Despite our misconceptions, the actual facts about Jesus' birth are
more marvelous than words can express! We are given information through
God's Word, but how much of what we consider 'fact' is truly what He has
told us? Let's look at the story surrounding Jesus' birth.
Did Mary ride a donkey to Bethlehem? The Bible doesn't expound on how
she got to Bethlehem, nor does it confirm she gave birth on the night of
their arrival. We are simply told 'the days were accomplished that she
should be delivered.' Did Joseph or Mary speak with any innkeepers?
Possibly, but there is no mention of an innkeeper in the story. Was
Jesus born in a stable, or even a cave? The Bible only tells us that He
was laid in a manger, which the Greek word translates as 'ledge or
projection in the end of the room used as a stall on which the hay or
other food of travelers' animals was placed.' Excavations in Israel
have uncovered some carved mangers, but most are stone built. How about
angels singing to the shepherds? Actually, the angel of the Lord
proclaimed the Baby's birth to shepherds and then there appeared 'a
multitude of the heavenly host praising God.' Did 3 oriental kings
worship the baby Jesus? Scripture tells us that magi from the East - no
number given - brought gifts to the 'young child' sometime after His
parents presented Him at the Jerusalem temple.
We can be assured of these facts provided us by God:
Jesus was born of a virgin in the city of Bethlehem, exactly as prophesied
many years before.
The Son of God was conceived in Mary, not by man, but by the
Holy Spirit of God - God is His father and Mary, His mother.
Jesus existed as the Word of God before the creation of the world.
God spoke His Word and, by this, created everything.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word
was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being
through Him, and without Him not one thing came into being." John 1:1-3
"And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen His
glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth."
1 John 1:14
He is part of the Trinity we know as God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit).
God came in human form for a purpose - to die as a willing, spotless
sacrifice to pay for the sins of mankind. He did this to restore a
broken relationship with Him and to provide the free gift of eternal
salvation to all who will accept it and follow Him.
The distorted views we may have versus the true events of Christ's birth
illustrate our need to test everything we hear, no matter the source.
The only accurate record is found in the Bible - our final authority!
The Bible contains the words of eternal life. It is the user's manual
for living. Our Heavenly Father has so much that He wants to show us, if
only we will read the Word of God. Yet so few people really take the
time to find out what it has to say. If you are not reading the Word of God,
then it only will be a matter of time until you will fall apart spiritually.