MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
December 11, 2024
The Third Person of the Godhead Series – Part 40
JOY: THE SECOND ‘FRUIT’ OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (Part 2)
“Joy to the world the Lord is come, let earth receive her king. . . “
Christ the Creator incarnate “came” to the earth two thousand years ago and was finally “manifest in the flesh” as the helpless Babe, the very prophesied “seed of a woman” (Gen. 3:15; Gal. 4:4) wrapped in swaddling clothes” with the manger of humble animals as His first crib. Yes, truth matters from eternity past to eternity future. It testifies to as to exactly how the fallen Earth and sinful man “received” and “welcomed” her King! And then mysteriously “celebrates with EARTHLY JOY AND ENJOYMENT His unscriptural birthdate and birthday!
The mortal “motley crew” that repped the whole earth then, fallen in the darkness of sin and ignorance four thousand years after the first catastrophic experiment with disobedience in Eden, were the eyes of but a very but a small handful. This welcoming party were:
The earthly parents of Jesus welcomed the universal moment of His birth with indescribable sacredness, fear of awe and wonderment, and yes, JOY heretofore and thereafter unknown. They were so poor and inconsequential to that society and community that there “was no room at the inn” made available somehow, much less prepared in advance, for the first couple” of the New Testament where Adam and Eve were of the Old Testament. The latter had a perfect home and environment to welcome their appearance on earth, originally designed and created to be Adam’s dominion. And then the actual and precise BIRTHDATE of mankind’s Creator-Redeemer-Savior and supposed King were never given in advance any prophetic announcement. This is in stark contrast to the imminent warning message of John the Baptist immediately before the adult Christ would be publicly introduced as the promised Messiah and Lamb of God!
The second class of mortal eyes that beheld with utmost reverence, awe, and yes, JOY, were unnamed, hardworking shepherds who had left their precious flocks behind in the fields, the ones they defended with their lives in order to gaze and pay homage to “their King!” Courageous shepherds yet humble worshippers of the true God!
The third class of mortals who welcome the birth and the birthday Celebrant were several heathen/pagan (non Jewish or Israelites) yet scholarly magi or “wisemen from the east” (Medo-Persians) bringing with them three kinds of gifts officially given to royalty at that time: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. That is the true Scriptural record—three kinds of gifts, not “three wise men,” an invention of man propagated by church tradition along with false doctrines and superstitions. Because they were diligently searching the Holy Scripture and its prophecies of the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit guided and enlightened their minds. As they set out on their fateful journeys without a map, yet on a predetermined general direction, a bevy of angels appearing as a bright star in the heavens led them to the exact location and day where Jesus was to be born. They still had to ask around a bit from the Jewish residents for the precise location, unintentionally alerting the wicked Jewish king Herod as to their real mission and location of “the manger of the Bible.” That stands as one of the starkly grim pillars of the truth “He came to His own and His own received Him not.”
The third class of eyes that witnesses the actual human baby form of the incarnated Creator were not human but angelic, both evil led by Satan, and the heavenly led likely by angel Gabriel who took on the lead role after the fall and banishment of Lucifer-turned “Satan, the serpent and devil,”
the adversary of God and man.
Satan, the primary “dragon,” bitterly joyless, filled with hatred and malice immediately got to work and enlisted the secondary “dragon” power of pagan Rome through their wretched boot-licking instrument, the cringing apostate Herod, to set about the immediate murder of the infant “King Jesus.” Heaven had to intervene and Egypt was anointed as the temporary place of refuge for the holy family! When Herod realized that the magi had misled him, In satanic fury, Herod had all the firstborn make infants slaughtered.
But the whole angelic host, gathered in the heavens just above the field of Bethlehem, led by the angelic choir, sang with jubilant SACRED HEAVENLY JOY the first anthem announcing the birth of the Desire of Ages, which glorious strains will be re-echoed with greatest glory and harmony when Christ this time finally comes the second time in all His glory as fully and truly the eternal the King of kings and Lord of lords.”
Such spiritual joy and joys are only that which the Holy Spirit produces as “fruits” in and whomsoever He abides and dwells as a welcome and much sought-after Guest. It is still our privilege to “ask, seek, and knock” for Him while “He is still near.” But the antitypical Noachian plea and warning is sounding loudly: “Repent ye therefore” for “My Spirit will not always strive with men!” We need to “number our days and apply it unto wisdom.”
To be continued next MWM, God willing. Bless all, NMF.