When I was in college, I remember coming home one day and seeing my Mom on the couch in deep thought. She said something to me that day that stuck with me until today. As I sat down on the couch next to her, she began telling me what was on her mind. As she gazed at the fish swimming around in the tank, she brought up an analogy of the fish and God. She pondered, if a human wanted to be able to communicate with the fish, he or she would have to become a fish, just as God, looking down at the earth, would have to become human flesh. According to the Bible, this is what happened. It was prophesied about in the old testament and came to pass as described in the new testament.

Most of the prophesy about Jesus coming into the world in the old testament is in the book of Isaiah, written in the years of 742–701 B.C. It is also found scattered throughout other books in the old testament.

“¹⁴ Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

Isaiah 7:14

The name Immanuel, in Hebrew means, God with us. In the book of Matthew in the new testament, written around 60-70 A.D this prophesy comes to pass. Jesus came down from heaven to earth in human form for a purpose.

“1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ 

John 1:1-3

It is easy to question, why God would want to come down from His throne in heaven, be in the form of weakened flesh subject to suffering, rejection and the pain of being flogged, hung on a cross, nails in his hands and feet, all the while, being mocked by a crowd yelling, “crucify him”. Jesus healed many people, even raised people from the dead, yet He went through with the crucifixion. Even, before Jesus was born, His suffering was prophesied in the old testament in the book of Isaiah.

The book of Genesis reveals the presence of a cunning serpent roaming around in paradise waiting to cause God’s cherished creation to sin. After Adam and Eve sinned they hid from God. That was the start of sin separating humans from God.

“² but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.”

Isaiah 59:2

Sinfulness continued even after the flood in Noah’s days. In the old testament, people would sacrifice animals as a cleansing for their sins and burning thereafter. Depending on the sin, there were specific animals that needed to be cut for the shedding of blood as an atonement for their sin.

“With the blood of the sin offering of atonement he shall make atonement for it once in the year throughout your generations.”

Exodus 30:10

In the new testament, rather than having to shed the blood of an animal for atonement, Jesus became the sacrifice for our sins of the past and the present. He is known as an unblemished lamb, one without sin.

²⁹ The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

John 1:29

“⁵ But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.”

Isaiah 53:5

Jesus lived a short time on earth, but He fulfilled His purpose. He was the Lamb sacrificed on the cross with His blood shed for all mankind.

“²⁸ After this, Jesus,knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” ²⁹ Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. ³⁰ So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.”

John 19:28-30

It was God’s love for all humanity that He purposely brought Jesus into the world to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins so we will no longer be separated from Him and be with Him for all eternity.

¹⁶ “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

On Christmas day, God brought into the world a gift of love for all humanity, the one that would reunite us with our Creator; the one that would break darkness off our lives; the one that would take His powerful love to the cross. It was God saying, “yes, I love you this much, you are worth every flogging stripe and every piercing nail, I will carry your sins on the cross so you can be free and we can be together again.”

The little baby Jesus on a manger that Kings bowed down to was a miracle, love manifested that night under the bright star and that same Spirit of God lives today.

“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Isaiah 9:6

May God’s Spirit be with everyone this Christmas, wherever you may be. There’s hope for the future. May you have a Christmas Miracle.