Merry Christmas 2024!
Advent | Christmas | Epiphany | Emmanuel | God with Us
Emmanuel, God with Us!
Merry Christmas, dear readers! I so appreciate you.
First, I want to acknowledge those of you who are struggling right now. Sadness, illness, mourning/grief. You are welcome here.
When my father died on December 16, 1999, we buried his remains at sea on the 21st.
We didn’t celebrate Christmas that year.
Then last year, deaths in December of two more relatives shades how I’m celebrating this year. We’ve chosen a quiet holiday season filled with the church activities and small celebrations in our rural community that bring us joy.
If this Christmas you’re celebrating good things with tons of joy, you’re also welcome here!
No matter what we all are going through, I love how God’s word speaks to us during this Advent season!
Isaiah 9:6-7 (BSB)
6 For unto us a child is born,
unto us a son is given,
and the government will be upon His shoulders.
And He will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.7 Of the increase of His government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on the throne of David
and over his kingdom,
to establish and sustain it
with justice and righteousness
from that time and forevermore.The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this.
The zeal of the Lord of Hosts…what is zeal?
Qin’ah, Zeal
In biblical Hebrew, the word is qin’ah.
The Hebrew word "qinah" primarily denotes a strong emotion of jealousy or zeal. It can refer to both a positive and negative form of jealousy. In a positive sense, it describes God's zealous protection of His people and His desire for their exclusive devotion. In a negative sense, it can refer to human jealousy, which often leads to strife and conflict. The term is used to express intense fervor, whether in the context of divine love or human rivalry.
In ancient Israelite culture, "qinah" was understood as a powerful emotion that could drive both divine and human actions. The concept of jealousy was not merely possessive but was often linked to covenantal faithfulness. God's jealousy was seen as a protective and righteous zeal for His people, ensuring their loyalty and purity in worship. In human relationships, jealousy could lead to destructive behavior, as seen in various biblical narratives.
[Source: Strong’s Concordance/Lexicon - קִנְאָה, qin’ah - BibleHub.com]
Yahweh’s zeal for us, both Jews and pagans/Gentiles, is always rooted in:
His great love for us!
We will never fully comprehend His love until we are in His presence. In the meantime, rejoice in His Christmas present to you…He loves you in a passionate way.
Take time to bask in His love for you.
God’s Big Announcement
I love how Father God, full of zeal, made a huge deal when He announced that He had kept His promise to send Messiah, our Savior.
Luke 2:8-20 (BSB)
8 And there were shepherds residing in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks by night. 9 Just then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! For behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: 11 Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord! 12 And this will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a great multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying:
14 “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men
on whom His favor rests!”15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the Baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 After they had seen the Child, they spread the message they had received about Him. 18 And all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, which was just as the angel had told them.
Where Were the Angels?
I want to call something to your attention: Read verse 9 again.
9 Just then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
The angel stood before them!
So many of the paintings (over hundreds of years) and modern TV shows and movies show the angel in the sky above the shepherds.
Hmm.
The shepherds were terrified because the angel was right there.
Standing near them.
On the ground.
Yea, I know; some English translations use the word “appeared”, “appeared among them”, “came upon them, or several other words: See these translations of Luke 2:9 on Biblegateway.com
However, the majority of the translations use “stood”.
Let me throw some Koinē Greek at you.
ephistémi - ἐφίστημι
Word Origin: From the preposition ἐπί (epi, meaning "upon" or "over") and the verb ἵστημι (histemi, meaning "to stand" or "to set").
Read more at:
[ Strong’s Concordance/Lexicon: 2186, ephistémi - BibleHub.com ]
I’m going with the angel stood before them on the ground.
Then there’s verse 13:
13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a great multitude of the heavenly host, praising God…
Whoa.
If I let my imagination go there…the great multitude of the heavenly host…did they stand next to the first angel and congregate around him?
Wow.
Let that sink in for a moment.
Terrifying!
If I had been there at that time, I would have needed “adult diapers”.
Anyway.
Wherever the angels were physically (on the ground or in the sky) when they announced the good news that our Savior was born, they made a very impressive appearance to the shepherds.
That’s how zealous Father God was in making sure His passionate enthusiasm came through to us humans as well as His faithfulness in keeping His covenant.
Imagine those angels on the ground singing what Father God felt in His heart for us. They announced how much He loves us.
14 “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men
on whom His favor rests!”
Merry Christmas, dear readers, you favored ones.
Rest in your loving Father God’s “shalom”.
Emmanuel, God with us!
Conversation & Community
Share your thoughts about this Christmas, sad or happy, and share your thoughts about the first coming of the Son of God.
And, if so led, use this space to share your prayer requests.
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"O Come, O Come Emmanuel"
"This is how God's love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him." 1 John 4:9 BSB.
"GOD's Great Love on display"
This letter is wonderfully ladened with Godly insight into our Father's passionate, jealous Love for us. How it's a Great Love, more than we could comprehend Love, just like the glorious presence of the Angels that came to announce its arrival, not just one Angel was present, but a Great multitude, all there to proclaim the LORD's Great Love to the world. His Love had arrived, reveled in a precious baby, Lovingly wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger, born in Bethlehem, as a sign to everyone that, yes, GOD so Loved the world that He gave his only son.
"And love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins." 1 John 4:10 BSB
GOD bless you all!
"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 BSB
Jesus is All the World to Me - Guitar Instrumental Hymn with Lyrics / David Im
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGQudy0AnQg&list=RDMM&index=2
Merry Christmas! Thank you. I love seeing fresh rereading reveal awesome things in the Word and about our glorious God. Thank you too for connecting this year. You have been a wonderful encouragement as I've stepped out. God bless. And I pray too for the healing of broken hearts and the courage to continue to live in the fulness of life without those who have passed.