John MacArthur on Christmas



“If we could condense all the truths of Christmas into only three words, these would be the words: ‘God with us.’ We tend to focus our attention at Christmas on the infancy of Christ. The greater truth of the holiday is His deity. More astonishing than a baby in the manger is the truth that this promised baby is the omnipotent Creator of the heavens and the earth!”

– John MacArthur

Christmas in the Bible

Old Testament – ProphesiedNew Testament – Fulfilled
Born in Bethlehem
Micah 5:2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans ofJudah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to beruler in Israel, whose coming forth isfrom of old, from ancient days.Luke 2:4-7 And Joseph also went upfrom Galilee, from the town ofNazareth, to Judea, tothe city of David, which is calledBethlehem,because he was of the house and lineage of David,to be registered with Mary, his betrothed,who was with child.Andwhile they were there, the time came for her to give birth.And she gave birth to her firstborn son andwrapped him in swaddling cloths andlaid him in a manger, because there was no place for them inthe inn
Jesus, The Son of God
Proverbs 30:4 Who hasascended to heaven and come down? Who hasgathered the wind in his fists? Who haswrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established allthe ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name? Surely you know! Luke 1:31-33 “…And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
Jesus, Name Above All Names
Isaiah 9:6  For to us a child is born, to usa son is given; and the government shall beuponhis shoulder, and his name shall be called WonderfulCounselor,Mighty God,EverlastingFather, Prince ofPeace.Philippians 2:9-11 ThereforeGod hashighly exalted him and bestowed on himthe name that is above every name,so that at the name of Jesusevery knee should bow,in heaven and on earth and under the earth,and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ isLord, to the glory of God the Father.
Jesus, The Anointed One
Daniel 9:25-26 Know therefore and understand thatfrom the going out of the word to restore andbuild Jerusalem to the coming of ananointed one, aprince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat,but in a troubled time.And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shallbe cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary.Itsend shall come with a flood,and to the end there shall be war.Desolations are decreed.Matthew 2:1,16 Nowafter Jesus was born inBethlehem of Judeain the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men fromthe east came to Jerusalem … Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men.
Jesus, The Seed of a Woman to Destroy Satan
Genesis 3:15 “…I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspringandher offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”1 John 3:8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared wasto destroy the works of the devil.
Jesus, Born of a Virgin
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore theLord himself will give you a sign.Behold, thevirgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his nameImmanuel.Matthew 1:21-23 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:  “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).
Jesus, Seed of Abraham
Genesis 12:3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, andin you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”Matthew 1:1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ,the son of David,the son of Abraham.
Jesus, Seed of Isaac
Genesis 21:12 But God said to Abraham, “Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, forthrough Isaac shall your offspring be named.Hebrews 11:17-19 By faithAbraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son,of whom it was said,“Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.
Kings Bow Down to Jesus
Psalms 72:10-11 May the kings ofTarshish and ofthe coastlands render himtribute; may the kings ofSheba andSeba bring gifts! May all kingsfall down before him, all nations serve him!Matthew 2:9-11 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was.When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures,they offered him gifts,gold andfrankincense andmyrrh.
Born to Die and Rise On the Third Day
Jonah 1:17 And the LORD appointeda great fish to swallow up Jonah.And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.Matthew 12:40 Forjust as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish,so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AND MAY GOD RICHLY BLESS YOU THIS COMING NEW YEAR – FROM TELLING MINISTRIES

Original image source: cc-by thunderchild modifications: overlay texture, added text, cropped image