4 replies to this topic

[Thinker]

Darkness, not just the darkness of night but darkness of hope characterized those days. Under the tyranny of Rome for many years, with no deliverence in view, hope was all but lost. Despair reigned and Spiritual darkness prevailed. It was a pitiful condition. Religion was a poor attempt to fill the void. It only added another form of bondage to the equation. An enslaved and suffering people longed for a Savior, the Messiah. He might free them and reign. How tragically ironic that most would not recognize Him when He came. So misery covered the people like a blanket, smothering all vestiges of hope. Thinking in terms of a physical kingdom and a freedom from bondage, they were blinded to the momentous events that would unfold around them. Unable to escape the blindness of seeking the material blessings of an earthly kingdom, most were unaware of something some shepherds were seeing and hearing. Into the darkness of night, a great Heavenly light was suddenly shining on some simple shepherds. "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:8-11). Their simple response: "And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into Heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us" (Luke 2:15). That night, that light brought them to seek the Savior. Responding to His Light, shining out from Scripture will still deliver from darkness and bondage into the glorious liberty of the children of God. Selah! In His kingdom, light dispells Spiritual darkness and reveals, more and more, the splendor of our loving Redeemer. Thinker (Ron)

[Lori Smith]

Thank you Thinker (Ron). It is a good reminder that when our spirits are right, and our hearts are filled with Jesus, that the light shines from within to our world. I think we often make the same mistakes they made by looking for light in our world to satisfy our hearts. However, we bring the light TO our world by allowing the Light of the World to shine through us.

[chipped china]

Hallelujah!! God choose us to understand His coming!!

I went to a candle light service last night and the pastor read the same scripture and also talked about the magi's. They were men of science and wealthy. The presents they took were the best money could buy. It appears they followed the star all the way from Persia. What is strange about this is there were all kinds of men of science and scholars of the Torah who had something like 450 prophesies of Christ's coming just 5 miles away in Judah. But they didn't make the trip to see who this child was. Hope I got this right. lol

[Charles Miles]

In my recent study of Daniel, I learned(maybe re-learned) that the magi were a group of scholars and wise men started by Daniel many years before the birth of Jesus. They studied the writings of Daniel, I`m sure, and he did predict the time of Christ`s arrival, as well as the location. As you point out China, the Jewish scholars should have known everything the magi knew, and maybe they did. Although Daniel was "beloved" by God, his writings are still not studied by the Hebrew scholars today. Could it be that the dates of Jesus` ministry were so correct(as listed by Daniel) that they now are simply blinded to the truth? What a shame to exclude such a wonderful, scholarly, interesting book from study.

[chipped china]

I really enjoy learning this stuff. More please! (lol)