a time when the Son was not. The first five verses of John 'stand out as the one paragraph that is most profound, most lofty and incomparable in every way.' 1 We start at the pinnacle of heaven and follow the Son of God as he humbles himself in human birth to bring us the light of eternal life. 1 In the beginning was the Word. (NIV) The Word , is the Greek noun (Logos). ‘a…collection both of things in the mind, and of words by which they are expressed.’ 2 The thoughts and words of God is the person Jesus Christ who was there when time began, uncreated and co-equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. He has an existence that is 'distinct from God...yet inseparable from Him.' 3 His uniqueness does not mean He is another being, He is in absolute unity with the Father and The Spirit. The tense of the Greek word was ' is the unchanging past, reaching back indefinitely beyond the instant of the beginning.' 4 By using the name (Logos) as the final revelation of God, John connected with a universal awareness in Greek civilization. Their philosophers described The Logos as: 'the principle order under which the universe continues to exist.' 5 ' Logos does not only mean word; it also means the reason.' 6 To the Greco/Roman culture, The Logos was the reason for all existence. The Jews translated the Hebrew Scriptures into Aramaic, the language spoken at the time of Christ. In these translations called Targums, they replaced every name of God with The

Merma, Aramaic for The Word because they thought the names of God were too holy to even pronounce . 7 In the Targums Genesis 1:1 reads, ' In the beginning, The Merma (The Word) created the heavens and the earth.' Both Jew and Gentile were prepared by Scripture and Philosophy to understand Christ as The Word, The Logos. 1 The Word was with God, ... ‘Was with God’… describes the most intense closeness possible. Jn 1:11 portrays the intimacy as ' ... the unique One, who is himself God, is near the Fathers heart.' Other uses of this phrase give the meaning of being face to face, at home in His presence. 'The Word is not an attribute of God...but a person...turned in loving, inseparable communion toward God and God equally toward him.' 8 John knew The Word through the avenue of his three senses; hearing, seeing and touching Him. He invites us into this relationship with God and His family. ‘ We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word (Logos) of life.’ 1 Jn 1:1 1 ...and the Word was God. The Logos has been in an unchanging, timeless existence forever, distinct yet indivisible with The Father and the Holy Spirit. ‘God was what the Word was.’ 9 The Good News is this Word became human and spoke the wholeness of salvation to everything that is destroyed by sin. 2 He existed in the beginning with God.’ John restates the previous thoughts into one sentence, a literary technique that he employs throughout his writings. The

use of the personal pronoun He reminds us that the Word is a person distinct from the other members of the Godhead. Matthew begins his gospel with the genealogy of Jesus, Mark begins his gospel with the preaching of John the Baptist, Luke begins with an explanation of his ‘ carefully investigated everything from the beginning…’ John’s beginning takes us back to the origins of everything where we are allowed a cosmic glimpse into eternity before time.

Chapter two

He Created All Things All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

John 1:3-

Chapter 2: HE CREATED ALL THINGS – John 1:3-5 (December 15th)

od created everything through his love. The focus shifts from the Word, the audible revelation of God to the Light, the visible revelation of God. ‘Divine being gives way to divine action.’ 1 Jesus the Word participates fully with the Father and the Spirit in the creation of everything that has come into being.

3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing

was made that has been made. (NIV)

The entire intellectual world outside of Judaism and Christianity believed that the universe was uncreated and eternal. Christianity has always believed in a creation out of nothing. Through him …reveals Christ as the spoken Word of the creation account in Genesis. ‘ In the beginning God (the Father) created the heavens and the earth…And the Spirit of God (The Holy Spirit) was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said (Christ The Word) , “Let there be light,” and there was light.’ The plurality of persons within the Trinity is also alluded to in Genesis 1:26 ‘Let us make man in our image, to be like us.’ In the first sentence of verse 3, the creative act is stated positively and then reinforced by being repeated negatively. The positive statement encompasses the totality of everything that has been created. The second negative statement refers to each individual created thing. ‘Every single thing that now exists traces its existence back to the past moment when it first entered existence.’ 2 The most profound question of the human heart, ‘where did we come from?’ is answered by this prologue to John’s gospel. The only logical answer to the existence of a creation is a creator. Hebrews tells us the way of understanding this mystery is by faith; ‘By faith we understand that the entire universe was

formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.’ (Heb 11:3 NLT) There are exceptions in the act of creation. Christ the Word was uncreated as well as the eternal attributes of God such as His love, wisdom, truth, mercy, holiness and power. The eternal life that is in Christ would not be eternal had it come into being in the creation. In the Kingdom of God, the natural order of things is reversed. In our physical world, light is the source of life. In God’s Kingdom the Life that is in Christ comes first and gives light to each person. There are two aspects as to what this ‘light of all mankind’ truly is. One is that ‘the light of humans is a capacity for love and understanding given to every human being…as is physical birth is a source of light to every human.’ 3 This is ‘natural, animated life’ that is given to all mankind. But this verse is also referring to the eternal life that comes through believing in Jesus Christ. We receive animated life when we are birthed into existence and we receive the light of grace when we are called unto salvation. The aspect of eternal life is not concerned with length but with quality. ‘ My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.’ (Jn 10:10 NLT) Both light and life are equivalents for salvation in John’s gospel and we enter into this life by believing in Christ. Life (Zoe) occurs more than fifty-four times in this gospel and light, twenty-one times making them major themes for understanding salvation. ‘I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.’ (Jn 8:12 NLT) Life and light are meant to attract us to Christ. Light as it is used here is referring not to the rays that diffuse, but to Jesus who is its source. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.

5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has

not overcome it.’

The light of Christ’s life, truth, love and wisdom are superior to the darkness (skotia), the realm of sin, evil and the hostile powers of the spiritual and natural world. The potential for sin and darkness was present when God created the order of the universe. A class of angelic beings chose the dark path of rebellion and set in motion the events that made our salvation necessary. The darkness has made every effort to overcome (katelaben) the light: ‘to pounce upon something…so it won’t assert itself,’ 4 but has remained unsuccessful. ‘A confrontation between light and darkness has taken place once and for all, light has emerged victorious.’ 5 Now begins the earthly story of Jesus who has forever destroyed the power of darkness by His life and light.

Chapter three

The Gospel Of St. Luke Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.

Luke 1:1-4

Chapter 3: LUKE’S INTRODUCTION – Luke 1:1-4 (December 16th)

uke has been called ‘the loveliest book in the world.’ 1 It is generally acknowledged that ‘Luke, the beloved doctor…’ (Col. 4:14) and companion of Paul is the author of both this narrative and the Book of Acts. Luke-Acts…’is one of the first examples of a type of history, concerned ‘to present a true account of something,’ which began to be written in the first century BC. 2 The two volumes are carefully researched by his highly educated and observant mind. This introduction would be much like the previews on the jacket of our modern books intended to inform the reader of its contents. The introduction, written in the finest style of Koine Greek in the Bible, was intended to assure its recipient of the truthfulness of Luke’s account of the life of Christ. We are not told how many written and oral records Luke is referring to but the use of the word ‘many’ would indicate that it is more than two or three. He is not claiming superiority to the previous accounts, but he acknowledges their validity although none survive today. Hippocrates, the famous Greek doctor, uses the word ‘undertaken’ in the ‘introduction to his medical work’ to enforce the thought of careful investigation. The events of Jesus’ life ‘fulfilled’ the prophetic Scriptures of the Hebrew Old Testament perfectly. 2 …just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Two of the accounts that were handed down to Luke would have been the Gospel of Mark and the Gospel of 1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,… (NIV)

Matthew. Both Matthew and Mark were eyewitnesses of the events of Jesus’ life, death, burial and resurrection and servants who preached his word throughout the world. ‘Eyewitness’ is used only here in the New Testament… ‘We have the very word in the medical term autopsy.’ 3 All Luke’s investigations with regard to the eyewitnesses mentioned here were made during the years prior to Paul’s death.’ 4 Luke would have met Mark in the early 40s AD in Antioch of Syria. Both he and Mark were companions of Paul during his 1 st imprisonment in Rome in 62 AD. ‘ Aristarchus, who is in prison with me , sends you his greetings, and so does Mark, Barnabas’s cousin…Luke, the beloved doctor, sends his greetings…(Col 4:10,14 NLT) Luke was most likely with Mark and Paul during Paul’s second imprisonment and death in 66 AD. ‘Only Luke is with me. Bring Mark with you when you come, for he will be helpful to me in my ministry.’ (2 Tim 4:10 NLT) Mark was also with Peter during his imprisonment and death in 64 AD. Peter writes; ‘ your sister church here in Babylon (Rome) sends you greetings, and so does my son Mark.’(1 Pet 5:13 NLT) Luke spent time with Mark as well as Peter and Paul going over their direct recollections of the events of Christ’s life. Even with the Gospels of Matthew and Mark in hand, Luke felt there was room for another account of the life of Jesus. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you,… Carefully investigated is the Greek word (Akribos) meaning ‘accurately…going into minute details, from (akron,) the topmost point.’ 5 1 Corinthians 15:5,6 gives us the scope of the many persons Luke might have interviewed in his carefully investigated gospel: ‘ He was seen by Peter and then by the twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time,

most of whom are still alive…’ The accounts of the Birth of Jesus in Luke’s Gospel indicate that he most likely had a direct interview with Mary, the Lord’s mother. His detailed version of the story of the two followers of Jesus on the road to Emmaus supposes that it was an eyewitness account by them.

3 …most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know

the certainty of the things you have been taught.

Theophilus means ‘dear to God, or lover of God.’ 6 The word ‘excellent’ was a title reserved for Roman political officials or other people of advanced social status. Luke’s use of the word ‘taught, ’ (catechumens , ) indicate that Theophilus was being instructed in a class prior to his baptism into the Christian faith. The introduction has one main purpose, to address the mental state of Theophilus and provide for his soul and mind ‘that the faith he has embraced has an impregnable historical foundation.’ 7 . Although intended for one person, the benefit of Luke’s Book has transcended the ages and touched the hearts of countless individuals.

Chapter four

The Geneology Of Jesus According To St. Matthew

This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife…

Matthew 1:1,2,6

Chapter 4: THE GENEALOGY OF CHRIST – Mt 1:1-17 (December 17th)

enealogies were very important to the Jews. Jesus the Messiah had to be the descendant of both Abraham and David in order to fulfill the predictions of the Law and Prophets. The word genealogy is the Greek (Biblos geneseos), literally ‘the Book of Genesis,’ and its use here ‘deliberately echoes the opening chapters of Genesis.’ 1 Matthew was telling us that a whole new creation was coming into being through the birth of Jesus. The three great divisions of Israel’s history are addressed: The Age of the Fathers, from Abraham to David; the Rule of the Kings of Judah, from David to Jeconiah; and the Exile and return from Babylon, from Jeconiah to Jesus. 3 Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, 4 Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, The promise made to Abraham ‘to bless the nations…’ begins its journey to fulfillment through his son Judah. Tamar was the daughter-in-law of Judah and gave birth to his grandson Perez as a result of their incestuous relationship. She had been unlawfully denied her place in the family genealogy by Judah, and obtained it by a deceptive act of prostitution with him. 5 Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab… Rahab the Harlot exhibited more faith than the Israelite nation when she confessed to the Hebrew spies; ‘I know God has given you this land.’ (Josh 1:9) God had Joshua conquer the city of Jericho so he could include this mighty woman’s name and character in the fabric of his royal Son’s genealogy.

5 Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed

the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of King David. Ruth’s ancestors, the Moabites, were conceived by incest and her nation was excluded by the Law of Moses from ever being a part of the Israelite people. Her loyalty to her mother-in- law Naomi and her faith in God transcended all obstacles and she became the grandmother of King David. Matthew’s genealogy illustrates to us that all the barriers between Jew and Gentile, male and female, saints and sinners have been removed in Christ. This part of the genealogy is referring to David’s adulterous relationship with Bathsheba and his subsequent murder of her husband Uriah. David and Bathsheba’s second born son rose from the ashes of his parents’ sinful past to become the great King Solomon. The inclusion of these four women with troubled beginnings prepared the way for the innocent Mary who perhaps bore the unjust shame of pregnancy before her wedding. 7 Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, 8 Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah, 9 Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10 Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, 11 and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. It appears that Matthew is selective in this second section as he omits five of the kings recorded in the OT history. The son of.. or begot ‘does not always mean immediate parentage, but merely direct descent.’ 2 ‘The house of David did not produce the Christ but received him as a gift; he did not come from the 6 David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife…

natural soil of David’s house but was planted into David’s house.’ 3 Jesus, who came from heaven, was the King of Kings and Lord of Lords of all who ever ruled over the nation of Israel. 12 After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13 Zerubbabel the father of Abihud, Abihud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, 14 Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Elihud, 15 Elihud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah. The names in the last section are not derived from biblical sources but Matthew most likely got them from the public Temple Records. ‘When Josephus…wrote his own autobiography, he began it with his own pedigree, which, he tells us, he found in the public records.’ 4 From the exile to Babylon unto Jesus encompassed almost 600 years. Jacob is the father of Joseph who was in the line of kingly succession from David. Matthew is careful to not list Joseph as Jesus’ father. Joseph was the legal, not the biological father of Jesus and accepted that responsibility through his marriage to Mary. 17 Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah. There are fourteen names in the first section from Abraham to David; fourteen in the second if you omit David and begin with Solomon and fourteen in the last section if you include Jesus. Most likely the number 14 is a Mnemonic; ‘a thing so arranged that it is easy to memorize.’ 5 God wanted us to ‘understand that all three groups had equal weight and importance as far as the Messiah is concerned.’ 6 The legal

genealogy of Jesus, the Son of David, was full of people plagued with the frailties of human nature and yet He came to us as the perfect Messiah.

Chapter five

The Geneaology According To St. Luke

Chapter 5: THE GENEALOGY OF LUKE - Luke 3:23-38 (December 18th)

uke’s family history of Jesus is considered by many to be the genealogy of Mary while Matthew’s genealogy is the history of Joseph, the legal father of Jesus. The humanity of Jesus is shown through Luke’s record while Matthew’s account affirms his divinity. In Matthew’s account the names descend from Abraham, the father of the Hebrew nation down to Jesus. In Luke’s account the names ascend from Jesus up to Adam, the father of the entire human race. This is in keeping with Luke’s emphasis to present the good news to all of the Gentile nations and Matthew’s intent to validate Jesus as the Messiah to the Jews. 22 And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.” This family history actually begins at the baptism of Jesus where God himself introduces His son, the second Adam. It then traces his descent from Mary’s father back to the first Adam, who is God’s son by creation. The important names in this genealogy are: JESUS the son of God; HELI the grandfather of Jesus; DAVID; ABRAHAM and ADAM. 23 N ow Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, THE SON OF HELI… Most translations have a parenthesis around the words (as was supposed) causing the whole genealogy to appear to be that of Joseph. With the parenthesis placed in this way, it appears that Heli is Joseph’s father. This is a problem in that Matthew’s genealogy says that Jacob is Joseph’s father and presents an almost totally different set of names.

This conflict is resolved by expanding the parenthesis that is put there by the translators to provide a clearer sense of meaning. It is not divinely inspired by the author. With the parenthesis expanded the meaning of the opening sentence of the genealogy changes; ‘ N ow Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, (being as was supposed the son of Joseph) THE SON OF HELI. Luke is careful to note that Jesus is only ‘supposedly’ the son of Joseph. The actual genealogical account is showing that Jesus was the son (grandson) of Heli, who was the father of Mary. 1 Being a generational descendant or grandson of a person means that you are their ‘son.’ An example of this is Jesus being called the ‘Son of David’ although Jesus and David are separated by many generations of ancestors. 26 … Maath, …Mattathiah, …Semei, …Joseph, …Judah, 27 … Joannas, …Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, …Neri, 28 …Melchi, …Addi, …Cosam, …Elmodam, …Er, 29 … Jose, …Eliezer, …Jorim, …Matthat, …Levi, 30 … Simeon, …Judah, …Joseph, …Jonan, …Eliakim, 31 … Melea, …Menan, …Mattathah, the son of Nathan, THE SON OF DAVID, The first 40 names fromHeli to Nathan are not mentioned anywhere in the Bible. Who was Elmodam the son of Cosam? (vs 28) God was showing us the importance of seemingly obscure people who passed down their faith to their children from generation to generation. Through all the experiences of their lives they remained faithful to their God until the line of succession reached Heli. His exceptional daughter Mary was ‘highly favored’ and chosen to bear the Christ child. … the son of Mattat, the son of Levi,… Melchi, …Janna, 25 … Mattathiah, …Amos, …Nahum, …Esli, …Joseph, …Naggai,

31 …THE SON OF DAVID, 32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, …Nahshon, 33 …

Amminadab, …Ram, …Hezron, …Perez, the son of Judah, 34 SON OF JACOB, THE SON OF ISAAC, THE SON OF ABRAHAM, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 35 … Serug, …Reu, …Peleg, …Eber, …Shelah, 36 … Cainan, …Arphaxad, …Shem, THE SON OF NOAH, …Lamech, 37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, …Jared, …Mahalalel, …Cainan, 38 … Enosh, …Seth, THE SON OF ADAM, THE SON OF GOD. 2 Mary was a princess descended from David’s son Nathan (vs. 31) while Joseph’s genealogy came through David’s royal son Solomon. Both Joseph and Mary were in the distant line of succession to David’s throne that would be inherited forever by their son Jesus. The only similarity in the genealogies of Luke and Matthew is the section from David to Abraham (vs 31-34) and the mention of Zerubbabel and Shealtiel in vs. 28. From Abraham to Adam we have the same genealogy as found in the Book of Genesis (5:3-23, 11:10-26) including the familiar names of Noah and Enoch. The fact that Jesus did not have a human father ‘helps us to understand why the legal guilt and moral corruption that belong to all other human beings did not belong to Christ.’ 3 If Jesus had been birthed from a human father, he would have inherited the first Adam’s sin. Being conceived by the Holy Spirit was an assurance that he would be sinless. The fact that he had a human mother ‘refutes the heresy (docetism) that Jesus was not really a man but only appeared to be one.’ 4 Jesus was the second Adam, the beginning of a new creation. He was divine and took upon himself sinless human nature. We are human and through the new birth we ‘share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. ’ (2 Pet 1:4 NIV) Mary, the daughter of Heli, gave birth to Jesus who offers forgiveness and new life for all. Because of what Christ has done for us, our names are in the eternal genealogy of Heaven, the Lambs Book of Life.

Chapter six

The Annunciation of John The Baptist Now it happened while Zacharias was serving as priest before God in the appointed order of his priestly division, as was the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the temple of the Lord and burn incense on the altar of incense. And all the congregation was praying outside in the court of the temple at the hour of the incense offering. And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.

Luke 1:8-11

Chapter 6: THE ANNUNCIATION OF JOHN THE BAPTIST Luke 1:5-17 (December 19th)

echariah the prophet was the last of the Old Testament that had a conversation with angels, and Zechariah the priest was the first in the New Testament.’ 1 Zechariah’s name means “remembered by Yaweh.’ The birth of his son John is the transitional moment from the Old Covenant that had become barren, to the New Covenant that would give spiritual birth to multitudes. This section is the most Aramaic in Luke’s writings leading to the belief that Mary, Jesus’ mother who spoke the language, was the direct source of the information. 2 5 When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron. 6 Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations. 7 They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old. The Roman Emperors Octavius and Antony had appointed Herod ‘the Great’ King of all Judea in 40 B.C. He died shortly after Jesus’ birth in 4 A.D. Partly Jewish, he thought of himself as the new Solomon, building the expansive Temple in Jerusalemwith oppressive taxation of the people. He was deeply hated by the Jews and his reign was a time of extreme political unrest. God’s answer to his people’s cry was the birth of a new prophet at an inconvenient time. Zechariah was a priest, a direct descendant of Aaron, Moses’ brother. His ‘order of Abijah’ was a low distinction of priests. Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron having the same name as his wife ‘Elisheba.’ (Ex 6:23) Zechariah and Elizabeth were the noblest product of the Old Covenant and along with Mary and Joseph, Simeon and Anna, they were

‘privileged to see with clear eyes the dawn of the NT revelation.’ 3 Their childless marriage, a source of shame in ancient cultures, reflected the lives of Abraham and Sarah, whose barrenness was broken by the miraculous intervention of God. ‘The narration of barrenness itself becomes grounds for anticipating the gift of a child.’ 4 One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. 9 As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. 10 While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying. There were 24 courses of priests. Each order would serve two different eight- day periods every year from Sabbath to Sabbath. ‘The fortunate lot gave Zechariah the highest honor of ‘the offering of incense, bringing him as close to the presence of God as any person other than the high priest might ever come. Many priest might never experience this honor…’ 5 Prayer is a pre-requisite to God’s intervention and the act of burning incense is symbolic of its sweetness and importance to Him. In the heavenly sanctuary the four living creatures and 24 elders fulfill this important responsibility: ‘Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.’ (Rev 5:8) God reveals His purpose in the incense of prayer. 11 While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. The unseen angel suddenly appears to Zechariah. As a priest at the golden altar of incense in the Jerusalem Temple, Zechariah was the earthly representation of the angel’s role in the heavenly sanctuary. ‘Then another angel with a gold incense burner came and stood at the altar. And a great amount of incense was given to him to mix with the prayers of God’s people as an offering on the gold altar before the throne.’ (Rev 8:3,4) Zechariah was to 8

minister to God in worship and prayer and be the Lord’s messenger to His people. 12 Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. 13 But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. Zechariah’s fearful response echoes the reaction of the prophet Daniel centuries before: ‘Don’t be afraid, Daniel…your request has been heard in heaven.’ (Dan 10:12) God was answering Zechariah’s prayer to have a son in the autumn of his years. The Lord himself named him John, meaning ‘God is gracious.’ This was more than the birth of a child; it was the beginning of the fulfillment of God’s purpose for the nation of Israel. The angel actually speaks in a musical manner: ‘The message of the angel takes on a metrical form when turned into Hebrew and it is a prose poem in Greek. Luke has preserved the earliest Christian hymns in their oldest sources.’ 6 14 You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. Great ‘joy and gladness’ is the Greek agalliasis- a word for extreme exultation found only in the New Testament. This kind of joy is not known outside the realm of the gospel. The personal joy of the parents is spread to the many who will be glad for John’s illuminating ministry to the entire nation. Zechariah would most likely be too old to see the fulfillment of the prediction that someday, in the sight of God, his little son would be the greatest of all the prophets. John, who was both a New Testament prophet and a priest of the Old Testament era; was given the task of announcing the end of the priesthood of Aaron and ushering in the new era of grace under Jesus the Messiah.

Chapter seven

The Annunciation Of John The Baptist – Continued

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. 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.”

Luke 1:19,20

Chapter 7- THE ANNUNCIATION OF JOHN THE BAPTIST Continued. Luke 1:15-25 (Dec. 20th)

he angel Gabriel came with a message of mercy and good news although Zechariah responded with the ‘unreasonableness and self-injury of unbelief.’ 1 In spite of the frailties of Zechariah’s human nature, God’s purpose would be fulfilled. Gabriel prophetically describes the life of the soon to be born prophet. 15 He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. 16 And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. 17 He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly. He must not drink wine or sikera, strong alcoholic drinks made from grains and other fruits. This is a reference to the Nazirite vow in Num 6:1-21 where men were separated for a divine task for a specified period of time or like Samson, for life. But John was far greater than any Nazarite, ‘he thus preached by his very appearance and by his every action.’ 2 He would be filled with the Holy Spirit from the womb referring to a ‘continuous state of being empowered for a particular task or role.’ 3 This was unprecedented in the Bible showing the great importance of John’s work. ‘A deliberate contrast is set between John’s abstinence from wine and his being filled with the Spirit.’ 4

Like Elijah, his preaching would affect the conversion of people’s hearts. He would be a forerunner, an advance herald preparing the way for the coming Messiah. His ministry would change the renowned cruelty of fathers in the Roman world and bring ‘a revival of love in the home.’ 5 Repentance would also bring about a ‘sensible wisdom’ to the confused, apostate Jewish nation. 18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.” Zechariah questions the truthfulness of the announcement itself. He stood at the height of priestly experience in the Old Testament but the law could not produce faith in his heart. ‘The order of nature seemed more certain to him than the order of grace.’ 6 He almost misses one of the great moments in redemption’s history. 19 Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! 20 But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.” Gabriel answers Zechariah’s argument I am too old… with his own declaration; I am Gabriel.‘ The description of himself is a rebuke to the doubt of Zechariahs.’ 7 Gabriel’s name means ‘God’s Strong Man’ and together with the archangel Michael, is one of the only two named angels in the Bible. He appeared to the prophet Daniel with messages about the final days of time and now he is standing in front of a representative priest of the Old Testament with a direct word from God. Gabriel mercifully ‘mutes’ the unbelieving priest; it is better to say nothing than to verbalize doubts about the truthfulness of God’s promises. The message from God and the messenger have

become one as Gabriel declares ‘ my words’ will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time. The time of fulfillment is ‘ kairon;’ God’s appointed moment of grace and completion. 21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out of the sanctuary, wondering why he was taking so long. 22 When he finally did come out, he couldn’t speak to them. Then they realized from his gestures and his silence that he must have seen a vision in the sanctuary. The Talmud, (the rabbinical collection of laws and comments on the Books of Moses) tells us that the offering of incense takes but a brief time. The gathered worshipers intuitively knew that an angel of God had visited Zecharias. A new day had dawned; the unbelieving ceremonial priests would be replaced by a priesthood of believers who would declare the word of God by the power of the Holy Spirit. 23 When Zechariah’s week of service in the Temple was over, he returned home. 24 Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months. 25 “How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.” (NLT) Zechariah continued his week of service unable to tell anyone what had happened to him and then returned to his priestly city. Shortly afterward Elizabeth became pregnant and went into the customary 5 months of seclusion. ‘Hardly for the first time in Luke, a woman is put forward as a recipient of God’s favor and as a model of faithfulness to God’s purpose.’ 8 Elizabeth’s interest in all of this is more maternal than theological. Her words echo those of childless Sarah and Rachel, Abraham’s wife and granddaughter: ‘ He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.’ Her personal joy would soon be heightened by a visit from her cousin Mary.

Chapter eight

The Annunciation To Mary Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name J ESUS . He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

Luke 1:30-33

Chapter 8: THE ANNUNCIATION TO MARY - Luke 1:26-38 (December 21 st )

he angel’s announcement to Mary is quite different than the experience with Zechariah. While Zechariah responds with unbelief, Mary embraces God’s plan completely. Zechariah’s encounter takes place in the holy place of the sanctuary; Mary’s in her home in Nazareth. God was moving His plan of salvation from its center in Jerusalem to the center of the human heart and the settings of everyday life. In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. Luke is careful to give us the time line of events , ‘in the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy . ‘ Mary lived in ‘Nazareth, a city of Galilee , a remote corner of the country, with no reputation for religion or learning, but which bordered upon the heathen, and therefore was called Galilee of the Gentiles .' 1 Luke importantly emphasizes that Mary is a virgin (parthenos) three different times in this story. Most likely 13-17 years old, she was formally engaged to Joseph and was waiting the consummation of their marriage after one year’s time. She was named ‘Mariam’ after the sister of Moses. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. It appears that the angel walked into her home in a natural way startling her with his announcement. His address highly favored, is used only one other place in the New Testament

describing the favored condition of all those who believe in Jesus; ‘ So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.’ (Eph 1:6 NLT) God was removing any lack of self-esteem she might have felt because of her gender, young age, and low social status. She began to ‘argue back and forth with herself’ 2 when the angel interrupted her with a fuller explanation. She was to stop fearing, a normal reaction to a supernatural visitation. The angel tells her that the highest form of grace possible has been given to her. This undeserved favor is ‘always found, never earned.’ 3 The grace (charis) of God is sweet, charming and lovely but it is also more powerful than any force that works against it. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” The angel announces the purpose of God’s grace; Mary’s conception of a son that she is to name Jesus; ‘The one through whom Jehovah brings salvation.’ This baby will be the Son of the Highest, denoting his being. He will be the last and forever King upon the throne of David, denoting his office. His kingdom will go on ‘ through the eons,’ vast segments of time that represent the ‘endless now’ of eternity. This kingdom is available to all spiritual descendants of Jacob, both Jews and the Gentiles. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.

34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am

a virgin?”

Mary is willing to have this favored Son but how? ‘One can distinguish between Zechariah’s request for a sign…and Mary’s request for an explanation.’ 4 ‘It seems as if the angel purposely left out this vital point (how)…and thus invited Mary’s question.’ 5 35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. The Holy Spirit is God’s joyful answer to everything. The Holy Spirit will come on you… This is the same description that Jesus later gave his disciples; But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. (Acts 1:8) The angel then amplifies his explanation; the power of the Most High will overshadow you. This is the same language describing the cloud on the Mountain of Transfiguration (Mt 17 ) and ‘ the cloud that covered the tabernacle when the glory of God took possession of it, to conceal it from those that would too curiously observe the motions of it, and pry into the mystery of it.’ 6 Mary’s conception would take place without a sexual act in the utmost secrecy of the cloud of God’s great glory. ‘Just as you cannot understand the…mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things.’ (Eccl 11:5) And so the church has confessed in the Apostle’s Creed through the ages; ‘ I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary…’ 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.” 38

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. (NIV) Mary, who had not sought for a sign, was given one as the angel spoke of her cousin Elizabeth’s pregnancy. It appears to be a suggestion by the angel that Mary should visit her cousin. This would strengthen her faith for the coming months of her own pregnancy and perhaps ridicule by relatives and friends. She is then assured that no word (rhema) that comes from God shall be impossible for Him to accomplish. Mary responds with the grace that she was described as having possessed; May your word to me be fulfilled. She is not merely complacent, she humbly desires this to happen and joyfully embracing God’s plan, becomes the greatest of all women who have ever lived.

Chapter nine

Mary’s Visit To Her Cousin Elizabeth Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Luke 1:39-41

Chapter 9: MARY’S VISIT TO ELIZABETH - Lk 1:39-56 (December 22nd)

he meeting between these two female cousins of redemptive history is a musical exchange and their songs ‘are the first New Testament hymns...’ 1 . Mary’s ‘Magnificat’ is the most ‘revolutionary document in the world’ 2 and signals the upheaval of social orders where God will put down the proud and exalt the lowly. 39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Mary journeyed to the priestly city in the hill country of Judah and greeted the older Elizabeth with the customary loving embrace and words of respect. ‘Luke places great emphasis on Mary’s greeting, mentioning it three times…’ 3 The angel Gabriel had prophesied that John would be ‘filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth.’ (Lk 1:15) This encounter was the fulfillment of that promise. At the same moment Elizabeth is also filled signaling the dawning age of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” Elizabeth shouts out with joy the first 3 beatitudes (blessings) of the New Testament. The Old Testament ends with a curse while the New begins with a baby’s leap of joy and the promise of a ‘continual state of blessedness’ 4 for both mother

and child. Elizabeth speaks by a revelatory gift of the Holy Spirit when she calls Mary’s baby her Lord, (Kurios). Up until this point in history this title was reserved for Yahweh alone. From this time onward His Son Jesus Christ will share the honor. Mary was commended for her faith-filled response to God’s declarations.

46 And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord

47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. Mary uses the Hebrew technique of parallelism where two lines of poetry enhance the meaning of each other. Her soul, the immaterial part of her that responds to natural surroundings, begins to magnify God. Her spirit, the immaterial part of her that responds to God, begins rejoicing. This Greek word (aggiliao) means ‘ great joy and gladness, involving verbal expression and appropriate body movement‘ 5 much like Miriam’s joyful song and dance at the Red Sea. Her lyrics reveal her rich knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures. God my Savior… is the key to this song of salvation. Mary’s exaltation from her low estate is a picture of God’s favor to the Israelite nation. ‘God has looked upon me poor, despised, lowly maid, where he could easily have found a rich, high, noble, mighty queen, a daughter of princes and great lords; so he might have found Anna’s and Caiaphas’ daughter who were the highest in the country, but upon me he has cast his pure, good eyes and used such a lowly, despised maid…’ 6

50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.

51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. ‘ God’s opposition to the proud, powerful, and rich is at the same time gracious activity on behalf of the lowly and hungry. The Mighty One takes the side of the lowly.’ 7 He scatters the proud rulers as he did to Herod and in contrast lifts up the humble as he did to his servant Mary. The revolutionary character of this song emphasizes God's favoring the humble Kingdom of God over the kingdoms of human pride. remembering to be merciful 55 to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.” 56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home. The promise given to Abraham centuries before that his descendant would bless the entire world, had begun its fulfillment in the conception of Mary’s child. ‘ What God had done for Mary was a plain intention of his purpose to remember his promise to Abraham.’ 8 Mary returns to Nazareth with great assurance that the child growing in her womb was truly the Son of God. 54 He has helped his servant Israel,