1 Christmas A Year

1 Christmas - Sunday

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Isaiah 63:7-9 Our Savior

Psalm 111 Great Works of the Lord

Galatians 4:4-7 Freedom in Christ

Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23 Escape to Egypt

Let us remember, give thanks and praise to for his goodness to his people, in his mercy and abundant steadfast love. He has treated them like trusted sons, and has become their Savior. He took their afflictions upon himself, “and the angel of his presence saved them” (Isaiah 63:9b); he redeemed them because he loved and had pity upon them; he lifted and carried them throughout their past.

Let us praise the Lord. I will thank the Lord with all my heart among the congregation of his upright people. Those who study and recognize the great works of God will take pleasure in them. He is worthy of honor and majesty and his righteousness is eternal. His great works will be remembered for his graciousness and mercy.

The Lord provides food for those who fear him; he never forgets his promises. He has revealed his mighty power by his works to his people, and has given them the wealth of nations. Everything he does is faithful and just, and all his teachings are trustworthy. His Word is established for ever, to be obeyed in faithfulness and righteousness. The Lord has sent redemption to his people and established his covenant for ever. Holy and awesome is his name! “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who practice it. His praise endures forever” (Psalm 111:10).

In exactly the right time God sent his son into the world to be born of a human mother, in Israel, God’s people under the Covenant of God’s Law, to redeem them from the Law so that they could receive adoption as his children. The gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God’s Son, has been given to his children, through whom they call God “Father”, and who testifies that they are children of God. So by God’s gift we are no longer slaves under the Law, but sons and daughters, heirs of the kingdom and promises of God.

An angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Bethlehem, where Mary had given birth to Jesus, warning him to escape with Mary and the child to Egypt, because Herod the Great who ruled over Judah was seeking to kill Jesus. Joseph got up and left for Egypt during the night with Mary and the baby as the Lord had told him.

Mary, Joseph and Jesus lived in Egypt until the Lord told Joseph that it was safe to return to Israel because Herod had died. This was the fulfillment of the prophecy of Hosea 11:1, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.”

Being warned by the Lord that the son of Herod the Great, Archelaus, was ruling over Judea (the southern province of Israel, Joseph and his family returned to Nazareth in Galilee (the northern province of Israel, separated from Judea by Samaria), where they had lived when the angel had announced the conception of Jesus to Mary (Luke 1:26-38). The name “Nazareth” means “shoot,” or “sprout,” and Jesus was a “Nazarene” and a descendant of David, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah 11:1 of a shoot, the righteous branch, from the stump of Jesse (the father of David).

God’s purpose for this Creation has always been to establish an eternal kingdom of his people who willingly trust and obey God. God has designed this creation to allow the possibility of sin (disobedience of God’s Word) so that we can have the freedom to choose whether to trust and obey him or not, and to learn by trial and error. But God retained control by setting a time limit on Creation and on our lifetimes, and by his terms of forgiveness and salvation. Realizing and having the proper respect for the power and authority of God, who has the power of eternal life or death over us is the beginning of true wisdom.

From the very beginning of Creation (John 1:1-5, 14) Jesus Christ has been God’s one and only provision for the forgiveness of sin and salvation from eternal condemnation and eternal destruction (Acts 4:12; John 14:6; see God’s Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right).

God was not surprised when Adam and Eve disobeyed his Word in the Garden of Eden. Jesus is not an afterthought by God to save Creation after sin was introduced.

The Bible is the Word of God and the history of God’s relationship with his people in bringing about the fulfillment of his purpose for Creation, beginning with the call of Abraham. The Bible is the record of God’s goodness, mercy, love, and faithfulness, and the progressive revelation of himself and his purpose for Creation.

By God’s Word we have all sinned and fall short of his righteousness (doing what is right according to his Word; Romans 3:23), and the penalty for sin is eternal death (Romans 6:23).

By his Word through Isaiah, God has promised to become our Savior; he promised to take our sins upon himself, and to provide the “angel” of his presence to save us. In Jesus Christ God became our Savior; Jesus was fully human by his mother, and also fully God by the Holy Spirit (Colossians 2:8-9: John 20:28).

Jesus paid the penalty for our sins by his crucifixion, to redeem us from the penalty of the Law. Jesus’ sacrificial death made it possible for us to receive the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 16:7), which is only through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ (John 1:31-34; 14:15-17). The gift of the Holy Spirit is the “angel” of God’s presence within us which God promised through Isaiah (angel can be understood as Spirit (Acts 12:13-15; Revelation 1:1).

Jesus is God’s revelation of himself in human form. In Jesus’ crucifixion, death, and resurrection God’s mighty power was revealed to all Creation. God has established a New Covenant of forgiveness, salvation and eternal life by grace (unmerited favor; a free gift), to be received by faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Through faith in Jesus we have been redeemed from the condemnation of the Law of sin and eternal death, provided that we trust and obey Jesus through the gift of his indwelling Holy Spirit (Romans 8:1-9). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).

God has given us this lifetime to seek and come to a personal fellowship with him (Acts 17:26-27), and this is only possible through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ, by the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Mary and Joseph are examples of God’s people who trusted and obeyed God’s Word. They accepted and obeyed the guidance of his angel (his Spirit), and by doing so, helped fulfill God’s eternal purpose, and received the fulfillment of his promise.

God’s Word is eternal. It is fulfilled over and over as the conditions for its fulfillment are met. God’s Word has creative force: God spoke Creation into being (Genesis 1:3; Hebrews 4:12). Jesus is the “living” Word of God, fulfilled, embodied and exemplified in this world in human flesh (John 1:1-5, 14). Jesus’ word is the Word of God (John 14:10, 24), with the creative force of God’s Word (Matthew 8:25-27). He could command us, but he allows us to choose for ourselves, whether to trust and obey.

Is Jesus your Lord? Are you Jesus’ disciple? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

1 Christmas - January 1

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Psalm 147:12-20 God’s Power and Providence

Isaiah 61:10-62:3 Vindication of God’s People

Praise the Lord, City of God! Praise God, Church! The Lord protects us and blesses our children. He provides peace and sustains us with the finest provisions. The Lord governs the forces of nature. He brings forth snow and ice, and then by his Word melts them. He causes water to flow and wind to blow. He declares his Word to Jacob (the inheritor of the “birthright”), and his teachings to Israel (the people of God). No other nation (people) has been so blessed; they do not know his Word.

The people of God will rejoice in the Lord and their souls will exalt in God, because God has clothed us in the garments of salvation and the robes of righteousness. We are thus adorned like bride and bridegroom. The Lord will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth in the sight of all nations, as the earth’s fertility causes shoots to spring forth.

For the sake of Zion (the Church) and for Jerusalem (the city of God), the prophet will not be silenced until the vindication and salvation of the Church and people of God is as visible as a flash of light and a burning torch in darkness. All nations and kings will see her vindication. The Lord will give his people a new name (indicating a changed status) and they will be a crown of royalty and beauty in the Lord’s hand.

Genuine peace is only from the Lord. He protects, blesses and sustains his people. He governs the forces of nature. We are the inheritors of the birthright of Jacob through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ. God’s people are those who know, trust and obey God’s Word, the Bible, and the “living” Word, Jesus Christ, the fulfillment, embodiment, and example of God’s Word lived out in this world in human flesh (John 1:1-5, 14). Those who do not know, trust and obey God’s Word miss the blessings God intends for us to have.

God has provided the garments of salvation (see God’s Plan of Salvation, sidebar top right) and the robes of righteousness to his people only through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12; John 14:6). Jesus is our righteousness and our Savior. The Church is the bride of Christ who has been adorned with precious spiritual jewels through Jesus. Only Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit (John 1:31-34), only his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). It is by the indwelling Holy Spirit that righteousness and praise burst forth from his “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) people. The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).

The prophets of God are the true Church and the true people of God who declare the full Word of God in this world. The true Church and people of God must continue to declare the full Gospel until Christ returns on the Day of Judgment. In that Day the Church and God’s people will be vindicated and saved from God’s condemnation and destruction of all who rejected and refused to trust and obey Jesus (John 5:28-29; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10).

There are also many false teachers and false prophets in the world today. The Word of God, the Bible, is the standard by which we can discern truth from error (1 John 4:1-2, 6; John 16:13-15).

1 Christmas - January 2

Ephesians 1:3-6, 15-18

Let us bless and thank God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have received every spiritual blessing in heaven. Before the foundation of the world God chose us through Christ to be holy and blameless in his judgment. God destined us to be his children through Christ according to his will and purpose, to the praise of his glorious grace (unmerited favor) which we generously receive in God’s Beloved.

Paul’s prayer for all believers is that, through faith in Jesus and love for all the saints (believers), God would give them “a spirit of wisdom and revelation of the knowledge of him” (God; Ephesians 1:17b),” that their spiritual eyes might be enlightened, so that they would know the hope they have been called to share, and the richness of his inheritance in the saints.

From the very beginning of Creation, God has intended to establish an eternal kingdom of his people who willingly trust and obey God. The meaning and purpose of life in this world is to seek, find and come to personally know God (Acts 17:26-27). Jesus Christ has always been God’s one and only plan (Acts 4:12; John 14:6), through whom we are made holy (consecrated to serve God) and blameless in God’s Judgment (all our sins forgiven; sin is disobedience of God’s Word). Jesus has been designed into this Creation from the very beginning. God is worthy of praise for his goodness and mercy to us, which we don’t deserve and can’t earn, but which he generously gives to us, with every spiritual blessing in heaven, through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9; see God’s Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right).

Believers who trust and obey Jesus will love the saints (their brothers and sisters in Christ; John 13:34), and as they trust and obey Jesus they will receive the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 14:15-17, 21, 23), the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9), the Spirit of wisdom, revelation and personal knowledge of God (Isaiah 11:2). It is the indwelling Holy Spirit who teaches and reminds us of all Jesus’ teachings and empowers us to know and do God’s will. It is the indwelling Holy Spirit through whom we know and experience the hope and the richness of our eternal inheritance that we are called to share. It is the indwelling Holy Spirit, the Spirit of adoption, (Romans 8:15) by which we are spiritually “reborn” (John 3:3, 5-8), as children of God, to eternal life.

Only Jesus gives the gift (“baptism;” “anointing”) of the Holy Spirit (John 1:31-34), only his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16). It is possible for one to know with certainty for oneself, whether or not one has received the indwelling Holy Spirit (Acts 19:2).

1 Christmas - January 3

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John 1:1-18 The Living Word

At the beginning of Creation was the Word, the active, creative, eternal Word of God. The Word was with God in unity, and was God (shared the divine nature; was fully God). He existed in the beginning with God. Everything in Creation was made through him and nothing in creation was made without him. In him was (real, eternal) life “and that life was the light of men” (John 1:4b). “The light (of righteousness; eternal life) shines in the (spiritual) darkness, and the darkness (evil) has not overcome it” (John 1:5).

John the Baptizer was a man sent from God to bear witness to the light, so that all could believe through his testimony. John was not the light but he came to bear witness to the light.

The true light that gives spiritual enlightenment to all people was coming into the world. He was in the world, and he was the creator of everything in the world, but the people of the world did not know and recognize him. He came to his own people and his own town, but his own people rejected him (Luke 4:16-30). “But all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave the *power* to become children of God; who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor the will of man, but of God” (John 1:13).

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace (unmerited favor; forgiving love) and truth (faithful promises); we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only (begotten) Son from the Father” (John 1:14). This is he of whom John said that he came after John in chronological appearing, but was before him in rank and existence. From his abundance we have received grace upon grace. The Law was given through Moses, but grace and truth are through Jesus. No one has ever seen God; but God’s only Son, who is in complete communion with God, has revealed him.

Jesus Christ is the “living Word;” he is the fulfillment, embodiment, and exemplification of God’s Word lived out in this world in human flesh (John 1:1-3, 14). Jesus’ word is the Word of God (John 14:10, 24). Jesus’ word has the creative force of God’s Word (Matthew 8:23-27). Jesus was fully human and also fully God (Colossians 2:8-9; John 20:28). Jesus is God, who became a man; not the other way around. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit; one God in three expressions; in unity; the Trinity (Romans 8:9).

The structure of Creation has been designed with God’s promised Messiah, Jesus Christ at its very center (Ephesians 1:9-10). God has intended from the very beginning to create an eternal kingdom of his people who willingly choose to trust and obey him. This lifetime is our opportunity to seek and find God (Acts 17:26-27) and to learn to trust and obey him. God has created this world to allow for the possibility for sin (disobedience of God’s Word) so that we will have true freedom to choose whether or not to trust and obey God’s Word, but he has also fixed a time limit on Creation and our individual lifetimes.

All have sinned and fall short of God’s righteousness (Romans 3:23). The penalty for sin is eternal death (Romans 6:23). Jesus Christ is God’s one and only provision for the forgiveness of our sin, salvation from God’s judgment of eternal condemnation and destruction, restoration of fellowship with God which was broken by sin, and eternal life in God’s heavenly kingdom (Acts 4:12; John 14:6; see God’s Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right).

Jesus is the “light of the world,” “the light of life” (John 8:12). Light represents righteousness and darkness is sin and evil. Jesus is the true righteousness and he imparts his righteousness to those who trust and obey him (Philippians 3:9; 2 Timothy 4:8).

Light also symbolizes true, spiritual enlightenment, eternal truth, the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:17-25; 2:1-8) contrasted with the darkness of spiritual ignorance and false teaching and unbelief (Romans 1:21; Ephesians 4:18).

Light also represents eternal life and the eternal kingdom of light (1 Timothy 6:15-16), contrasted with the darkness of eternal death.

[For me, from a background of High School Physics many years ago, I understand that the speed of light is a speed limit in this creation. One can never reach the speed of light, because as one does, time slows down and would appear to stop as the limit is reached. The result would be “relative” to the point of view of the observer; outside, time stops; inside, time goes on forever. This is not a scientific argument to prove “eternity,” but I have learned from experience that God’s Word is true, whether we understand everything about this Creation or not.]

Jesus came to his own people, Israel, God’s chosen people, who had a covenant relationship with God, who had the Bible scriptures, but many refused to recognize, accept, trust and obey him. Even in Nazareth, his hometown, he was rejected and driven out (Luke 4:16-30).

To those who accept Jesus, who trust and obey him, Jesus gives the “power” to become adopted children of God, who are “reborn” by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit, which only Jesus gives (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). Jesus makes it possible for us to be spiritually “born-again,” but we must receive it by obedient trust in him. We cannot buy it, earn it or take it by force or deception. The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).

Abraham was the mediator of the Old Covenant of Law between God and Israel. The Law was to restrain evil until the coming of Christ, and to show that no one is able to be saved by doing good works (keeping) of the Law (Galatians 2:16). They were only able to maintain the Covenant by continual sacrifices for the forgiveness of their sin.

Jesus’ coming ended the Old Covenant and established the New Covenant of Grace through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus. Jesus initiated the New Covenant at the Last Supper, and at his crucifixion the curtain of the temple separating the people from the presence of God was torn in two from top to bottom, symbolizing that Jesus was the new and better way into the presence of God (Luke 23:45). Jesus has become the one and only sacrifice acceptable to God, for all time and all people, for the forgiveness of sin. The Old Covenant sacrificial system ended with the destruction of the temple by the Romans in 70 A.D.

Jesus provides abundant grace (saving love) and truth (faithful promises) to those who trust and obey him. Those who believe God’s Word recognize Jesus as God’s Son, and those who see and recognize Jesus see what God looks like in human flesh. Only through obedient trust in Jesus can we receive the indwelling Holy Spirit and come to know Jesus and God the Father personally and intimately (Revelation 3:20; John 14:21, 23).

John was the last of the Old Testament prophets and the first of the New. The true Church, the “born-again” disciples of Jesus Christ, are the heirs of John’s call to announce the coming of Jesus and point others to him.

1 Christmas - January 4

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Ephesians 3:2-12 Mystery Revealed

Paul was an evangelist to the Gentiles because his preaching had been rejected by the Jews, who had caused Paul to be imprisoned (Acts 21:27-22-29). Paul (formerly Saul of Tarsus) had become a steward of God’s grace to the Gentiles because of a revelation to him of the mystery of God’s plan. This mystery had not been known to former generations but had now been revealed by the (Holy) Spirit to the apostles and prophets of God. That plan is that Gentiles share with Jews the same inheritance, members of the same body and partakers in the same promise in Jesus Christ through the Gospel.

By God’s grace (unmerited favor) Paul was made a minister of the Gospel by the power of God working in and through Paul (by the indwelling Holy Spirit). Paul considered himself the least worthy of the saints (believers) and realized that it was God’s unmerited favor which made it possible for Paul to proclaim to the Gentiles the incalculable riches of Christ, and to reveal to all people the mystery of God’s plan which had been hidden for ages past in God, the Creator of everything. Through the Church the great wisdom of God has been revealed to the entire Universe. This is according to the eternal purpose of God which he has accomplished in Jesus Christ, our Lord. By faith in Jesus we can have bold and confident access to God.

God has always intended from the very beginning of Creation to establish an eternal kingdom of his people who willingly choose to trust and obey him. This Creation has been designed according to God’s eternal purpose. It has been designed to allow the possibility of sin (disobedience of God’s Word) so that we truly have free choice whether or not to trust and obey God. God will not tolerate disobedience forever; he has placed a time limit on this Creation and on our lifetimes.

The meaning and purpose of this temporal lifetime is to seek and come to know God (Acts 17:26-27). This lifetime is our only opportunity to learn to know, trust and obey God, and to be spiritually “re-born” (John 3:3, 5-8) to eternal life.

This is only possible through Jesus Christ, around whom Creation has been designed (John 1:1-3, 14). All of us have sinned and fall short of God’s righteousness (Romans 3:23), and the penalty for sin is eternal death (Romans 6:23). Jesus is God’s one and only provision for forgiveness of our sin, for salvation from eternal condemnation, and restoration to fellowship with God and eternal life in God’s heavenly kingdom (Acts 4:12, John 14:6). None of us is worthy of salvation and eternal life; it is the gift of God to be received by faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9; see God’s Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right).

In order to have eternal life one must be “born-again (John 3:3, 5-8), by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Only Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit (John 1:31-34), only his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).

Jesus Christ is the revelation of what formerly was the mystery of God’s eternal purpose, now revealed to the “born-again” disciples and apostles (messengers; of the Gospel) of Jesus Christ by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Paul (formerly Saul of Tarsus) is the prototype and example of the “modern,” “post-resurrection,” “born-again” disciple, apostle and prophet (spokesman of God’s Word by the Holy Spirit) of Jesus Christ, as we all can be. Paul had not known Jesus during Jesus’ physical lifetime and was a persecutor of Christians until he was confronted on the road to Damascus by the Spirit of the risen and ascended Christ (Acts 9:1-9). He repented, accepted Jesus as his Lord (Acts 9:5, 8-9), was “discipled” by a “born-again” disciple, Ananias (Acts 9:10-16), until Paul was “born-again” (Acts 9:17-18), and then Paul became an apostle guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:20). Paul’s rapid conversion was exceptional, because he was already formally educated in the scriptures and loved God and God’s Word.

The true Church is the body of “born-again” disciples, apostles of Jesus Christ and prophets of God’s Word, stewards of the Gospel. They have received and personally experienced the revelation of the mystery of God’s plan in Jesus Christ by the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 16:12-15), and are guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the Gospel and to make disciples of Jesus Christ in fulfillment of the Great Commission which the risen Jesus gave to his disciples (Matthew 28:19-20), to be carried out after they had been “born-again” (Luke 24:49: Acts 1:4-5, 8).

1 Christmas - January 5

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Psalm 72 Prayer for the King

The psalmist prayed that the king would dispense God’s justice and righteousness. O that he would judge God’s people with righteousness and give justice for the poor. May the land prosper and provide favorable conditions. May the king uphold the cause of the needy, give relief to the needy and eliminate the oppressor.

May he live as long as the universe exists, through all generations. May he be like refreshing showers on mown grass. In his reign may righteousness flourish and peace abound until the universe passes away.

May his dominion be from sea to sea and from the river (Euphrates; cradle of civilization) to the ends of the earth. May he have victory over his enemies and completely subdue them. May the kings of the earth pay tribute to him. May they bring him gifts, fall down before him, and all nations serve him.

The Lord’s anointed King delivers the needy, the poor and helpless; he pities the poor and “saves the lives of the needy. From oppression and violence he redeems their life; precious is their blood in his sight” (Psalm 72:13b-14).

May he have long life, “may gold of Sheba (south Arabia) be given to him. May prayer and blessing be offered for him continually” (Psalm 72:15b). May the Land produce food in abundance and its people thrive and prosper.

“May his name endure forever, and his fame continue as long as the sun! May men bless themselves by him, and all nations call him blessed” (Psalm 72:17)

May the Lord God of Israel be blessed; He alone does marvelous things. May his great name be blessed forever; may the entire earth be filled with his glory! Amen! Amen!

The Lord was to be the King of Israel. When Israel asked for an earthly king like other nations, the Lord allowed it, although he warned them that their earthly king would tax them and conscript them to serve him, and not deal with them as righteously and lovingly as the Lord (1 Samuel 8:4-22). Samuel was a priest and prophet of God who began the “anointing” of God’s chosen person to be king (1 Samuel 10:1-2).

Of the earthly kings of Israel, David was the closest to the ideal king and prefigured the coming of the Messiah (Christ; meaning “anointed” in Hebrew and Greek, respectively), the “anointed” eternal king God had intended from the very beginning of Creation.

Jesus Christ is the “Messiah,” the “royal Son,” the fulfillment of the psalmist’s prophecy of a king who would dispense God’s justice and righteousness; the righteous judge who would give justice to the poor, needy and helpless, and defeat the oppressor.

Jesus is the eternal king who will reign over God’s eternal kingdom in heaven. In his reign righteousness and peace flourish and abound for ever. He will reign over all the earth; he is the King of kings and Lord of lords. His name will continue forever. All people will bless themselves by him and call him blessed.

This psalm is messianic prophecy, foretelling the coming of the Lord’s “anointed” eternal King. At Jesus’ birth, wise men (the “three kings”) from the east came seeking the child who had been born King of the Jews (Matthew 2:1-2). They came to the Christ child in Bethlehem and bowed down before him and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Earthly “kings” will be judged by God’s Word according to how they treat the poor, the needy, and the helpless. America claims to be a “Christian” nation, with leaders who claim to be “Christian.” We claim to have a government of the people, by the people, for the people. But increasingly it is the government of the people, by the rich, for the rich. Instead of being a land of equal opportunity it is becoming a society of two classes: the “haves” and the “have-nots,” with a widening separation between the two.

Jesus has promised to return on the Day of Judgment in great power and glory, to judge everyone who has ever lived. In that day every knee shall bow and every tongue confess to God (Romans 14:11). Those who have accepted Jesus as Lord and have trusted and obeyed Jesus will receive eternal life in his eternal kingdom in heaven, the fulfillment of the psalmist’s prophecy of a land of righteousness, peace and prosperity. Those who have rejected Jesus and have refused to trust and obey him will be condemned to eternal destruction in Hell with all evil (Matthew 25:31-46; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10; see God’s Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right).