Post by don on Nov 20, 2006 17:11:05 GMT -5
They Didn't Know Who He Was
by Donald Mehl
When the baby Jesus was born in that lowly stable in Bethlehem many years ago, only a few folks knew who He really was. Most did not believe nor did they understand that Jesus was the promised and long awaited Messiah who had come to save His people from their sins (Isa. 9:6,7 and Matt. 1:21). As a result, they missed the first coming of the One who was the eternal King and Savior of the world.
Jesus Christ came into this world as God manifest in human flesh (John 1:14). He is the second Person of the Trinity, which consists of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit (1 John 5:7). While each is a separate personality with separate distinct characteristics and functions, they are all equal in power and glory. However, they exist together as one entity – the Almighty God of the Godhead.
Christ’s beginning did not happen on that holy night as a baby born in a manger. He has always existed (Micah 5:2 and Psalm 90:1,2). Before time began in eternity past, He was. Jesus said in Rev. 1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Many scriptures refer to Jesus as the Word. With that in mind, we read in John 1 (v1)In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (v2)He was in the beginning with God. (v3)All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
From the first chapter of Genesis, we know that in the beginning God created the heavens and earth through the power of His spoken Word. He simply spoke it all into existence. The all powerful and commanding voice that said, “Let there be....”, bringing all of creation into instant reality as recorded in Genesis, was the very same soft whimpering voice of the newborn baby Jesus fussing in His mother’s arms that night in Bethlehem.
Today, people are caught up in the glitter, the sounds and the hustle bustle of the Christmas season as well as cute crafted nativity displays. Many don’t know, or they fail to understand, or maybe some don’t care that the baby Jesus in that manger 2000 years ago is the Almighty God of all creation who existed from eternity past and will exist for all of eternity future. Just as it was in Bethlehem on that day, many people today just don’t realize who He was, who He is, or who He will be.
There are many prophecies in Old Testament scripture that foretell the birth of the coming King. Since all scripture is inspired by God according to 2 Pet. 1:20,21, every one of those prophecies written hundreds of years in advance was fulfilled in detail exactly as written.
The Bible is rich with prophecy from cover to cover. All of the many fulfilled prophecies were completed precisely as God ordained them according to His perfect plan. No human mind could have accurately predicted the details and timing for any of them, all hundreds and some even thousands of years in advance. Only our Omnipresent, Omniscient and Omnipotent God who knows the Beginning from the End could have done that. When He says that a certain event will come to pass, then believe it because it will surely happen! Just as Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem was prophecy fulfilled, many more prophecies in scripture foretell of His coming a second time. The second coming prophecies will also be fulfilled exactly as God has planned.
Unlike His humble first appearance in Bethlehem, absolutely no one will miss His second coming. Rev. 1:7 tells us that every eye will see Him. Phil. 2:10,11 says that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. He will return with great power and glory (Mark 13:26) to rule and reign forever.
Rev. 19:11-16
(v11)Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. (v12)His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. (v13) He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called the Word of God. (v14)And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. (v15)Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (v16)And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
Although nobody will miss His second coming, many, if not most, will not be prepared to meet Him face to face on that day. They refuse to believe His promise that He would return to judge all mankind and destroy all evil. Sadly, they have never deliberately chosen Him as the Savior and Lord of their life.
Are you prepared to meet Him? Have you humbly been on your knees before Him, confessed your sins and repented, and then invited Him into your heart and life as your Savior, Lord and Master? Scriptures promise to us that we can truly know Him.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
Rom. 10:9,10
(v9)If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; (v10)For with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
It’s because of God’s love for us that Jesus came to Bethlehem on that day. Then, Jesus’ sacrificial death on the Cross of Calvary and His resurrection offering salvation to all was the greatest love gift ever known. His free gift of salvation is available to all who choose to reach out to Him by faith alone to receive it.
At that first Christmas, people didn’t know or believe who He was. When He comes back again, you won’t want to be among those who don’t know Him. Invite Him into your life today. When we do that and put Him first in our life each day with our complete dependence and trust, we will then have a personal relationship with Him. We will learn to pray and find comfort through His written Word. He will be our friend, our guide, our Savior, our Lord and Master, and our blessed hope for all eternity.
During retirement, my prayer is that I might serve the Lord by sharing the Gospel through my writing. As the Lord leads, my work will inform, challenge and encourage. I also enjoy Biblical theme woodcarving, Bible studies and Christian music. Watch, pray and keep looking up!
Donald Mehl
by Donald Mehl
When the baby Jesus was born in that lowly stable in Bethlehem many years ago, only a few folks knew who He really was. Most did not believe nor did they understand that Jesus was the promised and long awaited Messiah who had come to save His people from their sins (Isa. 9:6,7 and Matt. 1:21). As a result, they missed the first coming of the One who was the eternal King and Savior of the world.
Jesus Christ came into this world as God manifest in human flesh (John 1:14). He is the second Person of the Trinity, which consists of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit (1 John 5:7). While each is a separate personality with separate distinct characteristics and functions, they are all equal in power and glory. However, they exist together as one entity – the Almighty God of the Godhead.
Christ’s beginning did not happen on that holy night as a baby born in a manger. He has always existed (Micah 5:2 and Psalm 90:1,2). Before time began in eternity past, He was. Jesus said in Rev. 1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Many scriptures refer to Jesus as the Word. With that in mind, we read in John 1 (v1)In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (v2)He was in the beginning with God. (v3)All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
From the first chapter of Genesis, we know that in the beginning God created the heavens and earth through the power of His spoken Word. He simply spoke it all into existence. The all powerful and commanding voice that said, “Let there be....”, bringing all of creation into instant reality as recorded in Genesis, was the very same soft whimpering voice of the newborn baby Jesus fussing in His mother’s arms that night in Bethlehem.
Today, people are caught up in the glitter, the sounds and the hustle bustle of the Christmas season as well as cute crafted nativity displays. Many don’t know, or they fail to understand, or maybe some don’t care that the baby Jesus in that manger 2000 years ago is the Almighty God of all creation who existed from eternity past and will exist for all of eternity future. Just as it was in Bethlehem on that day, many people today just don’t realize who He was, who He is, or who He will be.
There are many prophecies in Old Testament scripture that foretell the birth of the coming King. Since all scripture is inspired by God according to 2 Pet. 1:20,21, every one of those prophecies written hundreds of years in advance was fulfilled in detail exactly as written.
The Bible is rich with prophecy from cover to cover. All of the many fulfilled prophecies were completed precisely as God ordained them according to His perfect plan. No human mind could have accurately predicted the details and timing for any of them, all hundreds and some even thousands of years in advance. Only our Omnipresent, Omniscient and Omnipotent God who knows the Beginning from the End could have done that. When He says that a certain event will come to pass, then believe it because it will surely happen! Just as Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem was prophecy fulfilled, many more prophecies in scripture foretell of His coming a second time. The second coming prophecies will also be fulfilled exactly as God has planned.
Unlike His humble first appearance in Bethlehem, absolutely no one will miss His second coming. Rev. 1:7 tells us that every eye will see Him. Phil. 2:10,11 says that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. He will return with great power and glory (Mark 13:26) to rule and reign forever.
Rev. 19:11-16
(v11)Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. (v12)His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. (v13) He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called the Word of God. (v14)And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. (v15)Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (v16)And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
Although nobody will miss His second coming, many, if not most, will not be prepared to meet Him face to face on that day. They refuse to believe His promise that He would return to judge all mankind and destroy all evil. Sadly, they have never deliberately chosen Him as the Savior and Lord of their life.
Are you prepared to meet Him? Have you humbly been on your knees before Him, confessed your sins and repented, and then invited Him into your heart and life as your Savior, Lord and Master? Scriptures promise to us that we can truly know Him.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
Rom. 10:9,10
(v9)If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; (v10)For with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
It’s because of God’s love for us that Jesus came to Bethlehem on that day. Then, Jesus’ sacrificial death on the Cross of Calvary and His resurrection offering salvation to all was the greatest love gift ever known. His free gift of salvation is available to all who choose to reach out to Him by faith alone to receive it.
At that first Christmas, people didn’t know or believe who He was. When He comes back again, you won’t want to be among those who don’t know Him. Invite Him into your life today. When we do that and put Him first in our life each day with our complete dependence and trust, we will then have a personal relationship with Him. We will learn to pray and find comfort through His written Word. He will be our friend, our guide, our Savior, our Lord and Master, and our blessed hope for all eternity.
During retirement, my prayer is that I might serve the Lord by sharing the Gospel through my writing. As the Lord leads, my work will inform, challenge and encourage. I also enjoy Biblical theme woodcarving, Bible studies and Christian music. Watch, pray and keep looking up!
Donald Mehl
