Welcome to God’s Word to You
God’s Word to You today is found in
Sharing the story of Jesus’ birth just like I have for years. Traditions are fun and well, I personally like them. I hope you not only enjoy it and it’s difference and that reading it a different way you may see something new.
The Christmas Story: a Messianic Jewish translation from the B’rit Hadashah (i.e. the New Testament or literally the New Covenant)
Mattityahu 1:18-25
Here is how the birth of Yeshua the Messiah took place. When his mother Miryam was engaged to Yosef, before they were married, she was found to be pregnant from the Ruach-HaKodesh. Her husband-to-be, Yosef, was a man who did what was right; so he made plans to break the engagement quietly, rather than put her to public shame.
But while he was thinking about this, an angel of Adonai appeared to him in a dream and said,
“Yosef, son of David, do not be afraid to take Miryam home with you as your wife; for what has been conceived in her is from the Ruach-HaKodesh. She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Yeshua, [which means ‘Adonai saves’] because he will save his people from their sins.
All this happened in order to fulfill what Adonai had said through the prophet:
“The virgin will conceive and bear a son, and they will call him Immanu’El.” (The name means “with us is God.”)
When Yosef awoke, he did what the angel of Adonai had told him to do — he took Miryam home to be his wife, but he did not have sexual relations with her until she had given birth to a son, and he named him Yeshua.
Luke 2:1-20
Around this time, Emperor Augustus issued an order for a census to be taken throughout the Empire. This registration, the first of its kind, took place when Quirinius was governing in Syria. Everyone went to be registered, each to his own town. So Yosef, because he was a descendant of David, went up from the town of Natzeret in the Galil to the town of David, called Beit-Lechem, in Y’hudah, to be registered, with Miryam, to whom he was engaged, and who was pregnant.
While they were there, the time came for her to give birth; and she gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him in cloth and laid him down in a feeding trough, because there was no space for them at the inn.
In the countryside nearby were some shepherds spending the night in the fields, guarding their flocks, when an angel of Adonai appeared to them, and the Sh’khinah of Adonai shone around them. They were terrified; but the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, because I am here announcing to you Good News that will bring great joy to all people. This very day, in the town of David, there was born for you a Deliverer who is the Messiah, the Lord. Here is how you will know: you will find a baby wrapped in cloth and lying in a feeding trough.” Suddenly, along with the angel was a vast army from heaven praising God:
“In the highest heaven, glory to God! And on Earth, peace among people of good will!”
No sooner had the angels left them and gone back into heaven than the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go over to Beit-Lechem and see this thing that has happened, that Adonai has told us about.” Hurrying off, they came and found Miryam and Yosef, and the baby lying in the feeding trough. Upon seeing this, they made known what they had been told about this child; and all who heard were amazed by what the shepherds said to them. Miryam treasured all these things and kept mulling them over in her heart. Meanwhile, the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen; it had been just as they had been told.
Mattityahu 2:1-12
After Yeshua was born in Beit-Lechem in the land of Y’hudah during the time when Herod was king, Magi from the east came to Yerushalayim and asked, “Where is the newborn King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”
When King Herod heard of this he became very agitated, and so did everyone else in Yerushalayim. He called together all the head Cohanim and Torah-teachers of the people and asked them, “Where will the Messiah be born?”
“In Beit-Lechem of Y’hudah,” they replied, “because the prophet wrote:
‘And you, Beit-Lechem in the land of Y’hudah, are by no means the least among the rulers of Y’hudah; for from you will come a Ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.””
Herod summoned the Magi to meet with him privately and asked them exactly when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Beit-Lechem with these instructions, “Search carefully for the child; and when you find him, let me know, so that I too may go and worship him.”
After they had listened to the king, they went away; and the star which they had seen in the east went in front of them until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. Upon entering the house, they saw the child with his mother Miryam; and they prostrated themselves and worshipped him. Then they opened their bags and presented him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. But they had been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, so they took another route back to their own country.
Adonai = the Lord, Jehovah
Beit-Lechem = Bethlehem, the city of David
B’rit Hadashah = New Covenant, or New Testament
Cohanim = priests
David = pronounced “Dah-VEED”
The Galil = the region of Galilee
Immanu’El = “With us is God”
Miryam = Mary
Natzeret = Nazareth (from the word “nozer” which means “branch.” Christ is the Branch of David.)
Ruach-HaKodesh = Holy Spirit, or literally the Holy Breath
Sh’khinah = glorious Prescence of God, or the radiance of God
Torah = The Teaching, the “Law,” the Pentateuch; the first five books of the “Tanakh” or Old Testament
Yerushalayim = Jerusalem
Yeshua = Jesus, or literally “Salvation”
Y’hudah = Judah
Yosef = Joseph
me n’ God love ya
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I’d love to know how God is working in your lives and get to know you. Please feel encouraged to send any comments and thoughts.
Email me at Chuck.Acts420@gmail.com
in His service,
Chuck
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