I. Sovereign Penalty and Promised Provision for sin. Salvation reverses the effects. If God seems far away, guess who moved? Genesis 3 And the Lord God called to Adam,Where are you? ...enmity between your seed and her seed; it shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel...till you return to the ground; for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust shall you return.
II. God promises to faithful Abraham that thru his descendent Gal 3:16 all the nations of the earth shall be blessed. Genesis 22 By myself have I sworn, says the Lord, for because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son: that in blessing I will bless you, and in your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because you have obeyed my voice.
III. The Millenial Rule of the God-Man Christ/Messiah (acc to the Davidic Cov't 2Sam 7; Ps 89) is prophesied. Mt 4:14 Isaiah 9The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, on them has the light shined. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given: and the government shall be on his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful/Miraculous 25:1 29:14 Counselor/Purposer 14:24,26; 23:9. The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, on the throne of David, and on his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from hence from even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
Isaiah 11 There shall come a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch Jer 23:5 Zech 6:12-13 shall grow out of his roots: and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. With righteousness shall he judge the needy, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth..slay the wicked...The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord
IV. God becomes Man to save man from his sin (by dying in his place 2Cor 5:21) and set up the promised Kingdom Isa 40 Dan 9. Luke 1:26-38 The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a virgin engaged to Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in to her, and said, Hail, you that are highly favored, the Lord is with you: blessed are you among women. Fear not, Mary: for you have found favor with God. You shall conceive in your womb, and bring from a son, and shall call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give to him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary to the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said to her, The Holy Spirit shall come on you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it to me according to your word. And the angel departed from her.
V. The Savior is born in Bethlehem as promised in the fullness of time Gal 4:4 Luke 2:1-7 Cæsar Augustus..that all the world should be taxed. Joseph went Judea, to the city of David, called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. She gave birth to her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
Lk 2:9-15 The angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were terrified. And the angel said: Fear not: I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. This shall be a sign to you; You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace on those with whom He is pleased. Let us now go to Bethlehem, and see what the Lord has made known to us.
VI. The wise men are guided by the star to worship Jesus Ps 72, the King of the Jews. Wise men still seek Him. Matthew 2:1-12 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. Herod demanded of them where Christ/Messiah should be born. “In Bethlehem of Judea: for thus it is written by the prophet Micah 5:2-4, And you Bethlehem, in the land of Judea, are not the least among the princes of Judea: for out of you shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.” The star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. They saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshiped him: they presented to him gifts, gold, and frankincense, and myrrh Ps 45. Being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
VII. The Eternal Word became flesh to give Light, and eternal Life to all who believe in Him Rm 6:23 gift of God; Jn 3:16 John 1:1-14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. |