It REALLY is Jesus' Birthday Tomorrow!

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12 Tell him, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Here is the man called the Branch. He will branch out from where he is and build the Temple of the Lord. 13 Yes, he will build the Temple of the Lord. Then he will receive royal honor and will rule as king from his throne. He will also serve as priest from his throne, and there will be perfect harmony between his two roles.’

As the Lord calls his people back to restore the temple, Joshua the high priest is crowned. It was an unusual thing for a high priest to be crowned, which was usually reserved as a king. But as we said Joshua is the Greek name for Yeshua, which is the name Jesus was given. The "h" in Jesus' day was not pronouced, which is why his name became "Jesus". This name means, "the Lord saves". 

Joshua was the remnant of the line of David, from which the Messiah would come from, which is why he is called "the Branch". This is fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant the Messiah would come from the house and line of David. 

We already saw this Branch in Zechariah 3:8, and it was a familiar title for the Messiah (Isaiah 4:2 and 11:1, Jeremiah 23:5 and 33:15). The Branch was associated with fruitfulness and life. Jesus used the same image when He said that He is the vine and we are the branches (John 15:5). - Guzik

Even more interesting, the word for branch in Hebrew "nezer", is the root for the Word for Nazareth. So when Matthew says, “He went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.”, it gives more relevance to the fulfillment of prophecy, which Matthew focuses on!

As we celebrate Christmas tomorrow, we see many instances of Jesus fulfilling prophecy spoken of in the Old Testament, hundreds of years before. Many of these prophecies, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph could not have orchestrated such as:

1. He would be born as a virgin.

2. He would be called Immanuel, which "God with us!".

3. The Messiah would receive gifts from the Magi who would come from the Far East. 

4. Christ would be called to flee to Egypt due to the threat of death.

5. He would grow up a Nazarene.

The fact that Jesus' birth as the Son of God and the Savior of the world is verified as authentic and historical fact gives us even more reason to celebrate tomorrow! After all it REALLY is Jesus' birthday tomorrow! As we give gifts to each other tomorrow, let us remember the gift God gave us, a Savior!





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