Forty days after Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Simeon gives his prophecies (Luke 2:22-24; Leviticus 12). After this, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph return home to Nazareth in the Galilee (Luke 2:39).The Wise Men came sometime after that and before the Lord was two-years old (Cf. Matthew 2:7, 16-17).In his person, the Lord Jesus is the fulfillment of all God's prophecies to Israel (Galatians 3:16; 2 Corinthians 1:20). Thus Simeon prophesies that the Lord Jesus would be "a light, for revelation to the Gentiles" (Luke 2:29-32), in fulfillment of Isaiah 42:6; 60:1-3.Jesus was "appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel" (Luke 2:34). Many who were thought of as the righteous would be rejected, while many who were rejected would be accepted, because before a person can be accepted by God, he must be humbled (Luke 18:9-14).Simeon foretells Mary's witnessing the agonizing death of her Son (Luke 2:35; John 19:25-26), and points to God's Word as a piercing sword (Hebrews 4:12-13).

1 Corinthians 13-12 states- -Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror- then we shall see face to face.- Corinth was famous for its polished metal mirrors, but they did not reflect an image very well. --The NIV uses the word -poor- to translate the interesting Greek word, a--nigma ---------, from which we get the English word, -enigma.- --It is only found twice in the Greek Bible- Here and where God confronted Aaron and Miriam about the uniqueness of Moses- -With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles -a--nigma, --------- -Numbers 12-8-.--In light of Numbers 12-8, what 1 Corinthians 13-12 affirms is that only at the Lord's return will we see him face to face and no longer live with the sense that the future is an enigma. This is affirmed in 1 John 3-2.--In the present, enigmatic world, believers must trust the Lord that he is working everything to make us more and more like the Lord Jesus -Romans 8-28-29-. When our goal is to be fully like him -2 Corinthians 3-17-18-, we can be cheerful and regard our troubles as -light and momentary- -2 Corinthians 4-16-18-. Proverbs 4-18 expresses the same thought.--But Proverbs 4-19 speaks about deep darkness and the wicked not knowing what makes them stumble.--What does 2023 hold for the wicked-- --On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.- -Luke 21-25-26- That was fulfilled in A.D. 70, but terrifying events are still ahead. As lost people experience the coming destruction they will -Rage, rage against the dying of the light.-

1 Corinthians 13:12 states: "Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face." Corinth was famous for its polished metal mirrors, but they did not reflect an image very well. The NIV uses the word "poor" to translate the interesting Greek word, aı́nigma (αἴνιγμα), from which we get the English word, "enigma." It is only found twice in the Greek Bible: Here and where God confronted Aaron and Miriam about the uniqueness of Moses: "With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles (aı́nigma, αἴνιγμα)" (Numbers 12:8).In light of Numbers 12:8, what 1 Corinthians 13:12 affirms is that only at the Lord's return will we see him face to face and no longer live with the sense that the future is an enigma. This is affirmed in 1 John 3:2.In the present, enigmatic world, believers must trust the Lord that he is working everything to make us more and more like the Lord Jesus (Romans 8:28-29). When our goal is to be fully like him (2 Corinthians 3:17-18), we can be cheerful and regard our troubles as "light and momentary" (2 Corinthians 4:16-18). Proverbs 4:18 expresses the same thought.But Proverbs 4:19 speaks about deep darkness and the wicked not knowing what makes them stumble.What does 2023 hold for the wicked? "On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken." (Luke 21:25-26) That was fulfilled in A.D. 70, but terrifying events are still ahead. As lost people experience the coming destruction they will "Rage, rage against the dying of the light."

Who was Mary-- --According to Elizabeth's song of praise, Mary is the mother of her Lord -Luke 1-43-. Mary is the Theotokos, --------, the -God bearer,- the Mother of God, Mater Dei-not of Jesus' divine nature, of course, but only of his human nature. --Jesus is 100- God and 100- Human, but he is not 200-, only 100- because he is ONE person, distinct from the persons of the Father and the Spirit-but with them, One God.--In spite of all the miracles she experienced, Mary still struggled with doubts and was influenced by her unbelieving children, who did not yet believe in their half-brother Jesus -John 7-3-5-. --We see this so clearly in her coming with her children to -rescue- Jesus from himself- -He is out of his mind- -Mark 3-20-21-. That neither she nor her children are disciples yet is clear when Jesus excludes them from the circle of believers, stating- -Here are my mother and my brothers- Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother.- -Mark 3-31-35- --That's why, as our Lord was dying, he entrusted his mother to his closest disciple, John, rather than to his unbelieving family -John 19-25-27-. --The result is that both she and her other children became committed disciples awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit -Acts 1-14-.--What does Mary's song tell us about her----She is a poor woman who is the happiest of women because she is pregnant with the Messiah -Luke 1-48-. She foretells the turning upside down of the value system of our world -Luke 1-51-53-, and the fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant -Luke 1-54-.

Who was Mary? According to Elizabeth's song of praise, Mary is the mother of her Lord (Luke 1:43). Mary is the Theotokos, Θεοτόκος, the "God bearer," the Mother of God, Mater Dei—not of Jesus' divine nature, of course, but only of his human nature. Jesus is 100% God and 100% Human, but he is not 200%, only 100% because he is ONE person, distinct from the persons of the Father and the Spirit—but with them, One God.In spite of all the miracles she experienced, Mary still struggled with doubts and was influenced by her unbelieving children, who did not yet believe in their half-brother Jesus (John 7:3-5). We see this so clearly in her coming with her children to "rescue" Jesus from himself: "He is out of his mind" (Mark 3:20-21). That neither she nor her children are disciples yet is clear when Jesus excludes them from the circle of believers, stating: "Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother." (Mark 3:31-35) That's why, as our Lord was dying, he entrusted his mother to his closest disciple, John, rather than to his unbelieving family (John 19:25-27). The result is that both she and her other children became committed disciples awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:14).What does Mary's song tell us about her?She is a poor woman who is the happiest of women because she is pregnant with the Messiah (Luke 1:48). She foretells the turning upside down of the value system of our world (Luke 1:51-53), and the fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant (Luke 1:54).

Have you ever been in a bus station at Christmas-- There are lots of lonely people there. Some are young women who have left home.--How old was the Virgin Mary when she conceived our Lord----My ninth great grandmother was married on June 27th, 1647, in Paris, France. She was 12-years-old, and her husband was 27. Her father was Sir Richard Browne, King Charles I's ambassador to France.--My assumption is that the Virgin Mary was 12 or 13. --The Pope declared in 1854 that Mary's parents, St. Anne and St. Joachim, produced Mary without ever having sexual intercourse--that Mary's conception was immaculate.--Were that the case, why did Mary leave home to travel such a distance-- Luke 1-39 states that she left home with haste.--Gabriel spoke to her about her cousin Elizabeth's being six months pregnant -Luke 1-36-.--Undoubtedly, she was guided as she made this long and dangerous journey alone. Mary needed counsel from a woman who was full of the Holy Spirit, and Elizabeth was such a woman -Luke 1-41-45-.

Have you ever been in a bus station at Christmas? There are lots of lonely people there. Some are young women who have left home.How old was the Virgin Mary when she conceived our Lord?My ninth great grandmother was married on June 27th, 1647, in Paris, France. She was 12-years-old, and her husband was 27. Her father was Sir Richard Browne, King Charles I's ambassador to France.My assumption is that the Virgin Mary was 12 or 13. The Pope declared in 1854 that Mary's parents, St. Anne and St. Joachim, produced Mary without ever having sexual intercourse--that Mary's conception was immaculate.Were that the case, why did Mary leave home to travel such a distance? Luke 1:39 states that she left home with haste.Gabriel spoke to her about her cousin Elizabeth's being six months pregnant (Luke 1:36).Undoubtedly, she was guided as she made this long and dangerous journey alone. Mary needed counsel from a woman who was full of the Holy Spirit, and Elizabeth was such a woman (Luke 1:41-45).

As with truthful eyewitnesses of the same event who stand in different places, so when we compare Matthew's and Luke's accounts of the genealogy and birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, we note several striking differences. Matthew is very specific and uses the word -beget, become the father of, sire- ------- genn--- throughout his narrative- whereas, Luke uses the genitive of relationship, without telling us what that relationship is. It could be that of a father or a father-in-law. --The two genealogies also differ about which son of King David is the ancestor of the Lord Jesus. Matthew is giving the legal line of descent through the kings of Judah, and he names Solomon -Matthew 1-6-- whereas, Luke cites David's son Nathan -Luke 3-31-.--Tamar was the Canaanite daughter-in-law of Judah. She posed as a cult prostitute in order to make sure that she became pregnant through levirate marriage to her late husband's next of kin -Matthew 1-3- Genesis 38-.--Rahab was a Canaanite prostitute who plied her trade in Jericho, and who having protected the Israelite spies, then married into the tribe of Judah -Matthew 1-5- Joshua 2- 6-22-25-.--Ruth was a Moabitess, a cursed people -Matthew 1-5- Deuteronomy 23-3-.--The last woman is alluded to in Matthew 1-6, Bathsheba, who was either a gentile or an Israelite married to a gentile, Uriah the Hittite. She and David committed adultery -2 Samuel 11-, and David had her husband murdered in order to cover up the adultery, a death penalty offense under God's law -Leviticus 20-10-.--The practical truth of this list is that God not only blesses people, he makes them a blessing, no matter their wicked past or ancestry.

As with truthful eyewitnesses of the same event who stand in different places, so when we compare Matthew's and Luke's accounts of the genealogy and birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, we note several striking differences. Matthew is very specific and uses the word "beget, become the father of, sire" (γεννάω gennáō) throughout his narrative; whereas, Luke uses the genitive of relationship, without telling us what that relationship is. It could be that of a father or a father-in-law. The two genealogies also differ about which son of King David is the ancestor of the Lord Jesus. Matthew is giving the legal line of descent through the kings of Judah, and he names Solomon (Matthew 1:6); whereas, Luke cites David's son Nathan (Luke 3:31).Tamar was the Canaanite daughter-in-law of Judah. She posed as a cult prostitute in order to make sure that she became pregnant through levirate marriage to her late husband's next of kin (Matthew 1:3; Genesis 38).Rahab was a Canaanite prostitute who plied her trade in Jericho, and who having protected the Israelite spies, then married into the tribe of Judah (Matthew 1:5; Joshua 2; 6:22-25).Ruth was a Moabitess, a cursed people (Matthew 1:5; Deuteronomy 23:3).The last woman is alluded to in Matthew 1:6, Bathsheba, who was either a gentile or an Israelite married to a gentile, Uriah the Hittite. She and David committed adultery (2 Samuel 11), and David had her husband murdered in order to cover up the adultery, a death penalty offense under God's law (Leviticus 20:10).The practical truth of this list is that God not only blesses people, he makes them a blessing, no matter their wicked past or ancestry.

The actions of Herod the Great in executing all the male children under the age of two in and around Bethlehem certainly fit this paranoid, megalomaniacal ruler -Matthew 2-16-. Herod's father was an Idumean, a descendent of Esau, but he courted favor with the Roman leaders. The Roman empire was interested in two things from their client kings- maintaining order and keeping the money flowing to Rome. Herod the Great fit the bill, but he was terribly paranoid.--After giving Herod permission to execute his two sons, Alexander and Aristobulus, and knowing his Jewish dietary concerns, Octavian -Caesar Augustus- made a pun on the Greek words pig and son- -Better to be Herod's pig --- h-s- than Herod's son ----- hui-s-.---What do you do when dealing with someone like Herod the Great-- The Lord sent his angel to speak to Joseph in a dream four times in the Gospel of Matthew -Matthew 1-20- 2-13- 2-19- 2-22-. He must leave.--Over and over again, we are warned to avoid conflicts. 1 Thessalonians 4-11-12 presses us to mind our own business and avoid anything that might be construed as disturbance of public order.--Peter writes the same thing to citizens and slaves in 1 Peter 2-13-18, stressing we are to be obedient -not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are perverse.---He cites the example of the Lord Jesus Christ who suffered without complaint -1 Peter 2-21-23-.