Christmas Cheer

Wise men from the East came to Jerusalem
They sought to worship a newborn King.
King Herod and Jerusalem were troubled.
Herod asked his advisors about this.
Little Bethlehem is the place the prophet foretold.
Herod told the wise he would worship Him too.

The Lord spoke to Joseph in a dream,
“Arise, take the young Child and His mother,
Flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word;
For Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”

Herod attempted a coup against God’s anointed.
He thought he could overturn God’s plan.
His soldiers massacred the baby boys of Bethlehem.
But King Jesus was in Egypt.
When King Jesus returned to Israel…
Herod was dead - Jesus was alive. [1]

Later, Herod’s son and Pontius Pilate conspired with the religious leaders of Jerusalem. Pilate ordered Jesus to be crucified.

But a crucified and risen Savior was prophesied of centuries beforehand in Psalm 22…

“Dogs have surrounded Me;
The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.
They pierced My hands and My feet;
I can count all My bones.
They look and stare at Me.
They divide My garments among them,
And for My clothing they cast lots. [2]

Yes, Jesus was pierced and mocked, but Psalm 22:24 says that God “has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; nor has He hidden His face from Him; but when He cried to Him, He heard.”

Psalm 22:27-28 says, “All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before You. For the kingdom is the Lord’s, and He rules over the nations.”

Herod’s gone.
Jesus lives.

As of Christmas 2020, families from all nations worship Jesus.

“Who is this King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
The Lord mighty in battle.

Lift up your heads, O you gates!
Lift up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.

Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts,
He is the King of glory. Selah” [3]

Pretenders to the throne shan't survive.
Our Lord Jesus is the King of Glory.

The Lord prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies; He anoints our heads with oil; our cup runs over. “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” [4]

All cheers to Christ our Lord! Glory to His Name!

[1] Matthew 2:2-19
[2] Psalm 22:16-18
[3] Psalm 24:8-10
[4] Psalm 23:5-6