Christmas is not a story; it is a testimony to all who will listen. It is the testimony of God’s love and His promise to redeem His creation; it is the testimony of His faithfulness and power to bring it to pass. It is also a testimony to the unchangeableness of God’s Word: when God speaks His plans for the future—it’s done; it’s settled!

After Adam sinned in the Garden, the Lord God declared what He was going to do on behalf of the fallen family, and what He was going to do to the serpent, the devil. Here’s what the Lord God declared: “…I will put enmity (hostility) between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall crush your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” Genesis 3:15

Some 4000 years before the Christ child was born, God foretold of His plan to bring forth a Seed. The word Seed is capitalized because it refers to Christ. In saying “her Seed”, the Lord God revealed the Seed would come forth from a virgin. He would be the Father, and a virgin would be the mother. And so, as the time was drawing close for the Seed to be born, the Lord God was more specific:

“…The Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14 Some 700 years later it came to pass just as the Lord said.

The angel Gabriel was sent to a virgin named Mary and here’s part of what he spoke to her: “…Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” Gabriel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.” Luke 1:28-35

Again, some 700 years before Christ was born, The Lord God pinpointed exactly where His Son would be born. “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose going forth are from old, from everlasting.” Micah 5:2

The Lord was specific about His Son being the Ruler of the world.

“…Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end…” Isaiah 9:6-7

The testimony of Christmas goes even further. It testifies to the infallibility of God’s word. Between the Lord God’s first word and Christ’s coming, roughly 4000 years elapsed; but Jesus Christ came right on God’s time. If you read Psalm 22, and Isaiah 53, you will find specific details of Christ’s sufferings and crucifixion, much written in the past tense.

The testimony of Christmas causes us to look at all of the prophecies concerning Christ. Both in the Old and New Testaments, from the mouth of the Lord God and His Son, we are told of a Day coming in the future, when this age will end, and time will be no more.

Jesus said He would return and gather His people to Himself. He said the Day is coming when the Devil and his children will be cast into the Lake of Fire. The whole of God’s word tells us of a new heaven and new earth where Christ and His people will rule and reign in peace and righteousness forevermore. Christmas is a testimony that Jesus is coming again, so be ready.

That my dear brothers and sisters is the best Christmas gift ever!

Merry Christmas to my readers and the gracious staff at the Sapulpa Herald.

Brother Bill is a Bible teacher and can be contacted at bboldham@sbcglobal.net