"The LORD had said to Abram,.. '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 12:1-3)
Maybe you never considered our text as "a Christmas story." But Christmas did not just start in a manger in Bethlehem. It was in the Eternal Heart of God "before the beginning began."
A recent report reveals to what extent "all peoples on earth" have been blessed through the Jews. It states that most of the modern inventions and advances in science, particularly electronics, have come from Israel. I sent an article which I found recently to our "News" Blog. It lists major Jewish contributions to mankind. Make of it whatever the world chooses. "All peoples on earth [have been] blessed through [Abraham]."
It is no accident that the Savior of mankind, Who is called, "the King of the Jews," came out of "Bethlehem, Ephrathah,..among the clans of Judah," not Indianapolis, Tokyo, Baghdad, or Munich. My Lord and Savior, your Lord and Savior, Jesus, the Christ, came from an obscure village in Israel, raised by a Jewish couple. This was all by the design and choice of the "Eternal One." Let there be no misunderstanding about the purposes of the Living Triune God---- "In the last days, the Temple of the LORD in Jerusalem will become the most important place on earth. People from all over the world will go there to worship."
"The most important place on earth" 2000 years ago was a manger in Bethlehem. It was in The Land of Israel that the "Word became flesh and dwelt among us." The shepherds, who were Jews, and the wise men, who were Gentiles, could say with John, "We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only...." 30+ years later, "the most important place on earth" would be a hill and empty tomb outside Jerusalem, site of the redemption, salvation, healing, deliverance of humanity.
Anti-Semitism has been always in the earth, even in the Christian Community from the beginning. Yet any person who calls himself a Believer in Jesus Christ must always remember, "....that those who believe are children of Abraham. The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: 'All nations will be blessed through you.' So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith." The reality of the Gospel declared that night to the shepherds is, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I Thank you that you include us all. Amen.
*******************************************
Prophetic News: www.antipasprayerforce.blogspot.com
Prophetic News: www.antipasprayerforce.blogspot.com
Devotional Archive: www.apfdevotionals.blogspot.com
or, apfdevotionals.blogspot.com
When 18 year old Peter Torjesen "heard the call to evangelize China, he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking Unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
