In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1,2,14)
Eternity & Christmas
Think for a moment about the timeline in those three verses. From the beginning, whenever that was, to somewhere around 3 BC. Sprinkle in the prophecies having to do with Christ’s birth. Here are several:
God talking to Satan: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” (Genesis 3:15 NIV)
God talking to Abraham: “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:2-3 NLT)
Jacob talking to his sons: “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants, until the coming of the one to whom it belongs, the one whom all nations will honor.” (Genesis 49:10 NLT)
Balaam to King Balak king of Moab: “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel.” (Numbers 24:17 NIV)
Isaiah speaking to King Ahaz: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14 NIV)
God speaking through Isaiah to Israel: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7 NIV)
God speaking through Micah to Israel: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though 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 goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.” (Micah 5:2 NKJV)
I mentioned timeline at the beginning of these prophecies, and the first prophecy came on the heels of creation. Abraham would’ve been c. 2200 years BC. Jacob talking to his sons c. 1900 BC. Balaam would have been in the midst of the Exodus c. 1400 BC. Isaiah and Micah would be c. 700 BC. Regarding Micah, note his description of the Christ: Whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.
The birth of Christ was established “From everlasting.” In Hebrews chapter 1, the writer puts it into a New Testament perspective: “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the world.” (Hebrews 1:1-2 NAS)
And so, the Word, which was from everlasting, became flesh. This was the Word that God spoke to the fathers in the prophets, and in these last days, this is the Word which He has spoken to us. Don’t get so busy this Christmas that you don’t hear God’s Word.
Read the next blog in the series, All-Star Performance.
