Christmas Myths Dispelled So, here we are. Christmas is upon us again. I have considered what to write for several days. I have settled on following the calling of this ministry…to make straight the crooked or fraudulent paths. That means to reveal the Biblical Truth about things rather than the twists placed on Christmas by the world. There are things you may not know about Christmas. Our Christmas hymns and songs are not always accurate. Our Christmas cards many times only contain partial verses. One thing does not change…it is one of the most miraculous events in history! Words could never express the impact of this birth. History would never be the same. It changed the entire world for centuries to come. I am personally changed because of the birth of this little baby some 2000 years ago. My family is changed by the same. I believe our nation was born because of it. So, let’s dispel the myths, and get to know the real birth of our Savior. I am going to start with the famous hymn We Three Kings. This is a hymn I’ve sung over the years many times, but notice the very title. There is nothing in Scripture that indicates they were kings. In fact, they were Magi. According to The Complete Jewish Study Bible, “these were Jewish sages, wise men of Persia.” They were most likely Jews of those who remained in Persia after the days of Daniel. This would be why they would not only understand the significance of the star in the sky, but also of what it declared…the King of the Jews had been born. These Magi knew the prophecy of Balaam in Numbers 24:17a-b, which reads, “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; a star shall come forth from Jacob, a scepter shall rise from Israel.” These men would have been educated in the Scriptures to know Whom they sought. The next myth in this hymn and many depictions of the nativity, is there were three wise men. Scripture does not state the number of wise men. It does state they brought three types of gifts. Perhaps that is where the assumption arose. These gifts in themselves are fascinating, and prophesy of Who Jesus is. Gold was a gift for a king. Frankincense was part of the incense used in the temple, and presented before the Lord. I have found in my studies that incense represents our prayers, and was presented by a priest. Myrrh was used on bodies in death. Nicodemus brought Myrrh and aloes to anoint Jesus’ body when they laid Him in the tomb. These three gifts were precious in many ways, but I believe mostly because they prophesied that Jesus was a King and Priest Who is our intercessor before His Father, and died to atone for our sins. So, of these wise men, there could have only been two. Magi is a plural word. Yet, there could have been a dozen. There could even have been a hundred. I suspect their numbers were enough to arouse curiosity among all in Jerusalem. Why do I say this? I picked up on a tiny portion of a verse today for the first time. In Matthew 2:2, the Magi arrive in Jerusalem, go to Herod the king, and ask him where they can find the now born King of the Jews. Notice Herod’s response in verse 3, “When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled.” Today, I caught the end of this verse, “And all Jerusalem with him.” Now, had Herod had a private meeting with a couple of strangers in town, would all of Jerusalem have noticed? I doubt it. Why would the people of Jerusalem be troubled that the King of the Jews had been born? That is definitely food for thought. One more thing, they likely did not find Jesus when he was a newborn baby. We know this because Herod ordered all male children be killed age two and under in his attempt to kill Jesus. This was his calculation based on when the Magi said the star first appeared. The Magi headed for Bethlehem. Scripture says the star rested over a house where they found Jesus with his mother. There is no mention of Joseph who may have been out earning a living for his family. So, Jesus most likely was a toddler. It is always depicted that Mary rode a donkey to Bethlehem, and upon arrival, she immediately goes into labor. She may or may not have ridden a donkey. See, wealthy people usually had horses. The poorer people either rode donkeys or walked. It is a possibility she walked the entire trip. Wow. Scripture says that while they were in Bethlehem, her days of pregnancy were accomplished. She then gave birth, but not in a usual place. Again, it is always depicted that Jesus was born in a stable with various animals around Him. Now I wish to blow your mind with some information I have recently discovered. I will give you the short version, but I challenge you to research it for yourselves. Scripture says He was wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger. An angel appeared to shepherds declaring such. Due to the location of these fields, these shepherds were probably Levitical shepherds. These shepherds would have been overseeing the births of lambs that would be used for the Passover sacrifices a year later. To be certain the lambs would be without blemish, these Levites would wrap them in swaddling clothes and lay them in a manger. It is believed these may have been caves. Caves would have been better protection from harm. Yes, Jesus may have been born in the spring. Passover lambs were a year old. Passover falls in the spring. Now, imagine when the angels declared to these shepherds that they would find Jesus wrapped and laid as their lambs were. They fully understood this was indeed the Lamb of God, the ultimate sacrificial Lamb. Otherwise, why would they leave future sacrificial lambs that might be harmed without their protection to go worship Jesus? Remember I mentioned our Christmas cards not having the full truth? One of the common Christmas greetings is “Peace on earth, and good will to men.” Well, the Scripture actually reads in the New American Standard version, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased” (Luke 2:14). In the New International Version, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” That is quite a difference. Our cards imply peace to all. Scripture advises differently. Perhaps that is why the lost do not have peace. In the last few years, they have done everything they can to remove God from Christmas. They seem angry about this wonderful holiday. Yet, they are thinking about His Name. They are talking about Him either in a good light or otherwise, but they are talking about Him. I have always thought it ironic that Christmas is the one time of the year when Christ is in the spotlight. It is a holiday celebrated by most of the world even if they are trying to remove the “Christ” from Christmas. The lost still take the day off, gather with family, eat a feast, and watch football. Friends, I am going to close with what I find to be the most amazing thing about Jesus’ mode of arrival on this earth... See Signs of Life - page 16 GLAD TIDINGS 7 DECEMBER 2024 Signs of Life from The King's Highway Evangelistic Ministries SARA GOLDSTEIN Salvation Prayer If you have not made Jesus Christ Savior and Lord ... pray the following prayer in faith, and Jesus will be your Lord! Heavenly Father, I come to You in the Name of Jesus. Your Word says, “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” and “if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Acts 2:21; Romans 10:9). You said my salvation would be the result of Your Holy Spirit giving me new birth by coming to live in me (John 3:5-6, 15-16; Romans 8:9-11) and that if I would ask, You would fill me with Your Spirit and give me the ability to speak with other tongues (Luke 11:13; Acts 2:4). I take You at Your Word, I confess that Jesus is Lord, and I believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead. Thank You for forgiving me of my sins, for coming into my heart, for giving me Your Holy Spirit as You have promised, and for being Lord over my life. Amen.
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