Advent Study #3 – Joy
Scriptures for Joy
And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of music, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy. (1 Chronicles 15:16)
Comment
The Tabernacle of Moses had been replaced many times over the centuries. The one was at Shiloh was old. David built a new Tabernacle and situated 1t in Jerusalem. David loved the LORD. He loved music, so he determined that the LORD deserved musical praise 24 hours a day every day. To facilitate that, he turned Levites into singers, musicians and dancers. Thus, there was joyful music of praise continually glorifying God. 
And gave for the service of the house of God of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand drams, and of silver ten thousand talents, and of brass eighteen thousand talents, and one hundred thousand talents of iron.
And they with whom precious stones were found gave them to the treasure of the house of the Lord, by the hand of Jehiel the Gershonite.
Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.
Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. Thine, O Lord is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.
Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.
Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. (1 Chronicles 29:7-13)
Comment
David was preparing all that was necessary for Solomon to build a glorious Temple for יהוה. He invited the people to contribute. They joyously came forward with great generosity. The bringing their treasures filled the people joy as sacrificially they gave their treasures to adorn the Temple of the LORD.
David praised God for His
- Greatness
- Power
- Glory
- Victories He had given Israel
- Majesty
He further acknowledged God created all, so everything belongs to Him. With great joy David gave thanks to Almighty God.
Blessed be the Lord, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.
The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us: That he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers.
And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before the Lord, be nigh unto the Lord our God day and night, that he maintains the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel at all times, as the matter shall require:
That all the people of the earth may know that the Lord is God, and that there is none else.
Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.
And the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the Lord. (1 Kings 8:56-62)
And at that time Solomon held a feast, and all Israel with him, a great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt, before the Lord our God, seven days and seven days, even fourteen days.
On the eighth day he sent the people away: and they blessed the king, and went unto their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the Lord had done for David his servant, and for Israel his people. (1 Kings 8:65-66)
Comment
Solomon had completed the first Temple. He called a convocation of all the leaders and the people in Israel. Solomon adjured the people to always seek God, and to keep their hearts open to Him. He called the people to perpetually remember and repeat Solomon’s words to keep their relationship fresh with the LORD.
The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let Him not leave us, nor forsake us: That he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments (1 Kings 8:57)
He appealed to the people to be obedient to God every day just as they were on that day of glorious celebration. To allow their bodies go along with their spirits, Solomon Presented to the People of God a continual, bountiful feast for two weeks. As the people went home, their hearts were filled with gratitude for what the LORD had done for Israel through the reign of King David.
And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the Lord God of Israel, did eat, And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the Lord had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel. (Ezra 6:21-22)
Comment
These folks had in their short-term memories their banishment from the Land of Promise, and being castaways in Babylon, a pagan culture. To have the foundation celebration of the Passover in the Land of Promise was ecstasy. Their joy knew no bounds.
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; And let them say among the nations, Jehovah reigneth.
Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; Let the field exult, and all that is therein; Then shall the trees of the wood sing for joy before Jehovah;
For he cometh to judge the earth. O give thanks unto Jehovah; for he is good; For his loving kindness endureth for ever. (1 Chronicles 16:31-34)
Comment
God’s reign is the cause for great rejoicing in Almighty God. It resounds throughout the whole of creation. His judgment is true and will eliminate evil. That will free the sentient and the non-sentient of Creation to experience, unhindered, God’s loving kindness.
But let all those that take refuge in thee rejoice, Let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: Let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. For thou wilt bless the righteous; O Jehovah, thou wilt compass him with favor as with a shield. (Psalms 5:11-12)
Comment
Our God is a fortress and a high tower. In Him we never need to fear. We love His name, because in His name we are more than conquerors. Because we love the Lord God, He has clothed us in His righteousness. His favor becomes our shield from all evil, so out of trust in Him and gratitude for His favor, our hearts overflow with joy.
looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)
Comment
Jesus is not only our Creator, but He granted us the faith to believe in Him. Further, He sent the Holy Spirit to work in us to sanctify us in preparation for our entry with panoply into the Kingdom of God. It was his joy to suffer all to have the privilege to usher us, redeemed, cleansed and sanctified into the Present of Almighty and all righteous God. Finally, to have the complete joy of in triumph take His rightful place on the throne to the right of His Father.
that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold that perisheth though it is proved by fire, may be found unto praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ: whom not having seen ye love; on whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:7-9)
Comment
Our faith is proved by our faithfulness in following Christ. Tried in the fires of tribulation, all the dross is removed and we come through as much fine gold! When Christ shall return, we will stand forth as prime examples of His grace delivered to us.
Despite the real Jesus being immaterial, and therefore, invisible to our eyes, our embrace of His reality gives us reason to Rejoice. But not in worldly joy, but far more, a joy that is heavenly and surpasses what we can declaim; therefore, it is joy unspeakable and full of glory.
There is no joy greater than to experience the results of our salvation in and through Jesus Christ: the eternal life in the Presence of the infinitely loving God Almighty.
Questions for Joy
What was the difference between worship in the Tabernacle of Moses and the Tabernacle of David?
Answer: The worship in the Tabernacle of Moses was primarily sacrifice of animals to atone for sin. It was the priest’s job to slaughter and burn the carcasses of the sacrificial animals. They pursued their job in workman-like efficiency. The atmosphere was solemn.
The Tabernacle of David, in contrast, in addition to the sacrifice of animals, the Levite musicians were playing, singing and dancing to worship יהוה. They were expressing love for the Holy, Righteous God. They were performing to His honor with joy. It was noisy, it was lively, it was jubilant.
What caused the People to rejoice greatly when they brought their offerings to the Temple and to יהוה?
Answer: They had a monument to their God. The Temple made God seem more permanent, more real. They were glad to bring their offerings. Further, as they relied more on יהוה, He prospered them. The free-will offerings were presented out of deep gratitude for His blessings, and because they were prospering. After God’s bounty, their tithes seemed a smaller amount, because the prosperity made what was left so much greater than the whole in previous years.
How can inanimate and non-sentient things, like the sea, mountains and trees, “sing for joy before Jehovah”?
Answer: To some extent this is hyperbole; however, God is Creator and he can give to non-sentient things the cognition to appreciate being created.
What does it mean that Jesus had to go through ridicule, scourging and crucifixion to receive the joy that was awaiting Him?
Answer: Before he could cry, “It is finished!”, our Savior had to drink the cup the Father presented Him to the dregs.
“Having then a great high priest, who hath passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:14-15)
He had to be tempted and to experience the depths of our pain and suffering, (even to include the experience of His Father’s turning His back on His Only Begotten Son, because Jesus took on the guilt of all our sin on the cross).
“Thou that art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and that canst not look on perverseness, …” (Habakkuk 1:13)
Thus, Jesus, because of His love for us, bore our penalty for sin, freeing us to rejoice with “joy unspeakable and full of glory” in the presence of our Father, basking in His love for eternity!
Reflection Question of Joy
Have you ever had occasion to “rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory”?
Answer: We experience great joy at falling in love, on one’s wedding day, at the birth of a child, at receiving a much cherished and longed-for gift, at being praised by someone we respect.
But the abounding joy described as “unspeakable and full of glory”, we will experience at our gathering around the throne of God and worshiping Him with all the fervor within us, falling on our faces in adoration and casting all the honors we have ever received at the feet of our magnificent and majestic God, and I suspect, interspersed with dancing and singing His praises in jubilation!
New Year, New Opportunities for Love!
GT—Volume 14 Issue 1
Party! Party ! Party!
New Year’s Eve is the time for parties, whether we go to a large public party where one can get lost in the crowd and lose all inhibitions, or go to an intimate party with friends or family.
Seattle’s major celebration is held at the Space Needle. The city arranges for a fireworks display to be fired from the Needle. Fire bursting out all over it. Ladders of light-fire work their way up the Needle. The circular roof lends a crowning effect with colorful fountains and multicolored explosions.
We had watched the fireworks on TV a number of times, so several years ago, Ruth and I decided to see it in person. We bundled up. We arrived early and parked some distance away, to avoid the crush to escape after the show. Then we walked the long distance and picked out a site near the base of the Needle, but far enough back to see the full show. We were there long enough to get chilled and began to be anxious for the show to start so it would be over and we could get back into our car and warm up on the way home.
Seattle winters do not give us much snow. The snow we do get comes overnight and melts off (usually) during the day. Because of the Japanese Current our temperature is mild. Not too hot in the summer and not too cold in the winter. But we have a lot of rainy weather in the winter. The air at 42o makes a damp, chilling cold that seeps into your bones.
Fog Steals the Show
About 15 minutes before the fireworks were to go off, fog rolled in. Within 10 minutes the Space Needle was engulfed. We could barely discern it through the fog. At the stroke of midnight the fog lit up. The smoke of the fireworks thickened the opaqueness of the fog. We could not see the fireworks, but the fog glowed in alternate colors and pulsing glows. It was a bit of a bust.
When the fog stopped glowing we figured it was over and hustled back to our car to turn the heater on BLAST! – and then wend our way home through the traffic. We agreed through chattering teeth that the TV was a better option for future years.
Joyful New Year’s Eve
Perhaps the best New Year’s party we celebrated was ‘72/73’. We lived in Maine, so there the snow was deep and old by the end of December. January nights plumbed the depths of the teens below zero. We drove about 20 miles to a party in a community center with friends from all over southern Maine.
Ice covered branches after several days of freezing rain in Maine.
The party began at 10 PM, with singing Christmas songs and a before midnight pot luck supper. Then more singing until just before midnight. And then we prayed in the New Year. We broke out in singing and dancing. The joy of the Lord filled our hearts and the love we shared was deep and rich. We prayed and sang and danced some more until after 2AM. As we were leaving, we discovered a freezing rain had come in. Everything was covered with a glaze of ice. Discretion likely would have made us wait until midday to leave, but nothing daunted, we hugged goodbye and amid prayers and blessings we all went our separate ways to skate home. We felt we were floating on angels’ wings as we negotiated the ice-slicked roads. It was a glorious celebration that is emblazoned (or should I say iced) on my memory.
Loving with Valor
Is discretion the better of valor? That depends upon what you are facing. Driving in heavy traffic, the answer is definitely, “yes”. When applying for a job, it depends upon the situation. But in matter of loving, valor is to be recommended.
Research shows a proper deep hug, where the hearts are pressing together, can benefit you in many ways.
Scientists tell us that for better general health we need many hugs each day. Most people go for days without hugs. Humans are relational. We have deep needs for the affirmations of others. Some of the best affirmations are hugs. With a hug, we communicate love.
One of the common factors in grief over the death of a parent, spouse or child is, “I didn’t say’ I love you’, before she or he died”. This teaches us that we should always express our love to those who are near and dear to us.
There are misanthropes who do not like to be made a fuss over. They just don’t love people. But they are few and far between. By far the vast majority of people miss genuine expressions of love.
Some people hold off because they are not comfortable in a personal relationship. It is likely that they, as much as anyone else, need that positive affirmation of love that such a personal connection communicates.Too often we misuse discretion and repress our inclinations to make a loving gesture or say a loving word. We fear we may be intruding on a person’s personal space. We fear that we may be misunderstood.
It is a devotion to the caring that leads to giving what they need.
Let’s make it clear. I am not talking about the erotic love which is lustful, nor about the friendly feeling toward acquaintances. I am discussing the deeper more generous love that one has for another, leading to caring deeply for their welfare. It is a devotion to the caring that leads to giving what they need.
The majority of us need someone, or perhaps several someones, who care when we are happy or sad; who are willing to go out of their way to be with us; who find time in their busy days to include a visit, a phone call or a letter.
Love is Inconvenient
Love is inconvenient. Love is demanding, but love is worth the discomfort. Our desires are often in conflict with our love. But because we love we set aside our plans and do for another.
“Love is a chain of love, as nature is a chain of life.” — Truman Capote
When we love, there may be a blowback. When I was in the Army at one point I was the Assistant Gunner on a 106mm Recoilless Rifle. It had an open breech, so the back blast was equal to the muzzle velocity. It could blow a wooden box set behind it to splinters. While this is an exaggeration, it illustrates the impact of love rejected.
Nevertheless, most times, when we express love, it warms our hearts, also. The more love we give the more we have to give. The more we give the better we feel. Love is often difficult to express, but when we do give love, we find out how easy and how rewarding it is to give.
When we love, there may be a blowback. When I was in the Army at one point I was the Assistant Gunner on a 106mm Recoilless Rifle. It had an open breech, so the back blast was equal to the muzzle velocity. It could blow a wooden box set behind it to splinters. While this is an exaggeration, it illustrates the impact of love rejected.
What About Joy?
Should we exercise discretion in our display of joy? People have differing temperaments. Some people are emotionally restrained, others wear their emotions on their sleeves. The setting overrules one’s natural proclivities. If the Seahawks had completed that shovel pass for a touchdown in the last few minutes of their second Super Bowl there is not a Seahawks’ fan in the world that would have exercised discretion; exuberance would have exploded. The stadium and homes all over would have been rocking on their foundations.
Our culture has embraced the concept that enthusiastic joy at sporting events is acceptable; whereas, public expressions of ecstatic joy are generally frowned upon. In David Wilkerson’s book, The Cross and the Switchblade, he tells of his grandfather coming to preach at his father’s church. The grandfather considered the church had grown too formal and stodgy. He had them open the windows and sing out their joy in the Lord. That was not enough. He had them march around in the church to let the neighbors and the Neighborhood hear their joy the Lord.
Exuberant joy comes spontaneously when a child is born.
Exuberant joy comes spontaneously when a child is born. Everyone celebrates. Laughter and shouting are natural expressions of great Joy. The shepherds on that night were at first fearful, but with the assurance of the Angel, they began to listen to the Good News.
In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, watching their flock during the night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. Then the angel told them, “Stop being afraid! Listen! I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people. Today your Savior, the Lord Messiah, was born in the City of David. And this will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a feeding trough.”
Suddenly, a multitude of the Heavenly Army appeared with the angel, praising God by saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to people who enjoy his favor!”
When the angels had left them and gone back to heaven, the shepherds told one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see what has taken place that the Lord has told us about.” So they went quickly and found Mary and Joseph with the baby, who was lying in the feeding trough. When they saw this, they repeated what they had been told about this child. All who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. However, Mary continued to treasure all these things in her heart and to ponder them. Then the shepherds returned to their flock, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them. (Luke 2:8-20)
The import of the news caused them to abandon their sheep and race to Bethlehem. There they saw a baby. Something about that baby caused them exceedingly great joy. They were so joyful that they went back laughing and singing, telling everyone the Good News that the Savior had been born.
We must remember it was night when the Angels appeared. It was even later when the shepherds went back to their flocks. In those villages, there was nothing to do but have supper and go to bed at nightfall. The only folk out at night were shepherds. I speculate that as they went through the village, the shepherds were making so much noise that people were leaning out windows and doors to discover why they were making so much commotion. Their joy spilled out all over that village.
God talks about joy unspeakable and full of glory:
Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with an inexpressible and glorious joy… (1 Peter 1:8)
I’m for that! Let’s share our exuberance! Let the world know that there is joy in this life. Our society has, like the Wilkerson church, gone stodgy. The only joy we allow is in sporting events. Let’s communicate there are other reasons for outbursts of Joy.
Let There Be Peace On Earth
For over a century there has been nearly perpetual war waging somewhere in the world. This battered world and its people need peace. It is a precious commodity. In peace people are healthier. Economies are better off. Children grow up in security and become better adjusted adults.
Nobel was a Swedish chemist, engineer, inventor, businessman, and philanthropist., and was very interested in social and peace-related issues and held what were considered radical views in his era.
Because peace is so hard to obtain in this world Alfred Nobel (1833-1896) included a prize for peace along with those for science, medicine and literature. Global peace seems impossible to achieve, except for short periods of time in local areas.
Therefore, in this troublesome world there is another important type of peace sorely needed, which is achievable; peace at heart for individuals. When we can face the hardships and troubles that naturally occur in life with joy and love we can live in peace. Many people have found in the midst of life a place of peace. They have established an attitude that is realistic but not alarmist. They have come to a place where they have confidence in life. They go to bed in peace and wake up joyful at the prospects of a new day.
Some cynics will say they are Pollyanna’s or delusional. Either may be the case, but not necessarily. They are content with their lot in life. They are happy in their families. They are people who reach out to help others and gratefully receive help from others. Essentially, they live in a different world, because they have an entirely different outlook on the world they live in than many of their neighbors. They have experienced severe setbacks and disappointments, but they do not allow those real events to steal their peace. Their hearts are so full of positive things, there is no room for doubts, fears or worries.
The Fruit of the Spirit
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. Galatians 5:22-23
The Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace…” and six more.
For our purposes, we will concentrate on the first three. These are characteristics that develop in the lives of Christian believers, who are living their lives in Christ.
Jesus gives believers the Holy Spirit to dwell in them. He is God’s guarantee that He will keep His promises. As one of the three Persons of the Trinity, He will guide our lives to please God, warn us when we are about to sin, and will convict us when we have sinned. The more we conform our lives to the template of Jesus’ life the better we will be able to follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance. They are fruit. A tree does not have to strain to produce. Fruit are the natural outgrowth of the DNA of the tree, the nutrients available to its roots and the water the tree receives. In the same way, the Fruit of the Spirit are the natural outgrowth of a spiritually healthy Believer.
As we submit our wills to the Spirit’s work in our lives, He will transform our hearts to be more malleable to the influence of the will of God. This is reflected in the production of the Fruit. People can see how readily we follow he Spirit and conform to Christ by the Love Joy and Peace in our lives.
The Fruit of Love
When a people receive new life from Jesus, one of the first things most are aware of is love. There is a sharp awareness of the phenomenally great love of Jesus coursing through one’s life. As we learn more about the sacrifice Jesus willingly made to redeem us, we are filled with loving gratitude.
The love that is unbidden and fills the believer’s heart is so deep and fresh. We find we want to be in the Presence of Jesus, so we talk to Him often. As we talk, his love flows down to us engulfing us in His loving Fellowship.
Love communicates acceptance.
Amazing love for God who needs nothing and who can get nothing from us gives us life eternal, freedom from our sins and (wonders of wonders!) adopts us into His family. That is a love that communicates acceptance. It is a powerful force motivating believers to cling to Jesus.
The Fruit of Joy
When you are loved so extravagantly, the sense of well-being is expressed in joy.
Rejoice in the Lord always: again, I will say, Rejoice. (Philippians 4:4)
The joy that God gives can be the multiplied exponentially. I mentioned the joy that filled us as we drove home on ice-covered streets. It was the overflow of being with Jesus and worshipping him reverently and enthusiastically.
There are many passages in Scripture that refer to the exuberant joy in worship.
And David danced before the Lord with all his might… (2 Samuel 6:14a)
Shout into God with a voice of triumph, shout unto God with a voice of joy, (Psalm 47:1)
…for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.” (Ezra 3:13)
These are people who had no self-consciousness, because they were overwhelmed by God-consciousness. People who worship today have the same God-consciousness that overwhelms their inhibitions and displays exhilaration in Christ. They are showing off, but not for man, but for God.
A woman asked her priest, “Why do you shout when you praise? Do you think he is deaf? He responded, “no, and I do not think He is nervous, either.”
The Fruit of Peace
This Peace is not quietness or absence of conflict. It is an inner contentment of the spirit that comes from God. When we are born again, Jesus applies His blood to our sins, so that God no longer is offended by our sin, but He sees the righteousness of Christ. This transforms us from enemies of God and subject to His wrath, into sons and daughters of God who are accepted in the beloved; therefore, we have peace with God.
…an inner contentment of the spirit that comes from God.
The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him. Psalm 28:7
Knowing that the Holy Spirit abides in our lives and that wherever we go we are in Christ, gives us such peace that we can go through life calmly above the strife.
For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; or whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s. (Romans 14:8)
We have assurance that we will always be loved. We have the joy of the Spirit that rings in our lives and we have the knowledge that we will live with God in blessing for eternity. Those truths, and more, make the situations of this life pale in importance. Our lives here are so short, and our love of our Lord will be so long, that the trouble of these lives cannot touch our peace.
God is our Ultimate Companion
That is the glorious truth: we are the Lord’s! That truth can take all the stress out of life. We not only have an eternally secure future in the blessings of the Almighty God, but we also have Him as our intimate companion sharing all the experiences of this life with us. We can lose everything in this life, but that is immaterial to our place with the Lord. He is the source of Love, the object of our Joy and the guarantor of our Peace. Glory to God in the highest and Peace to His people on earth!
Questions Demanding Answers
This is a recurring feature. I pose a question in one issue. You have the opportunity to send me answers. I publish the best ones in the next issue. Please cite Biblical authority, and keep you answer within 250 words.
QUESTION: Who were the Magi and why did they come to see the Baby Jesus?
ANSWER: Magi were a priest class of Median origin. Perhaps they came from Susa, a capital of the Parthian Empire ca.850 miles (ca. 6-weeks) east of Jerusalem.
They studied and experimented in many disciplines, philosophy, natural science, medicine. They were dream interpreters, soothsayers and diviners. They studied the celestial bodies and looked for signs that could influence human lives. They were a cross between Astronomers and Astrologers.
These Magi had studied the writings of many cultures. In Jewish writings, they discovered intimations of a great king who would rule the world. So, when a new star appeared, they sought to find what it portended. They settled on the arrival of the Jewish Messiah. Apparently, they did not have the writings of the Prophet Micah, so they went to Jerusalem to inquire where He would be born.
As for you, Bethlehem of Ephrathah, even though you remain least among the clans[b] of Judah, nevertheless, the one who rules in Israel for me will emerge from you. His existence has been[c] from antiquity, even from eternity. (Micah 5:2)
Over the centuries scholars have sought to determine what was the natural cause of the notable, long-lasting, but not permanent star. Two theories stand out, but each has its problems. One theory was that several of the planets came into conjunction, thus combining their respective lights to appear as one remarkably bright “star”. However, the time in conjunction would not be long enough for the Magi to discoverer it, do the research and then travel for a month and a half. The conjunction would break apart in a matter of days. By two weeks the planets would be so separate their lights would no longer be combined.
Another theory that has better credence is a supernova. Supernovae are exploding stars. Their light intensifies for two weeks to a month to a peak, then it diminishes for three to five months. A Nova could brighten the night as a “star” for 3 to 6 months. This would give the Magi all the time they needed to discover and travel from Susa to Bethlehem.
The problem comes in extra-Biblical history. Ancient cultures noted and recorded what the scholars interpret as supernovae. They can compare histories in concurrent cultures to date various supernovae. No record has yet been found of such a nova that lasted for 3-6 month. If it drew the Magi on such a journey it would have been a significant nova that the number of cultures extant at that time would have recorded it.
The explanation that the scholars will not accept is God. He created a phenomenon in the skies to announce the birth of the God/man, the only Son of God, whose name is “Jesus”, “Savior”.
QUESTION: If God is all knowing and God, He will do what is best. Why pray?
The Holy of Holies
Join me in bowing before our God in gratitude that we can speak directly and personally to Him. He is our loving Father, so we can embrace Him boldly, but respectfully.
My God and Father, My God and Savior, my God and empowerer; How magnificent are Your ways!
Father, before you laid the foundation of the world You chose to create man for You to love and to love You.
Jesus in the counsels of eternity You agreed to relinquish all the characteristics of Sovereignty and to become a servant, submissive to Your Father and submissive to the real needs of man. That is humility and heroics that are beyond conception.
Holy Spirit, You agreed to be the pawn in the game. You are the guarantor who has come to live in the hearts of all believers.
This Covenant of Grace is the greatest promise and bargain in History.
My part as beneficiary is zero. I am an heir who has done and can do nothing. Without earning it, You, Almighty God, bestow the cleansing of my sins, the righteousness of Christ and the Life everlasting!
I love You, Lord God. I have known Your unwavering love for me. I have lived in Your Presence. I have experienced Your unhesitating forgiveness. My heart is full of You and when I stop to consider all You have done for me, I am overwhelmed with love and gratitude for you.
I shake my head in wonder that You have done all this for me. I am worth nothing compared to You, the one true God and Only Son of God. I am flawed and broken, but You in grace and mercy reached out with Your pure hand and touch my uncleanness. You loved me when I was your enemy, when I was running the wrong way. You cared enough for me to stand in my path until I ran into You. You sent Your Holy Spirit to chase me down the years and days until He caught my unwilling heart that brought me face to face with the real Presence of Jesus.
When I am quiet before You like this, my love for You grows in my heart and flows out to You. I don’t care about the problems of life, because I am with You. The true perspective comes to the fore. It is my life in Christ that is vital. My life in the world is important, but it is transitory. It is but a sneeze, making a big noise and causing my body to convulse, but instantly over and soon forgotten.
Come, my LORD, take me to Your home and the place You have for me. I long the shed this skin of worldliness and be clothed in the righteousness of Christ, that pure, spotless and seamless garment of praise to You; worthy because Jesus generates it and the Holy Spirit makes it worthy.
All honor, glory, dominion, power and praise belong to You O, holy and majestic God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
May I join with all the Cherubim and Seraphim in crying, “Holy, holy, holy!”?
May I join with all the arch angels crying, ‘Worthy is the Lamb!’”?
May I join in with the Patriarchs and Apostles in casting all my achievements at Your feet?
Hallelujah! Amen!
