Isaiah 9:6-7 – “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.  7 Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”  NKJV

Many have the tradition of a candlelight service or some gathering in church on Christmas Eve and that is wonderful!  Some families open one present on Christmas Eve and share a special thought or testimony and that is great!  Regardless of how you celebrate, the coming of the Christ in Bethlehem the fulfillment of the Promised Messiah is the focus of the celebration or should be.

What was the Promise?  A child would be born who was a Son (the Son of God) and the government would be on His shoulders.  It would not be government as we traditionally understand but the Kingdom of God not man-made traditions but the purpose of God.  He would be identified as Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace.  He would be the dispenser of Justice and His Kingdom would be everlasting!  We are talking about something eternal not something temporal.  The disciples missed that when walking with Jesus thinking that He was going to dethrone the Romans and occupy the throne of an earthly kingdom but Jesus had a much larger purpose in mind and it focused on the eternal.

Earthly governments come and go.  Kings rise and fall.  Tyrants and benevolent rulers appear and disappear but the Kingdom of God is everlasting and that is the Kingdom into which you and I have been born spiritually in the New Birth!  That is what God promised and began to become reality with the birth of the Christ in Bethlehem.  That event was a visible deposit of hope for the fulfillment of the Promise of Redemption for mankind that God declared in Genesis.

What a beautiful gift that the Father has given to mankind.  A child born of a virgin in Bethlehem on that eventful night the Messiah.  The short lifespan of Jesus on earth opened the door to life eternal.  Many celebrate the season without focusing on the reason and miss the Promise that gives purpose to everything in existence.  Without the promise we have no purpose and without purpose we are like rudderless ships tossed on the waves of life.  That is not us for we have Him who is Life and in Him we live and move and have being.  He is the Promise and the Joy of Christmas!

May God richly bless you and MERRY CHRISTMAS!