Christmas In July
1. God Prepared For Christmas
The days are hot and humid, so I go to my garden early in the day or late in the evening. Summer is in full-swing and winter is months away, but I have a few things that remind me of Christmas. Let's talk about "Christmas In July". The hornworms are eating my tomato vines and small green tomatoes. The caterpillars are as green as the stems and it is so hard to find them, but everyday I search the plants to keep them from doing too much damage. I searched online for help and saw a post that recommended boiling peppermint stems and leaves and straining the water to spray the plants. It said that hornworms do not like the peppermint taste and will not eat the tomato plants. I don't know if it will work, but since I have several peppermint plants I decided to try it. So, Saturday afternoon my whole house smelled like peppermint. (But, let me tell you, it tasted nothing like the sweet candy canes we have at Christmas.) I sat on the couch making Christmas ornaments for Michael's upcoming class while watching a Hallmark Christmas In July movie. But even with the air conditioner going, it did not feel like Christmas. I got ahead on my Bible reading so I am almost finished with the Old Testament. This week I read several prophetic scriptures about the first coming of Christ. And even though it doesn't feel like Christmas, and it doesn't look like Christmas, I want to share some of those prophecies for a Christmas In July devotional series. God prepared for Christmas through centuries, so I think it will be okay for us to look at Christmas six months ahead.
2. The First Prophecy Of Christ
God created Adam and Eve and had fellowship with them in the Garden of Eden. After they sinned, they broke that communion and their sin would have to be paid for, in order for them to be forgiven and fellowship with God restored. Genesis 3:15 gives us the first scripture which foretells of God's gift of salvation. In God's plan, Satan would bruise the heel of Christ in His death on the cross, but Jesus would bruise his head in His resurrection and final judgment of Satan and evil. (Revelation 20)
"13 And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." (Genesis 3:13-15)
3. Christ Was Born In Bethlehem
God sent the prophets to tell about the coming of Christ. There are many details found in the Old Testament that were fulfilled in the birth, life, and death of Jesus Christ. One of the prophecies that is found in many of our Christmas plays is Micah 5:2, which tells where Jesus would be born. "But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." When I read the book of Micah and I come to this verse, it always makes me think of Christmas. You might wonder if the Jews knew the significant of this verse. The answer is found in Matthew, when King Herod searched for the newborn King which might pose a threat to his reign. God's chosen people knew that the Christ child would be born in Bethlehem. Another prophecy which was fulfilled in these verses from the book of Matthew is found in Numbers 24:17, "I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel,..." The Wise Men followed the Star and it led them to Bethlehem, just as God had planned.
"1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy." (Matthew 2:1-10)
4. Jesus Was Born In The Lineage Of King David
Mary and Joseph did not live in Bethlehem, so how was Jesus born there? God used a Gentile king to get them to travel to Bethlehem.
"1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)" (Luke 2:1-4)
This fulfilled another prophecy... that the Messiah would be born into the lineage of David. Not only was Joseph of the house and lineage of David, but Mary was also. (Matthew 1:6 and Luke 3:31) The Angel Gabriel told Mary, "And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:" (Luke 1:31-32) There are several prophecies regarding the throne of David. When King David wanted to build the Lord a house, God told him that He would build David a house that would last forever. Several times in the gospels people cried out to Jesus, as the "Son of David".
"And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever." (II Samuel 7:12-13)
"Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth." (Jeremiah 23:5)
"The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne." (Psalm 132:11)
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this." (Isaiah 9:6-7)
5. The Son Of Abraham
It is not mere coincidence that I finished reading the Old Testament with all the prophecies of the birth of our Lord Jesus, and as I began our "Christmas In July" series, I started the New Testament on July 1st with the birth of Christ. I enjoy searching the scriptures and writing these daily devotionals when I feel that God is leading me along direct paths. Our verse today, the first verse of the New Testament, "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham." (Matthew 1:1) God had made the promise to Abraham "in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." (Genesis 12:3) Again in Genesis 22:18, we read, "And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice." The New Testament is clear that these promises were fulfilled through Jesus Christ.
"Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities." (Acts 3:25-26)
"6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ." (portions of Galatians 3)
6. John Prepared The Way
Our Youth Jubilee starts July 15th and we are busy making preparations. The ladies at Pine Grove Baptist Church, and some of the neighboring churches, work faithfully to prepare lunch and dinner for the youth who are coming from out of town, some from out of state. I am sure the preachers are busy preparing their messages to feed them spiritually. When we invite people into our homes we make preparations for them. When Jesus was to begin His ministry on earth, God sent John the Baptist to prepare the way for Him. I believe that John's call came before he was even born, when Mary went to visit Elisabeth before either of their sons were born. "And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:" (Luke 1:41) Isaiah and Malachi had both prophesied of this Messenger hundreds of years before.
"The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God." (Isaiah 40:3)
"Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts." (Malachi 3:1)
"In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." (Matthew 3:1-3)
"The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." (Mark 1:1-3)
Jesus said, "But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet. This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist:..." (Luke 7:26-28)
7. Jesus Came To Die, That We Might Live
We can't really talk about Jesus coming at that first Christmas without mentioning the reason He came. Jesus came to die, so that we might have life. He was perfect and sinless, and offered Himself as our sacrifice, to pay for our sin. There are several prophecies of the death of our Lord and Savior, and one of the most vivid pictures of the heart of Christ is found in Isaiah 53.
"3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth."
We don't have to end in the bitterness of the crucifixion, because we serve a risen Savior. Jesus died and was buried, and rose again on the third day. And He lives forever to intercede for His own. "Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." (Romans 8:34)
8. Jesus Is Coming Again!
We only looked at a few of the prophecies that came true during the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. There were many more. And just as true as the first coming of Christ was, we can be just as sure that He will come again! Jesus is preparing us a home in heaven, and He told the disciples, "I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."
"1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:1-6)
As the disciples watched Jesus rise up to heaven, the angels appeared to them, "Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." (Acts 1:11)
"14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words." (I Thessalonians 4:14-18)
