Christmas History 2

The events in my last blog entry are recorded by the Gospel writer Luke. They are verifiable historical facts. Luke, who was a doctor, did not simply write down what he remembered about Jesus’ birth story. Luke was supremely concerned with getting the facts correct. Therefore, Luke interviewed eyewitnesses and recorded with fidelity their own telling of the story.
Luke also reported that Mary was not pregnant with Joseph’s seed. That she was pregnant through a miraculous act of God. While this is not as verifiable as other facts, it is important to remember here that Luke was writing during a time when other eyewitnesses were still alive. If he skewed the facts, even a little, it is very likely that the criticism from the public would have discredited his Gospel.
Joseph was a descendent of David. The messiah was prophesized to come from David. It makes sense that Joseph and Mary would travel to Bethlehem, the city of David to be counted and to pay taxes. It also makes sense that Joseph and Mary could not find a room because the city was overrun with people who had traveled to Bethlehem for the same reason—to pay their taxes. Thus, Luke reports, while they were in Bethlehem, Mary gave birth to Jesus, in a manger. It is perfect that Jesus, who is the Lamb of God, given as a sacrifice for man’s sin, was born in a manger, where a lamb would be born.
Luke goes on to report that angels appeared to shepherds who were tending their flocks in the field and announced the miraculous birth. Not only did they go to worship Jesus themselves, but they also told many people along the way where they were going, and why they went there. Thus, there would have been several witnesses of this when Luke wrote his Gospel.
Joseph and Mary, being Jews, were bound to wait the allotted time and have Jesus circumcised. When they entered the temple, according to Luke, Jesus was proclaimed the savior by Simeon, a prophet. He was also prophesized to be the messiah by Anna, a prophetess. Both Simeon and Anna would be known in and around the temple. The statements they made would have been heard by bystanders and onlookers. Their statements about Jesus being the Christ would have been easy to corroborate.
What we have in the Christmas story is a miraculous event that is historically accurate and verifiable. Praise God.
If you are an unbeliever, and you are not sure about all this, that is ok. I was not sure either. When I began to dig into the scripture and verify scripture through commentaries and historical writings, I became convinced of the inerrancy of the Bible.
My brothers and sisters, Satan will have you ignorant and hell bound over small details. He will use his earthly minions to bring up weak arguments that cast just enough doubt to cause unbelief. He will direct your attention to small differences in the Bible and he will call them contradictions. He will plant a seed of doubt in your mind about an issue in the Bible that is very difficult to translate into our understanding because the events happened so long ago. Satan wants you ignorant and unbelieving so he can lie to you. If you are not sure about this find out for yourself and make a decision based on the evidence.
As I watch the snow I am thankful on this day that God humbled himself and came to earth as man to be sacrificed for our sin. I am grateful that He was born and that because He was born, and because He willingly gave himself, I can live forever in paradise. Hallelujah!