Glimpses of the Cross Even At His Birth

December 22, 2013

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No where does the bible say to spiritually celebrate Christ's birth as it does
his death and resurrection.

There are no holy days in the church (Gal. 4:10).

Jesus was not born December 25th.

• Centuries ago the church "baptized" some heathen customs of sun worship when the solstice occurred this time of year and the days began getting longer again, and they pleased heathens and Christians together in Rome.
• The word teaches against combining heathen ways with the things of God.

Ezekiel. 20:7-9; 16-18; 21-22; 28-29; 20:39-41.

So, we do not worship God with these things at Christmas time.

• But we can take advantage of what the world does and point them to Jesus.
• One preacher told me that since we incorporate heathen customs of Christmas into the church then we can do so with First Nation religions, etc.
• But man put heathen customs of Christmas into church, after the early church did nothing of the sort.
• It was never taught in the New Testament.
• There is a message found in Christ's birth, though.

But it is of his cross!

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There are a series of events that occurred with Jesus after his birth that are mentioned in scripture for a reason.

• These details are not mentioned very much when speaking of his birth, but they definitely must hold a significance since they are distinctly mentioned in Luke.

Firstly, Jesus was named before his birth like Solomon but not declared JESUS until His circumcision.

And this was eight days after His birth.

• The reason circumcision of the child occurred on the boy's eighth day was due to info found in Lev 12.

Lev 12:1    And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Lev 12:2    Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.
Lev 12:3    And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.

He could not be circumcised until she was involved in purification that lasted seven days.


Luke 2:21    And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Luke 2:22    And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;

After these seven days, the circumcision occurred along with 33 more days of purification.

Lev 12:4    And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary,
until the days of her purifying be fulfilled.

She could not come into the temple during those next 33 days.

That is why we read:

Luke 2:21    And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Luke 2:22    And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;
Luke 2:23    (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)
Luke 2:24    And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

This occurred according to Mosaic Law.

Lev 12:6    And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a
young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest:
Lev 12:7    Who shall offer it before the LORD, and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This is the law for her
that hath born a male or a female.
Lev 12:8    And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for
a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.

Every firstborn was the Lord's property due to the Passover events in Exodus.

Numbers 3:13    Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in
Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am the LORD.

Exodus 13:2    Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.

Compare with:

Luke 2:23    (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)

SHALL BE CALLED HOLY is written in Exodus as IT IS MINE.

• That is what HOLY means.
• BELONGING TO.

So, 33 days occurred after the circumcision and naming of Jesus before Mary could enter the temple with Joseph and present Him to The Lord.
33 days of purification occurred.

• We have seven days of uncleanness, followed by 33 days of purification where the first of the 33 days, the eighth day after birth, Jesus was circumcised.
• We know Joseph was poor because law said that the poor did not have to offer a sacrifice of a lamb, pigeon and turtle dove, and could offer two turtle doves and two pigeons instead.
• That is what Luke said they did.

Luke 2:24    And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons

Then, after those 40 days, the entered the temple and were ready to make the ritual, when SIMEON is moved by the Holy Ghost that day to come to the temple.

Luke 2:25    And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
Luke 2:26    And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
Luke 2:27    And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
Luke 2:28    Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
Luke 2:29    Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
Luke 2:30    For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
Luke 2:31    Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
Luke 2:32    A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

When they were to GIVE JESUS TO THE LORD because firstborn children belonged to

• The Lord being holy to Him due to EXODUS, SIMEON shouts that Jesus is God's salvation!
• JESUS means GOD IS MY SALVATION.
• SALVATION or SAVIOUR.
• And Simeon is actually fulfilling that law of presentation to God!

God promised him that he would see the messiah before he died.

• But that could not occur until Jesus was already alive 40 days and Mary was in seven days of uncleanness followed by 33 days of full purification so she could enter the temple.
• It's like the actual revelation of MESSIAH occurred after those days of required purification.
• Simeon was not led by God to the stable and manger to declare Him as Messiah!
• It had to be after the purification.
• After the circumcision.

And the wonderful thing about this is that it seems to mirror the last days of Jesus on earth!

Resurrection was actually considered Jesus' having been BEGOTTEN of the Father.

We read of a word of His King having been begotten of God.

Psalm 2:7    I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

This was when God set His King upon ZION in Psalm 2.

Acts 13 interprets that for us.

Act 13:32    And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers,
Act 13:33    God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my
Son, this day have I begotten thee.

His resurrection is like having been begotten!

• Like being BORN AGAIN, after having been born in Bethlehem 33 years earlier.
• (Note the similar number 33 in the time of Mary's purification)

And like the circumcision occurred 8 days after His birth, due to uncleanness for the first seven days, we read of an eighth day after Jesus' resurrection.

We read of the resurrection day being the first day of the week:

John 20:1    The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

John 20:19    Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
John 20:20    And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
John 20:21    Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
John 20:22    And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
John 20:23    Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
John 20:24    But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
John 20:25    The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

Then we read:

John 20:26    And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
John 20:27    Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not
faithless, but believing.
John 20:28    And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

No note of Jesus being with them for the days between the previous first day of the week and this next one.

• But he purposely shows up on this eighth day!
• The same day after a boy's birth when circumcision occurred.
• The same day when the boy was NAMED!

It's like an uncleanness existed in the embryonic stage of the church before Pentecost after Christ resurrected for seven days with a man disbelieving for
an entire week that He actually resurrected.

Is there any reference to the overall forty days after His resurrection like there is after his birth when he was presented to God as God's property?
Yes!

Act 1:1    The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
Act 1:2    Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
Act 1:3    To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things
pertaining to the kingdom of God:

The events we read about in John 20 are part of the forty days Jesus showed Himself alive.

In fact, John said as much:

John 20:29    Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
John 20:30    And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
John 20:31    But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

THAT WE MIGHT BELIEVE without having seen!

All so that we might have LIFE through his name!

At the end of forty days when Mary took Jesus to the temple, Simeon cried out to God that HE SAW GOD'S SALVATION!
The property of God!
All firstborn were to be given to The Lord since they were His property!
Simeon said he finally saw God's salvation!
God's JESUS!

40 days after His resurrection, Jesus ascended into Heaven and truly was God's salvation!

The KING WAS ENTHRONED!

Salvation was accomplished!

Then it hit me.

• If the eighth day saw a parallel between Christ's eighth day after resurrection, and the 40th day did the same with Christ's presentation to the Lord as the 40th after resurrection, what about the day of His birth?

The day of His birth, the shepherds saw angels.

Luke 2:8    And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
Luke 2:9    And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
Luke 2:10    And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
Luke 2:11    For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
Luke 2:12    And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
Luke 2:13    And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Luke 2:14    Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Luke 2:15    And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
Luke 2:16    And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

The day of His resurrection, the people saw angels.

John 20:11    But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,
John 20:12    And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
John 20:13    And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.
John 20:14    And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

Luke 24:1    Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and
certain others with them.
Luke 24:2    And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.
Luke 24:3    And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.
Luke 24:4    And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:
Luke 24:5    And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?
Luke 24:6    He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,
Luke 24:7    Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.
Luke 24:8    And they remembered his words,
Luke 24:9    And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.

They found him lying in a manger the first day of his birth, but the first day of his resurrection they did not find Him lying...