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Special Edition! - ISRAEL AT WAR!!! Day 69 - PRAY!!!

12/14/2023

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Hanukkah & The Maccabees: Being Courageous And Faithful to God During Intense Persecution
How to End Hamas's War on Israel This Week
Prophecy Update Videos
Recommended Reading & Links
Walking Away from The Truth: How Does Apostasy Happen?
Daily Devotion: “We’ve Come to Worship”
Christmas Begins with Christ
Daily Jot: Wasting and destruction in their paths
Daily Devotion: The Danger of Indifference
Prophecy Update New Headlines

Hanukkah & The Maccabees: Being Courageous And Faithful to God During Intense Persecution – By Amir Tsarfati - https://harbingersdaily.com/hanukkah-the-maccabees-being-courageous-and-faithful-to-god-during-intense-persecution-3/

(Galilee, Israel) — Hanukkah: also known as the Festival of Lights, is a holiday based on the story and tradition of the Jewish people’s defeat of the Seleucid Empire (Syrian-Greeks) in the Holy Land. In the 2nd century BC (165), a small army of Jews called the Maccabees staged a rebellion against the Seleucids during their attempts to Hellenize the Jewish people and the land of Israel.

Under the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes IV, the targeting of the Jewish people was magnified. He used the priesthood to implement his agenda by appointing his own high priest. He even used the funds from the Temple treasury to support his military pursuit concerning Egypt. And in his more severe attempts of Jewish persecution, he stole items like the menorah from the Temple and even placed an idol of Zeus inside. He believed that he himself was Zeus-manifest. But perhaps his most notorious act was when he desecrated the Temple by slaughtering a pig on the altar.

The Maccabean Revolt commenced in 167 BC following a decree from Antiochus IV that ended Jewish religious practice, which led to a Jewish priest named Mattathias killing a Hellenized Jew who made sacrifices to idols. He also killed the Greek official who enforced the sacrifice(s). He would die just one year later after fleeing to the mountains with his five sons, and it was his son, Judah Maccabee, who staged the rebellion mentioned above. After their eventual victory, the Maccabees would make their way into Jerusalem, rededicate the Temple, and install the youngest brother as high priest.

Interestingly enough, Judah’s nickname was “Maccabeus,” which is derived from the Hebrew word for “hammer” (מַקָּבָה).

The book of Daniel undoubtedly makes several mentions of Antiochus IV without mentioning him by name, and it’s commonly believed that both Antiochus and the Maccabees were in view when the angel Gabriel clued Daniel in on the future:

Daniel 11:31-32 KJV – “And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.”

A Jewish tradition at the time was to light Chanukiah (Hanukkah Menorah) in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem daily. As tradition tells, when the Maccabees liberated the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, a miracle occurred as only one day’s worth of oil for lighting the menorah lasted for eight days. Hence the tradition of eight days and nights. Each night during the holiday, one additional candle is lit commemorating and remembering the strength of the Jewish people and God’s deliverance from their enemies.

Hanukkah means “dedication” and refers to the rededication and liberation of the Promised People’s Holy Temple and center of worship to God. Modern festivities include eating of latkes, potatoes, pancakes, and donuts, as they are cooked in oil. Young children typically light the candles and sing traditional songs, playing with the “dreidel”, a spinning top with Hebrew letters with the acronym of “a great miracle happened there.” While the holiday is a minor holiday in Jewish tradition, in Israel, the holiday is a time of unity and ceremonies held throughout the nation.

A Deeper Look

John 10: 22-23 records, “Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the Temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.” As a Jew, Jesus most certainly would have participated in the Feast of Dedication. The same courageous spirit of the Maccabees who remained faithful to God during intense persecution was passed on to Jesus’ disciples who would all face severe trials because of their faithfulness to Christ. And like the miracle of God’s presence expressed through the eternal flame of God burning for the Maccabees, Jesus became the incarnate, physical expression of God’s presence, the Light of the World who came to dwell among us and give us the eternal light of God’s life.

May we all remember the two most important things from this holiday:

Dedication

Romans 12:1-2 KJV – “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Being the Light

Matthew 5:14-16 KJV – “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

How to End Hamas's War on Israel This Week - by Lawrence Kadish - https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/20209/how-to-end-hamas-war-on-israel-this-week

Iran's militia groups have initiated more than 82 attacks -- just since October 17 -- on US forces and assets in Syria and Iraq. The latest, on the US Embassy in Baghdad, is an attack on US sovereign territory. During Biden's presidency, Iran has initiated 151 attacks against the US. Forty-six US service members have so far been wounded, 19 seriously, with traumatic brain injury.

These strikes do not include Iran's having largely funded and helped plan a savage invasion of Israel by an estimated 3,000 Gazans under the direction of Iran's proxy, the terrorist group Hamas, on October 7. Once there, they murdered 1,200 people; raped and tortured an untold number, and kidnapped around 240, about 100 of whom -- women and children -- have been released.

The Biden administration has thankfully been supportive of Israel defending itself and trying to rescue those hostages who remain. The Biden administration immediately sent naval ships and fighter jets to the region to prevent the war from spreading to Lebanon and other countries nearby; and on December 8, vetoed an attempt by the United Nations Security Council to force Israel to submit prematurely to a ceasefire.

Before October 7, there was a ceasefire. Regrettably, Hamas broke it. A few weeks later, there was another humanitarian ceasefire to which Israel agreed. Hamas broke that one, too. Hamas refused to release the list of people who were to be delivered on the ceasefire's last day, possibly because Hamas was afraid of what they might say about how they had been treated in captivity. This week, when Israel created a safe zone in the southern Gaza Strip for Gazans, Hamas used that humanitarian zone to fire rockets into Israel.

The US could stop these assaults tomorrow. So far, the Biden administration has appeared unwilling even to entertain the thought of addressing Hamas's patron, Iran. Here are a few possible ways:

Incapacitate the port from which Iran exports its oil to China and other customers.
Incapacitate Iran's four major oil refineries, as Senator Lindsay Graham has suggested. Alternatively, incapacitate just one and mention that others might follow.
Send each of Iran's theocratic leaders and those in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a photo of his house. It worked magnificently after the US eliminated IRGC Commander Qasem Soleimani in 2020, as a warning against retaliation. Iran stopped its aggression effectively that minute.
Enforce or reimpose sanctions on Iran, as well as restrictions on international banking. Also impose secondary sanctions: Whoever is doing business with Iran may not do business with the US.
Warn the mullahs that for each of the hostage seized -- not just the Americans, all hostages -- an Iranian target has been selected; for each hostage that is harmed, one site will be taken out.
Target the IRGC training center and key IRGC bases, as advocated by US General Jack Keane.

All it would take is political will.

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RECOMMENDED READING & LINKS

Walking Away from The Truth: How Does Apostasy Happen? – By Skip Heitzig - https://harbingersdaily.com/walking-away-from-the-truth-how-does-apostasy-happen/

As believers, we love Jesus, we follow Him, we’re all in. We’re so thankful for the gospel—for being transformed and given new life. So we don’t understand how anybody who’s tasted that could ever walk away from it. How does apostasy happen? I’ve discovered about thirty different reasons the Bible has for why it happens. Here are a few.

Number one, persecution. People just do not want to pay the price to follow Jesus, especially publicly. Popularity and other people’s opinions are just way too important to them. “If I made a big deal about Jesus publicly, it could hurt my business or my status in the community.”

In Jesus’ parable about the sower and the seed, there are different hearts of people who heard the message. Jesus said that when persecution or tribulation arises because of the Word, some fall away. They stumble (see Matthew 13:20-21).

Another reason is mixed devotion. Some people come to church, but they’re fence-sitters. They think, “I’m attracted to the Jesus who forgives me for my sins and gives me joy and purpose, but there’s a lot of fun stuff to do in this world.” They’re earthbound. They’re after momentary comfort rather than Jesus and discipleship.

The Bible says, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). In the sower parable, Jesus said, “The cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful” (Matthew 13:22).

A third reason it can happen is because it’s just plain hard to follow Jesus for some—probably for all of us—at one point or another. Have you ever read something and thought, “I have to live that? That’s hard!” I certainly have.

When people heard Jesus’ sermon in John 6, it was a tough message to receive. They said, “This is [a] hard saying; who can hear it?” (John 6:60, KJV). And then we’re told, “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more” (John 6:66). The demands were too difficult.

Another reason people apostatize is because they’re not paying attention. Sounds like something your teacher would say, right? But it’s possible to fall away because you’re not really grabbing hold of the truth. Hebrews 2:1 says, “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.”

Another reason it can happen is laziness. Some people just aren’t interested in coming to church. They distance themselves from it because they don’t want that accountability of having other believers around them.

But Hebrews 10:25 says, “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”

These are just a few reasons. The Bible lists many more, including Satan’s devices, an unbelieving heart, a hardened heart, rebellion, bitterness, immorality, disrespect of leadership, not mixing God’s promises with faith.

In fact, the majority of those exposed to the Gospel will turn away from it. Look at the math from the parable of the sower and the seed. Of all the people that heard the truth, only twenty-five percent bore any kind of fruit, and a very small percentage bore what Jesus called hundred-fold fruit (see Matthew 13:23).

It’s no wonder that Jesus said, “Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction…. Narrow is the gate…which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). Not most, not a lot—few. No wonder Jesus will say to many, “I never knew you; depart from Me” (Matthew 7:23).

Christmas Begins with Christ - By Nathele Graham - [email protected]

We’ve made it through another year, and we are about to celebrate something wonderful. It’s up to each one of us to decide what it is we celebrate.

Stores begin putting up Christmas decorations earlier and earlier each year. They celebrate the commercial aspect of Christmas. Then, the rush to Christmas begins. Christmas gift lists get longer as our family grows. What does Grandma want? Will little Billy like a toy car? Will Susan like the doll? There are so many decisions. There are parties to attend and some to host. Everything has to be just right. Holiday baking is in full swing, with Christmas cookies, fudge, and the aroma of gingerbread in the air. Then we have to wrap the gifts. That takes time, but they are all so pretty with ribbons and bows.

What will be on the menu for Christmas dinner? Will we have a Christmas ham or a turkey? Maybe a duck or a goose. Will we just mash the potatoes or make some special side dish? How many people will be around the table?

As Christmas approaches, we become less and less cheerful as the stress begins to drain us of energy. Maybe it’s time to sit back and evaluate what exactly we are celebrating. Christmas began with the birth of our Saviour, and it seems that in all the hustle and bustle, we forget that we celebrate His birthday. Christmas begins with Christ.

Let’s take a trip back in time and think about that first Christmas so long ago. Was it on December 25? Probably not. Was it stress-free? Absolutely not. Rome ruled over the Jewish people, and their rule and taxation were very oppressive. Prophecy said that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.

“But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. Therefore will he give them up until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel” (Micah 5:2-3).

Young women thought about giving birth to the Messiah, and I’m sure Mary was no different. She was from the lineage of King David through his son Nathan, but she lived in Nazareth, not Bethlehem. Mary was a virgin, but did the prophecy spoken by Isaiah that a virgin would give birth really mean a virgin, or did it mean just a young woman would give birth? Everybody knows virgins can’t get pregnant, so the prophecy had to be wrong, right? Mary knew that.

“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign: Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).

Mary was a young woman, probably in her early teens, but we really can’t be sure of her exact age. Mary was betrothed to a man named Joseph, also from the lineage of King David but through the royal line of Solomon. Prophecy indicated that the Messiah would come through King David.

“Now therefore so shall thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel: and I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth. Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime, and as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies.

“Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house. And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever” (2 Samuel 7:8-13).

That’s quite a promise God gave to King David. Not only does it confirm the Jewish claim to the land of Israel, but it also said David’s throne is eternal. These prophecies were in the process of being fulfilled, but like today, most people weren’t paying attention.

Mary and Joseph’s marriage hadn’t taken place, and Mary was a virgin, but she didn’t live in Bethlehem. It would be logical, according to man’s understanding, that Mary wasn’t the one to give birth to the Messiah. God certainly couldn’t mean what He said about a virgin birth. Or could He? Prophecy foretold that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem of a virgin, and He would bring salvation. Mary probably didn’t have any hopes of being the one chosen to give birth to the Messiah because she didn’t live in Bethlehem and would soon be married.

Signs of God moving in the lives of the people of Israel were being seen, but people just went about their daily lives. There had been a very strange event that happened to Mary’s elderly cousin Elisabeth. Elisabeth and her husband Zacharias hadn’t had any children. While Zacharias was performing his priestly duties of burning incense, he went into the temple of the Lord, and an astonishing thing happened.

“And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense” (Luke 1:11).

Zacharias was afraid, but the angel, named Gabriel, told him that Elisabeth was going to give birth to a son and they should name him John. Miracles were happening, so sometime later, when that same angel paid Mary a visit, she wasn’t quite as surprised as Zacharias.

Mary was just living her life as she always had. Probably preparing herself for married life, dreaming of the day when her bridegroom, Joseph, would come to claim his bride. What a day that would be! Joseph had been preparing a place for them to live and preparing himself to be a husband to Mary and a father to all the children they would have together. A visit from Gabriel would change their plans and cause them to look to God for guidance.

“And the angel came in unto her and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women” (Luke 1:28).

That’s quite a greeting! Mary was surprised by what he said but listened to what he had to say.

“And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end” (Luke 1:30-33).

Mary was a special young lady and didn’t hesitate. Her only question was about how it would happen because she wasn’t married. There would be no human man involved in this.

“And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God…. For with God nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:35 & 37).

That’s something to remember when we study prophecy. What’s impossible for humans isn’t impossible for God. When God says something will happen, it will happen just like He says.

Scripture doesn’t tell us everything that happened in Mary’s life, but we can imagine how her parents might have reacted. Unwed mothers weren’t accepted. Was she shunned by the people of Nazareth? Mary did leave to go visit Elisabeth and Zacharias, who were well aware of God’s miraculous works. Mary had the assurance that God was with her, but her life was drastically changed. Her story about the angel and that she hadn’t been with any man was hard to believe. Then there was Joseph’s reaction. She was going to have a baby that wasn’t his. He decided to quietly break their engagement. It wasn’t an easy decision.

“But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:20-22).

The events leading up to that first Christmas were quite upsetting. Things would get even more upsetting. Mary didn’t have a huge dinner planned, and there were no parties to attend, but she was carrying the most precious gift ever given: Jesus Christ, our Lord.

What about the prophecy of the Messiah being born in Bethlehem? All of these events took place in Nazareth, not Bethlehem. God can use non-believers to fulfill His prophecies. Israel was under the rule of Rome, and Caesar Augustus proclaimed that all the world should be taxed.

“And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 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:) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child” (Luke 2:3-5).

What an ordeal that trip must have been. I’m sure Joseph felt very protective of Mary and the child she was carrying. People had come from far and wide to pay their taxes, so lodging was difficult to find. In fact, Joseph and Mary couldn’t find a room at the local inn.

“And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 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” (Luke 2:6-7).

That’s when the visitors began to arrive. An angel made the most astounding announcement to some shepherds watching their flocks that night.

“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 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. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly host praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:8-14).

The shepherds did go and find the babe in the manger. And so, Christmas began. Christ was born of a virgin in Bethlehem, just as God had foretold! Because of Christ, the entire world has been blessed. He was called Emmanuel, which means God with us. His official name was Jesus, meaning “Jehovah is salvation.” He is the Christ, the “anointed,” the Messiah.

In modern times, we’ve turned Christmas into a very worldly celebration. This year, remember, Christmas begins with Christ.

God bless you all,
Nathele Graham
[email protected]

Recommended prophecy sites:
www.raptureready.com
www.prophecyupdate.com
www.raptureforums.com

All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.

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“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee” (Psalm 122:6).

Daily Jot: Wasting and destruction in their paths - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com

There are what seems to be miles of humanitarian aid trucks lined up to go through inspection points into Gaza for the “Palestinian” civilians. While the United States and other countries are applying pressure on Israel to assist refugees in war-torn terrorist Gaza, it is not Israel, but United Nations bureaucracy that is preventing the aid from being distributed. In addition, the ”Palestinian” civilians are raising accusations that Hamas is stealing the aid that does get through. Herein, the world is blaming Israel for killing and mistreating “Palestinian” civilians, but Hamas and the United Nations are part of the problem. All along, sources have been saying that Hamas uses the aid to build its military infrastructure.

Israel’s Defense Ministry body responsible for Palestinian civilian affairs says the United Nations needs to do more to process aid into Gaza, and charges that humanitarian supplies are not reaching the Strip fast enough. COGAT [the agency for Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories] says, “The UN must do better — the aid is there, and the people need it.” The UK Daily Mail reports, “In a bid to facilitate an increase in the number of aid trucks that can enter Gaza each day, last week Israel announced it would open the Kerem Shalom Crossing with Gaza for the inspection of humanitarian aid trucks before they enter Gaza through Egypt’s Rafah crossing.”

Posted on X (formerly Twitter), is an elderly woman telling an Al Jazeera reporter that “All aid goes down underground. The aid does not reach the nation and the entire people. A lot is coming. What comes is only a little and it is distributed – so they say.” The reporter tries to redirect the woman’s comments, but she insists, “Everything goes to their (Hamas) houses. They take it, they will even shoot me and do whatever they want to me, Hamas.” Another woman holding a baby also accused Hamas of stealing their food. She said, “You send us humanitarian aid, but I swear to God that we get nothing. Only if we chase them and beg. They mock us when we ask. They humiliate us.” A November in-person Arab World for Research and Development (AWRD) poll of 668 adults living in Gaza and the West Bank found that this represents only about 21% of “Palestinians.”

The AWRD poll also found that over 75% supported Hamas’ actions on October 7. The same percentage (76%) want a Palestinian state from “the river to the sea.” Some 90% believe there will never be peace with Israel, and 76% still view Hamas favorably. Over 97% are very negative toward the US, even though the US is supplying millions in “humanitarian” aid. Compare this with the November Quinnipiac Pollindicating 41% of US Democratic Party voters support the “Palestinians” and 60% of Democrats disapprove of Israel’s response. What does this tell you about American support, ignorant or otherwise, for the “Palestinian” agenda? Lip service by politicians supporting Israel and their actions supporting “Palestinians” are contradictory. As is written in Isaiah 59:7-8, “Wasting and destruction are in their paths. The way of peace they know not.”

Sources:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12846201/Hamas-terrorists-accused-Palestinians-stealing-food-vital-aid-desperate-families.html

https://www.awrad.org/files/server/polls/polls2023/Public%20Opinion%20Poll%20-%20Gaza%20War%202023%20-%20Tables%20of%20Results.pdf

https://poll.qu.edu/poll-release?releaseid=3884

Daily Devotion: The Danger of Indifference - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org

And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel. —Matthew 2:6

https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/the-danger-of-indifference/ - Listen

They were the theological experts of their day, the guardians of spiritual truth in Israel. Yet the religious leaders wouldn’t even bother to walk a few miles to Bethlehem to see whether the Messiah had indeed been born.

When King Herod heard from the wise men about a “newborn king of the Jews” (Matthew 2:2 NLT), he summoned the chief priests and scribes and asked them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem in Judea, . . . for this is what the prophet wrote: ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel’ ” (verses 5–6 NLT).

They knew the answer. In fact, from the text it almost appears as though they knew it right away. So why weren’t they looking for the Messiah in Bethlehem? They could have gone from Jerusalem to Bethlehem in a relatively short period of time.

Doesn’t it seem a little unusual that foreign dignitaries arrived from the East, claiming to have seen a star that led them to that very area, and the One they were seeking was called the “king of the Jews?”

Certainly that must have piqued the religious leaders’ curiosity and caused them to wonder. Yet they didn’t do anything. They simply told King Herod that Bethlehem was where the Messiah would be born.

At least Herod feared Jesus’ authority. But what about these men? They knew better. They knew the Scriptures, yet they did nothing in response. These men were indifferent and too busy with themselves to be concerned about Jesus.

In fact, when Jesus began His public ministry, the religious leaders were His principal adversaries. For all practical purposes, they were responsible for the execution of Jesus Christ. He was a threat to their religious world.

They sent Jesus to Pilate out of envy. They envied His authority. They resented the fact that people loved Him and hung on His every word. And they were jealous that He seemed to have a relationship with God that they lacked.

Jesus addressed this later, telling them, “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me’ ” (Mark 7:6 NLT).

They were looking for a different kind of a Messiah. They were looking for someone who would support their religious system and their chosen way of living, someone who would cater to their whims and conform to their wishes.

There are a lot of people like this today. They want Jesus, but they want Him on their terms. They want the kind of Jesus whom they can control, the kind of Jesus who won’t challenge them.

The religious leaders knew God’s Word. Yet they did nothing to meet the living Savior. Don’t miss Christmas like these religious leaders did. Religion and ritual kept them from Jesus.

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12/14/23

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"Folks, it's all beginning to unravel. America is in more danger of falling than at any time in its history. But I believe Bible prophecy predicts this very decline. From this point on, we believers have to get serious. We are going to face discouragement, disillusionment and, most certainly, persecution in the time between now and the Rapture. But don't be discouraged or disillusioned. The coming turmoil will provide us unrivaled opportunities to share the good news of the Gospel. So be ready to share your faith and your hope with those who need Christ. We still have time to reap a great harvest of souls for God's kingdom!" - Hal Lindsey

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