Why was Jesus born in a stall?
Why were shepherds the first to see Him?
Why in Bethlehem?
It was more than because these are humble things; infinitely more. It is thought that Bethlehem was where Passover lambs were born. And who would be the first to see the lambs born but shepherds? and where are little lambs born? Not in an inn, but in a stall.
The word of God is packed with patterns that tell the gospel truth. These are amazing ones. Now here are some other questions? Should a Christian celebrate Christmas? Well, let’s look at its history and more importantly, the scriptures, to get an answer.
The incarnate birth of Jesus is told and prophesied of through out God’s word. So if we are studiers of His word, His precious birth will enter our hearts and minds in a celebratory way all year long. This is what I think God has in mind. A seasonal or yearly or even a days event is not only not seen anywhere in the word, but it is hidden forever…unknowable. Why does the God who reveals secrets rather than keep secrets, hide this? Maybe for the same reason He hid Moses’ burial place. Because men are bent toward idol worship and fall so easily into it. He knew the church would worship an event, a season, a day and miss the glory of His incarnation entirely…and they have.
We also know that Jesus is God. He is the Son of God but we know that He is Creator God, the Great I AM…He says so Himself (…because you don’t believe that I AM, you will die in your sins…) John 8:24). God had no beginning. Hebrews 6:20-7:1-3 says that Jesus was made our great High Priest after the order of Melchisadec who was King of Righteousness, King of Salem (Jerusalem) and King of Peace, had no mother or father and no descent, having no beginning and no end… who remains priest continually. God goes out of His way to help us to have in the forefront of our minds that Jesus had no beginning; He has always been.
Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:15-16 that now after Jesus has ascended back into His place of glory from eternity past, that because He died and rose again, we know Him after the flesh no longer.
I know that God is trying to pull the tentacles of Christmas out of the church, because it is an idol and a deterrent to deep knowledge of Christ. I also know that when a generation is so steeped in idol worship, it takes a generation to get it out. Very few will have a ready ear to hear God’s instruction on leading in such a way. Of the few who do hear, even fewer of them will have the strength to do it. It comes with tremendous backlash.
However, I have seen that nearly all of God’s great works, and even His ways in general, are only seen clearly way after the fact. It is in the looking back that we can see God’s hand all along. Only when something big is accomplished for the Kingdom can we stop, look back and say, I SEE!
So it is with getting the word out about this pagan holiday. One of the fears as a grand parent is this: But you are depriving your children/grandchildren of the sweet joy of the season, of the fun of gifts and anticipation, etc. he will have to look at his peers and see that he does not get to join in…
But the short-sightedness of man is seen here best. Do we ever stop to think on these lines: Maybe the fact that he misses all those things, makes him able to see infinitely higher spiritual things, that others can’t see, who have settled for a cheap counterfeit to true joy. Maybe just maybe he will be the new generation where the corruption of such a thing as Christmas is not an issue.
I am that stop-gap in my generations. It stops here, because I have heard from God. I’ll be the anvil upon which the blows of God’s refining hammer come crashing down…helping in some way the Lord form His beloved church into the very image of God.
Just a simple investigation into every single aspect of this holiday will reveal what it is.
What wonderful thing will the Lord reveal when the idol of such a pagan season is gone forever from the church?