What Happened On Christmas--Part One

First, A Yuletide Quiz...

Question #1: Which very old holiday has been celebrated for centuries on the 25th of December and is characterized by the custom of exchanging gifts?

Answer #1: The Roman Festival of Saturnalia.

Conclusion #1: December 25th is not about Jesus' birth?! JESUS WAS NOT BORN ON DECEMBER 25!

Question #2: Name this Man: He is jovial and friendly, elderly, of heavy build, with a long white beard. His color is red. He rode in a chariot pulled by creatures with names like Cracker and Gnasher. He lives in the Northland where he has a palace made of icebergs. The fireplace in every home of humans who love him is an especially sacred place. He is said to come down the chimney on visits to human beings.

Answer #2: The pagan Germanic god Thor, god of fire.

Conclusion #2: Our Santa comes from European myth!

Question #3: What green plant with white berries provides a place beneath which friends or foes may exchange a personal greeting [smooch], a tradition begun by Christians in the celebration of Christmas?

Answer #3: Mistletoe, but it was first used as a truce site by the ancient Druids of Britain.

Conclusion #3: JESUS WASN'T BORN ON DECEMBER 25, AND SANTA CLAUS AND MISTLETOE ARE PAGAN TRADITIONS??!!

Well, what DID HAPPEN, then???

WHAT HAPPENED ON CHRISTMAS???

Let's find our answers from the Bible story!

"When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth...One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week...While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord...said...'Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son.' (Luke 1:5-14, NLT)

"When Zechariah’s week of service in the Temple was over, he returned home. Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months...In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy...Gabriel appeared to her [Mary] and said...'You will conceive and give birth to...Jesus...Your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age!...and is now in her sixth month'...A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea...entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, 'God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy.'" (Luke 1:23-45, NLT)

The Biblical Chronology of Christ's Joining of the Human Family

1. First Century temple duties were one week long and began with the first course of priests in the week following Passover. Passover Day is in the third week of April and lasts one week.

2. The first one-week course of priests served the last week of April.

3. Zechariah was of the order of Abijah (Luke 1:5). Abijah's priestly course was the eighth (1 Chronicles 24:5,10,19). Zechariah's duties were in the third full week of June and lasted one full week.

4. According to Luke 1:24, Elizabeth became pregnant "soon after...he came home," and Zechariah returned home in the fourth week of June.

5. Luke 1:26 says when Elizabeth's pregnancy with John the Baptist was six months along, the Angel Gabriel was sent by God to personally explain to Mary that she would be the human mother of the Son of God! The most significant event for every resident of Planet Earth for all-time occurred within earliteen Mary's tummy when Elizabeth's pregnancy was six months along. And, the Bible record tells us Elizabeth became pregnant in the last week of June! So, when was she six months along?!

6. Gabriel's very personal explanation (Luke 1:28-35), Mary's agreement (Luke 1:38), Mary's "hurried" trip to visit Elizabeth, and John the Baptist's in utero excitement (Luke 1:44) in the presence of the prenatal Savior of the World all happened in the final week of December!!

WHAT HAPPENED ON CHRISTMAS???

Jesus was conceived on Christmas!!

God joined the human family on Christmas!!!

At least, it was Christmas Week!!

God became Man!

So celebration is soooo very much in order at Christmas time!! The incarnation of Almighty God took place just this time of year!!! Salvation was made possible! We would have an up-close view of the God Family. The Christ Child would model for us the life-in-His-Father and strength-in-The Spirit that is available to you and me!! The Savior who would die for us arrived!!!

THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED ON CHRISTMAS!!

Post Script: Although in this blogger's opinion, Christ's incarnation outshines His birth in soteriological (salvation) significance, it's easy for those interested in Christ's birth date to count nine months from His conception to the fourth week of September. That birth week is consistent with the nativity story when shepherd's would still be in the fields before Autumn rains would have driven them indoors.

Isn't it fascinating how even though Non-Christian tradition has nearly smothered Baby Jesus out of Christmas, the last week of December ends up being the true time of His incarnation?!

As December begins in 2019, the best chronologists tell us the original Savior Gift was wrapped in human form right about this time 2022 years ago! What a great time to say "Yes" to Jesus!

And in about 5 days, watch for "What Happened On Christmas Part II" which will pull off the Western sweater we've put on the stable story and tell it as it really happened in its Middle Eastern locale.

Let the Miracle Babe have you!

Your friend,

Dave