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The Amazing PROPHECIES OF THE FIRST CHRISTMAS
There was an outpouring of prophecies given at the time of the birth of Christ. These prophetic utterances that surrounded the events of that first Christmas have cast their light over eons of history down to this very day!
In this issue we will consider the prophecies made by, or given to, the parents of both Jesus and John the Baptist, and other God-fearing participants in the first Christmas season 2025 years ago.
The Prophecy of Gabriel to Joseph
…an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph… take Mary as your wife… she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins." (Mat. 1:20-21)
This messenger-angel of God (Gabriel) confirmed, of course, the Old Testament prophecy of the virgin birth of Jesus. But our focus here will be on the prophecy inherent in the name “Jesus.”
“You shall call his name Jesus,” Gabriel told Joseph. Jesus is the common name/surname. It is the Greek “Jeshua,” translating the Hebrew “Joshua.” Joshua means “the Lord is salvation.” The Joshua of the Exodus was originally named Hoshea, which means “salvation.” Moses renamed Hoshea combining Jehovah (Lord) & Hoshea (Salvation) into Jehoshua (Joshua), meaning ”the Lord Saves.”
Thus, in the very name given to Him, the baby in the manger was born as “the Lord Saves.” As Matthew 1:23 goes on to say, “they shall call His name ‘Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.’ "
Indeed, God is with us in Jesus Christ.
—The Christmas Prophecies—
The Prophecy of Gabriel to Mary
"He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and His kingdom will have no end.“ (Luke 1:32-33)
When the Angel Gabriel announced the birth of Jesus to Mary, he reaffirmed the prophecies of the Old Testament (2 Sam. 7:12-16)—that Jesus would be the Son of God, that he would sit on the Throne of David forever, reigning over an eternal and universal Kingdom that “will have no end.”
This prophecy (or promise) is called the Davidic Covenant. It finds its fulfillment at the return of Christ, for we read
“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. “(Mat. 25:31)
The Davidic Covenant spells out the “seed” aspect of the Abrahamic Covenant (see page 4). From the seed of Abraham, through the seed of David, “all the nations of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 22:18) through the Christ, the son of David, the Son of God, who was born into the human race on that first Christmas. David was promised an eternal dynasty, eternal throne, eternal kingdom and an eternal descendant—Christ the King. This Old Testament prophecy, repeated by Gabriel to Mary during that original Christmas season, is the basis for Zechariah’s great prophecy that
“the LORD will be king over all the earth; in that day the LORD will be the only one, and His name the only one. (Zec. 14:9)
—The Christmas Prophecies—
The Virgin Birth Of Christ
The Davidic Covenant, promising a human descendant who would also be eternal (God), requires a virgin birth. The Scripture is unequivocal, clear and adamant about the Virgin Birth of Christ.
Read Mat. 1:22-23 (Isaiah 7:14); Luke 1:35; John 1:1,14; Gal.4:4.
Anna, …began giving
thanks to God, and
continued to speak
of Him to all those
who were looking
for the redemption
of Jerusalem. (Luke 2:38)
—The Christmas Prophecies—
The Prophecies of Simeon and Anna to Mary and Joseph
For my eyes have seen Thy salvation, Which Thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light of revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Thy people Israel. " Luke 2:30-32
The devout Simeon, long awaiting the appearance of the Messiah, restates ancient prophecies that the Messiah would come to save both “Thy people Israel” and Gentiles— He would be a Savior for the whole world. Luke goes on to write, “And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him. And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother,”
"Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed— and a sword will pierce even your own soul— to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed." (Luke 2:30-35)
Simeon gave Mary the prophecy that she would indeed suffer the sorrow of a mother seeing the powerful opposition to her son, and the persecution which accompanies intense political and religious hatred. But her sorrow would have a God-ordained outcome—the heart of every person in all the world, until the end of all time, would be judged based on their acceptance of God’s only begotten Son as Lord and Savior. (Rom 10:9)
The prophetess Anna then joins the continuing scene of excitement and expectation, and represents all of the Jews who still cherished the promises of God to the ancient prophets. These devout Jewish believers were full of anticipation that the Savior was soon to appear— just as Bible prophecy students today are on edge with hope and expectation that the same Savior will appear any moment in the Sky as Lord, Savior, & King!
—The Christmas Prophecies—
The Prophecy (Magnificat) of Mary
Mary, filled with the Holy Spirit, sings the praises of God in this magnificent prayer which is appropriately called the “Magnificat.” Mary was visiting her cousin, Elizabeth, who was six months pregnant with John the Baptist. The atmosphere was electric with excitement as the two women considered the amazing heavenly announcements given them and their husbands in fulfillment of 700 year old prophecies. Elizabeth was to give birth to the messenger of the Messiah, and Mary was to birth the Messiah Himself!
Elizabeth greeted Mary with a passion only the Holy Spirit could inspire, and said of Mary, “Blessed is she who believed…” (Luke 1:45). Mary continued on with the famed “Magnificat” message, in which was embedded a reaffirmation of a 2000 year old prophecy, the MOTHER OF ALL COVENANTS— the Abrahamic Covenant (see underlined).
Mary prophesies,
He has given help to Israel His servant, In remembrance of His mercy, As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his offspring forever.“ (Luke 1:54-55)
In the whirlwind of excitement, after the birth of John the Baptist, his father Zacharias reiterates both the Davidic and the Abrahamic Covenants (see underlined) in his praise statement when he says below,
—The Christmas Prophecies—
The Prophecy of Zacharias
"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people, And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of David His servant— As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old...To show mercy toward our fathers, And to remember His holy covenant, The oath which He swore to Abraham our father... (Luke 1:68-73)
The covenant (unconditional promise) God gave to Abraham is the foundation stone of Bible Prophecy. From the Abrahamic Covenant we get the rise and destiny of Israel, the promise that through the seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob the world would receive a Savior and King, Christ the Lord, who would reign over an eternal Kingdom of God on the Throne of David with the Jews possessing an eternal land in Israel, and through Christ would come the only way of salvation for mankind, the blessing of the New Covenant (New Testament).
After 2000 years, on the very first Christmas, Joseph and Mary, Zacharias and Elizabeth, and a host of believers had not forgotten God’s promise to Abraham—now fulfilled in Jesus.
—The Christmas Prophecies—
The Prophecy of Gabriel to the Shepherds
…some shepherds staying out in the fields… And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them… and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.
(Luke 2:8-9)
God selected the humblest of people to reveal the greatest news in human history. In the case of the shepherds, the Angel Gabriel announced the fulfillment of Messianic prophecies held in Divine abeyance for centuries.
Look below at the rich fulfillment of many prophecies contained in the herald to the shepherds on that very first Christmas day.
NOTES:
1. Text of the graph above, which is a picture, & thus not copy-able.
The Announcement to the Shepherds ....Fulfilled these Old Testament Prophecies
“…for today……………................Exactly 483 years given in “70-Weeks” prophecy of Daniel 9:26
in the city of David……...............The City of Bethlehem; Micah 5:2
there has been born….................A human child (born); Isaiah 9:6
for you…………………..................for “your people” Israel...the “Messiah” comes; Daniel 9:24-25
a Savior,………………..................“Cut off out of Land of Living” for sins of Israel; Isaiah 53:8
who is Christ…………..................“Christ” = “Messiah,” the “anointed one”; Daniel 9:26
the Lord”……………….................“Mighty God” and “no Savior besides God” Isaiah 9:6; 43:3,11