Luke 2:1

I am going to pause on Ezekiel today, Christmas day, to look back to that first Christmas.

Luke 2:1 says, And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.  We may not like to be taxed, but it is nothing new and the people of Israel were often taxed even more than other people.  Caesar Augustus didn't know that he was being used to fulfill a prophesy of God, and people in the government today may be used to bring about God's will whether they realize it or not.

Verse two adds, (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) This verse tells us when this taxing occurred.  

Verse three continues, And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.  At least we don't have to go back to where our ancestors were born in order to pay our tax.

Verse four states, And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)  Mary and Joseph had to travel from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem in Judea because he was a descendant of David, as was Mary.  There is usually a lot of traveling to go back to where we grew up or just to visit relatives at Christmas time today, but it is our choice if we do so and not something that the government forces us to do. 

Verse five adds, To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.  Mary and Joseph had to go, even though Mary was close to giving birth.  They couldn.t just jump in a car or on a bus to go there but had to travel by walking or on a donkey.  I believe we may sometimes forget how good we have it here in America, but too often we can't even drive to church to worship God.  

Verse six continues, And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.  While they were there, it came time for Mary to give birth to her Son.  They didn't have ultrasound to tell them the gender of a baby, but Mary knew she was going to have a Son because the angel of God had told her she would. 

Verse seven concludes, And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.  There was no room for Mary and Joseph in the inn, so Jesus was born in a barn I think would be the implication and then in laid a manger.  The question is, "Do you have room for Jesus in your life today, or do you send Him elsewhere?"

Verse eight says, And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  These shepherds were doing what shepherds do, and most people looked down on them because of it.  It doesn't matter how lowly the world may see you as being today, God still will see you as just as important as anyone else.   

Verse nine adds, And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.  The shepherds' night became much less boring when an angel of the Lord came to them and His glory shined all around them.  When God calls you to come to Jesus Christ, there may not be any great physical sights going on, but God's glory will still shine in your life.  They were afraid, and we might be also if something like this happened to us.

Verse ten continues, And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  The angel gave the shepherds assurance that they didn't need to be afraid, and we certainly don't need to be afraid when we meet Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.

Verse eleven states, For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.  The angels, lowly as they were seen to be by people of the world, were the first to hear the good news of the birth of Jesus Christ.  We won't be the first to hear, but there will come a day when we hear this for the first time.  

Verse twelve adds, And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.  The sign that they shepherds were giving to know this was true was nothing spectacular, but it was that this Savior would be a Child, wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger.  This is probably not what they thought birth of the Savior of the world would look like, and Jesus Christ is still not what many people think He should be.  Jesus Christ was a humble Servant not a glorious earthly King.  We must acknowledge that Jesus Christ was a Man Who was not glorified by the world during His lifetime, but that He was also the only begotten Son of God.      

Verse thirteen continues, And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,  The people of the earth may not have glorified Him, but the angels did.  They still glorify Him today, and so should we as His followers.  

Verse fourteen concludes, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.  Jesus Christ came to bring peace between God and mankind and we should with the angels give Him the glory.

Verse fifteen says, And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.  The shepherds, when the angels were gone, decided to go to Bethlehem and see this thing that had come to pass. We may hear the gospel proclaimed many times, but until we decide that we want to come to Jesus and see that it is true, it will do us no good. 

Verse sixteen adds, And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.   The shepehrds hurried to see what the angel had proclaimed, and they found Jesus as the angel had said He would be.  Again, this wasn't what people would expect the Savior of the world to look like, and today people at times realize that Jesus Christ is not what the people of the world would look for in a Savior, but we must come to Him by faith and acknowledge that He is Who He says He is if we are to be saved. 

Verse seventeen continues, And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.  After seeing Jesus for themselves, the shepherds went away sharing the good news that the angels had given them.  Once we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we need to share the good news with the people around us.

Verse eighteen states, And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.  The people who heard what the shepherds said wondered about it, but we are not told that they went to see for themself.  There are still people who hear the gospel and wonder about it, but they do not follow through in looking for proof that it is true.  We must come to a personal knowledge, by the faith that God gives us if we accept His call, that Jesus Christ is indeed the Savior of all those who put their faith in Him, if we are to be saved from our sins.

Verse nineteen adds, But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.  Mary kept these things in her heart and pondered on them.  Once we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we must keep His truth in our heart and ponder on what he would have us to do in life.

Verse twenty continues, And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.  The shepherds returned to tend to their sheep, but now, they were glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen.  Once we accept Jesus Christ as our persona Savior and Lord, not much may change in our everyday life physically, but spiritually we are changed and we should be glorifying God and praising Him even as we go about our life everyday.

Ezekiel 6:1

Ezekiel 6:1 says, And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,  It would seem that this was a different prophesy than the following two, and I know that God continues to speak to us after we become a Christien, so we need to always be listening to Him.   

Verse two adds, Son of man, set thy face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them,  Ezekiel was told to set his face towards the mountains of Israel and prophesy against them.  Isreal here referred to all twelve tribes and not just the ten that were often referred to as Israel with the other two being referred to as Judah.  The mountains woold have been the highest points Ezekiel would have had any possibility of seeing from captivity, and they would have also been seen as unmovable, but God could shake them.  The people of Israel felt that since they were called God’s chosen people that they should be unshakeable, but God was letting them know that when they failed to obey Him that this was not true.  The same is true for those who profess to be Christians today but are so in name only.  

Verse three continues, And say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God; Thus saith the Lord God to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys; Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places.  God then proclaimed quite clearly that He was going to bring judgment on Israel with the sward of war and that He would destroy their high places, or places where they worshipped false gods.  God had been protecting and empowering them, and He was no longer going to do that.  If we as followers of Christ begin to turn away from doing His will, we should no longer expect Him to strengthen and empower us.   

Verse four states, And your altars shall be desolate, and your images shall be broken: and I will cast down your slain men before your idols.  Ezekiel said that God said that their altars would be desolate, their images or false gods would be broken, and He was going to cast their slain men down before their worthless idols.  If we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we should then cast down any idols that we may have worshipped before.  If we allow them to come back into our lives, we need to repent and ask God to help us cast them down once more.   

Verse five adds, And I will lay the dead carcases of the children of Israel before their idols; and I will scatter your bones round about your altars.  God said that children were going to be killed as well as adults and this is often the case in war.  He then said He would lay their dead bodies around their altars to their idols.  The idols that they had looked to for help would be shown to be worthless, just as any idol that people put their faith in today will one day be shown to be worthless.   We need to pray that we come to understand this before we die and put our faith in Jesus Christ before it is too late.   

Verse six continues, In all your dwellingplaces the cities shall be laid waste, and the high places shall be desolate; that your altars may be laid waste and made desolate, and your idols may be broken and cease, and your images may be cut down, and your works may be abolished.  God said that all their idols and dwelling places would be destroyed and become desolate.  Ever idol that we may have worshipped before coming to God by putting our faith in Jesus Christ must be destroyed and we must worship Him alone.   

Verse seven concludes, And the slain shall fall in the midst of you, and ye shall know that I am the Lord.  God said that when their slain fell in the midst of them that they would know that He was God. When we know that God is God, which happens by accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we must allow all the idols in our life to be slain and thrown down.   

Ezekiel 5:14

Ezekiel 5:14 says, Moreover I will make thee waste, and a reproach among the nations that are round about thee, in the sight of all that pass by.  Ezekiel said God was going to make the people of Israel a waste and a reproach to the world.  They had failed to live by the covenant that they had made with God, so they were no longer to be looked up to by the world but would be looked down on instead.  If a person has accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord, they are forever a part of His kingdom, but if a person professes to be a Christian without doing so, they will one day face His wrath.   

Verse fifteen adds, So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment unto the nations that are round about thee, when I shall execute judgments in thee in anger and in fury and in furious rebukes. I the Lord have spoken it.  God said that when He did this that it would an astonishment to other people around them.  The people of Israel had always been viewed as God’s people, and the rest of the world was now going to be amazed that God was allowing them to be punished.  If we are a follower of Christ, people of the world should be able to see that we are different from them in the way our life reflects God to the world.  If we allow sin into our life once again, we may find that God removes His protective hand in our life here, but we are still a part of Hiis kingdom.   

Verse sixteen continues, When I shall send upon them the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for their destruction, and which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine upon you, and will break your staff of bread:  This is a further warning that God was going to allow them to suffer a great famine.  God basically said that they would run out of bread.  I know that God has the ability to destroy everything that He created, but I also believe that often He just removes His protective hand and then we suffer from a lack of spiritual nourishment if we sin against Him.   

Verse seventeen concludes, So will I send upon you famine and evil beasts, and they shall bereave thee: and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee; and I will bring the sword upon thee. I the Lord have spoken it.  This is another warning of what God was going to do them or allow to happen to them.  I do know that if we sin against God that we will have to bear the penalty unless we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, and even then, we will be held accountable for sins that we commit after we do.  We are forever saved, but we will still one day be held accountable for times we have rebelled against God as followers of Christ.  God said this was going to happen because He had spoken it.  We may not believe that what God’s word says is going happen actually will, but His word will always be true, whether we believe it or not. 

Ezekiel 5:11

Ezekiel 5:11 says, Wherefore, as I live, saith the Lord God; Surely, because thou hast defiled my sanctuary with all thy detestable things, and with all thine abominations, therefore will I also diminish thee; neither shall mine eye spare, neither will I have any pity.  God said as surely as He lived, and He always has and always will, that since the people of Israel had defiled His sanctuary with detestable and abominable things that He would diminish their number.  God had promised that He would make them a great nation with numbers like the sands of the sea if they were obedient to Him.  They had failed to be obedient, so He was going to reduce their number down to only those who were.  If we share the gospel faithfully and are obedient to God’s will, the number of Christians, people who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, will grow, but if we begin to pervert the gospel and follow lies instead of God’s truth, the number of Christians will decrease.  This will be true even if the number of people who profess to be Christians but have done so in name only without faith in God alone grows. 

Verse twelve adds, A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them. Ezekiel said God was going to allow a third of the people of Israel to die of pestilence, or plague.  God doesn’t need an army to defeat those who rebel against Him, but He can do so by just removing His protective hand and allowing the diseases of the world to kill them. Ezekiel then said that God was going to allow another third of the people of Israel to die by the sword, or to be killed in battle.  Their success when they were victorious had always been because God was with them, and He was no longer going to be.  Our success in overcoming the world today since we are in a spiritual battle will always be because God is with us when we are obedient to Him. Ezekiel concluded by saying that God was to then scatter the remaining third, many of whom would also die by the sword.  God will punish those who refuse to accept His gift of salvation, even if they call themselves Christians but have never accepted His gracious gift of salvation.    

Verse thirteen adds, Thus shall mine anger be accomplished, and I will cause my fury to rest upon them, and I will be comforted: and they shall know that I the Lord have spoken it in my zeal, when I have accomplished my fury in them.  God said that after this happened that His anger would be finished and that the world would know that He was God and that His word would always be true.  The people of Isreal were never called to be God’s chosen people because of anything they did, but they were called to be His people and to represent Him in the world because of His grace in calling them. Since they were seen as God’s people, when they did things that made Him look bad or unpowerful in the world’s view, He had no choice but to allow them to be defeated.  It was their disobedience that caused this and not just an arbitrary act of God.  If we refuse to accept God’s gift of salvation, one day we will feel His wrath, but the choice will always be ours.