...This is an edited re-post of this essay. WHO KNEW ? The Hope of the world was here! A mothers pain and a babys cry had rung out in a cold and dusty stable where she and her husband had taken shelter from the night, the wind and rain, together with some animals. The world would never be the same again, but no one knew except the mother, stepfather and God. When this newborn baby took his first breath, the angels gasped and smiled. No one on earth heard their rejoicing as his stepfather placed the helpless babe onto his mothers breathing chest. Overcome with wonder at the mystery and reality of it all, the two new parents pondered the purpose and destiny of this miracle child. The heavenly hosts peered in awe at his crumpled face and sang lullabies, as the little one cried and suckled and slept. Only Mary and Joseph could feel his beating heart carrying his heavenly blood through his tiny veins. Sleeping hearts across the earth did not know that this childs warm blood would soon wake them from the dead. They did not know that the new life pulsating through his little body, would one day pulsate eternal life through the hearts of multitudes across the earth for centuries to come. They did not know that this precious life-blood needed to be shed in cold sacrifice before eternal hope could be fully birthed in the hearts of men. They did not know that this holy blood would enter into heaven itself and sanctify the mercy seat of heavens tabernacle and permit repentant sinners to be transported through deaths dark door into the very throne of God. They did not know that this blood was mighty, and could cleanse the sin of all the world, and would heal the sick and silence demons. They did not know that they were holding a lamb in their arms, - the Lamb of God who would one day be slain for the sin of the world. They only knew that he was the Son of God, for the angel Gabriel had told Mary so. They only knew that they had been entrusted with an exceedingly precious person, whose secrets were yet to be revealed. They could only wonder about the life in this child, whose Father was God. And as they wondered, surely they wondered if he could ever die. When Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem, approximately 70 miles from Nazareth in the north, they were alone knowing who was in Marys womb. Would anyone believe them if they proclaimed the Great news that they carried? When Jesus/Yahushua was born, their joy was great, but dare they tell the world? Who would believe their story? Most would mock or crowd them with inquisition. They had probably experienced some of this earlier during Marys pregnancy in their native village, so they surely kept their joy to themselves until the shepherds arrived. The uncomfortable stable was a meagre refuge for these sojourners who were far from home, but it was a sanctuary nonetheless. The compulsory national census had forced them into this appointed place at this appointed time. God had set it so. Since the time of Adam, a people had been waiting for God to send Messiah who would rescue them from their plight in sin. The long awaited Saviour had now come, but the Hope of the world was lying in a feeding trough for animals, on some hay. Who knew that their Redeemer was here, secluded from those He had come to save? Their salvation had drawn near, but they were going about their daily lives oblivious of the fact. Did any think to look for Him in so lowly a place? God was hiding His Son for a season from sinful men. How would they find Him out? Thirty years later He would make Himself known to the multitudes, but not all who encountered Him would really find Him. Only those who looked for Him with honest hearts, and those to whom God would reveal His Son, would ever really find Him. Of all the people in the whole wide world, only two groups sought Jesus/Yahushua out soon after His birth and found Him. The first were shepherds. No record is given of whether or not they had been looking for the coming of Messiah, but they were paid a surprise visit by an angel, who told them that He had just been born in the city of David. We may assume that they were Jews, rather than Gentiles, for the angel seems to have assumed that they knew which city he meant. Or perhaps they asked others who knew? We learn from this that the humble and least likely may hear Gods good news and be gladdened. A later group who visited Joseph, Mary and the young Child (he was no longer a baby) in a house (not a stable - Matthew 2:11), were magi from the east. They were astronomers (amongst other fields of learning) who, in studying the stars, understood by a sign in the heavens that the King of the Jews had been born into the world. They followed the leading of an unusual Star, - His Star they said, all the way from the East, until it came to where the sacred Baby was. They were wise men indeed, for they not only saw and discerned the sign, but BELIEVED its message, and made a very long journey to find the One of whom it testified, - and finding Him, they fell down and worshiped Him, and presented gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the speechless king. Matthew_11:19 ...wisdom is justified by her children. ...The wise have wisdom and know what to do and do it. They are wise in deed who believed the Word of the Lord. Like Abraham, they did not know where they were going, but knew by revelation that God had spoken in the skies and was guiding them. Perhaps they were descendents or associates of those Jewish exiles who had not returned with Daniel, Ezra and Nehemiah from Babylon, in which case they could have known that the Child was to be the King of the Jews from the Hebrew Scriptures which speak of the coming Messiah. On arrival in Jerusalem, the magi asked around, Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen - His Star - in the East and have come to worship Him. (Matthew 2:2) Herod was troubled at this report, although he had not yet met them. Matthew 2:3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. This proves that even in those early days of Jesus /Yahushuas life, many people had opportunity to consider the portent and seek God about it, and prepare for when their future King would grow up and be made known to them. We who hear and understand only in part, ought to take heed also. Before calling for the wise men, Herod hastily gathered to himself the chief priests and scribes, and made enquiry as to where Messiah was to be born. He did not know, - but should have, since he practiced Judaism even as an Idumean, an Edomite of the clan of Esau. A half-hearted convert remains in the dark of his own choosing, even in the presence of light. Herod may not have been a convert, but a hanger-on for his own advantage. The priestly elite told Herod that Bethlehem was the prophesied place, then he secretly called for the wise men and told them where to go, asking them to let him know where they found the Child so that he might also come and worship the future king. They never did return to tell him, being warned by God in a dream to flee another way. Herod was dead-on in discerning this GREAT threat to his powerful and demonic rule. The fact that Herod sought to kill all male children under the age of two, and that Matthew 2:11 says Jesus/Yahushua was a young child staying in a house, we may assume that Jesus/Yahushua could have been at least a year old. God saw to it that those who sought to kill Him, did not find Him until He was in His thirties, during His public ministry, - and even then, God preserved Jesus/Yahushua until He gave Himself to be arrested, tried and killed during the appointed Passover. My meditation in this essay is on the question Who knew? - Who knew that Messiah had come? Who knew who He was? Who knew where He was? Who knew where to find Him? Who knew where to look for Him? Who knew what the prophets had said concerning His birth and lifes mission and ministry? Who discerned what God meant concerning Him in the Scriptures? Who knew what was going on in His life during His season in obscurity? Who knew His ultimate agenda during His public ministry? Who knew what He was really thinking and meaning when He spoke? And, how were they to find out? Only a handful of people were privileged to find out about Messiahs arrival and see Him face to face. Aside from the shepherds and the magi, we know that eight days after Jesus/Yahushuas birth, His parents took Him to Jerusalem to be circumcised, and there they met Simeon and Anna who had been waiting for Messiah. The Holy Spirit had revealed to Simeon that he would not die until he had seen the Lords Messiah. He was a just and devout man, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. (Luke_2:25) He foresaw the calling of Messiah accurately and prophesied over Mary saying, Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against, (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. (Luke_2:34 35) _I wonder how many others who studied the Hebrew Scriptures and sought the Lord had such revelation? The only rising would be for those who would fall on the Stone and be broken, otherwise He would fall on all others and grind them to powder. (Luke_20:18) The elderly prophetess Anna happened to come in at the very time that Simeon was speaking to Mary the words above. After this, Anna spoke of Him to all who looked for redemption in Jerusalem. (Luke 2:38) She was the Lords herald, like John the baptizer, preparing the way for the Lord. I wonder how many took her prophetic utterances to heart? These two, - who had the privilege of seeing Jesus/Yahushua when He was eight days old, had been earnestly seeking Gods face, and the Light of the world was revealed to them. How would anyone ever know who Jesus/Yahushua was unless they also sought Gods face, or unless God revealed Him to them? Only in Gods light can we see light. (Psalm_36:9) It seems that Jesus/Yahushua parents kept His Messiahship hidden until the Holy Spirit revealed it to John at His baptism in the river Jordon, after which he proclaimed it publicly. The angel Gabriel told Mary that the child she would conceive was to be the Son of the Highest, the Son of God, and that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and the power of the Highest would overshadowed her, but only she knew exactly when this actually happen. Had she not been forewarned, Mary would not have understood what had transpired when the prophecy was fulfilled. Because of the unusual nature of this conception, she would have probably kept it hushed, although rumors possibly spread as her stomach grew. We know that Elizabeth knew because the unborn John leaped in her womb at Marys approach with babe in hers. It is likely that Elizabeth told her husband Zacharias, and that the parents of Mary and Joseph also knew about the miracle. Joseph and Mary probably laid low during the nine months of pregnancy, to avoid blows from the incredulous. My question Who knew? echoes a question back, Who knows where Jesus/Yahushua is now, and who He really is, and what He is up to? As with when Jesus/Yahushua was born, and throughout His life, even now God renders His work with care and outside the scope of natural perception, lest much be lost. Hidden within the beating hearts of bleeding men, God shouts to the world through their open arms and words of love, that He is nearer than they might believe, and that He has indeed come, (into their world), and never left, since the moment in that dusty stable when Marys baby first gasped for earthly breath. Even now Messiah breathes within His people, and His warm blood pulsates through His holy Body. He is here to give new life, Gods Life to all. ________________________ [I began working on my essay Swearing Allegiance Part 3 very early this morning Sat 7 Dec 2013, and then I went for a quick walk when thoughts for this essay began coming to mind. I thought Id just jot down some thoughts and go back to the other essay, but continued until now 10.48pm. My cradle cries. My bed begs for my weariness. This essay was not written easily and still feels awkward. The Lord is near.]
Posted on: Mon, 09 Dec 2013 13:54:29 +0000