Born in a Manger
People, I want you to know that progress is being made. I have graduated from a four-letter word to a six-letter word, “manger”. Right now from jump-street, I see a five-letter word stashed inside it, “anger”! You would think He gave me a one letter promotion!
What is a manger?
“manger”
[ meyn-jer ]
noun
a box or trough in a stable or barn from which horses or cattle eat provender.
From dicyionary.com
Nothing that God does is “simple”. What is He showing us about the birth of Jesus? Just as He taught us to read the word, “lamb”, now we take another look at the word, “manger”. A manger is a trough-box from which horses and cattle would eat their meal of grain and or hay placed inside by the keepers. You know God! We now have to interpret the entire scenario. A stable is a place where cattle are kept. Inside we find Mary and her infant newborn son named Jesus by the angels. Just like God did to me, I ask you, “What do you see here”? Just in case some of you are too timid to speak up, I’ll go first! Jesus was the bread of Heaven sent down by Father to feed the children born in Satan’s prison of Earth. Horses and cattle must eat, and so must God’s children. But, if we look closely at the word, we see “m(y) - anger”. How is this “God’s anger”?
Zechariah 2:8 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.
Have you ever been poked in the eye deliberately of by accident”? How did it make you feel? Jesus came down to Earth as a “pattern son”. His glory symbolized the glory reserved for all men. Those enemies who touched Jesus provoked God’s anger. In like manner, those who touch humans also provoke God’s wrath.
John 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
2 Corinthians 6:16 And what agreement hath the
Malachi 3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. 5 And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.
Matthew 25:42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
When God “suddenly comes to his temple”, what do you suppose he will find?
Matthew 12:43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
Matthew 13:27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 0 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Back to Jesus in the manger, even as he is the bread that came down from Heaven, he gave us the same glory that Father gave him. We can only be the bread of Heaven when and if God’s Words abide in us and we share those Words with others. Jesus was also the “water of life”, because “out of his belly flowed rivers of living waters”.
John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
Revelation 1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
For this to be true for any man, he must have God's Words inside him, and speak those same words as his testimony.
1 John_5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
John 6:53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. 58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
John 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
When Jesus was born, a star stood over the stable where Mary and the baby were resting. The Magi kings from the east paid them a visit and brought gifts for them.
Matthew 2:9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
Angels also heralded his birth declaring:
Luke 2:10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Old Simeon also prophesied about the great work God will do because of Jesus.
Luke 2:34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;
We have learned in the GOOD NEWS that this is about the two
simultaneous resurrections what happen when Jesus calls the names found in the
Book of Life. The spirit children are
REDEEMED to
God said He will be a swift “Witness” against all
corrupters and polluters when He comes
to His temple. He will allow enemy tares
to remain bundled with His good seed.
But on the day of reckoning, He will command the reapers to bring my
children into
Malachi 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. 17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
Hebrews 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
Revelation 16:19 And the great city was divided into
three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great
Enoch 68:2 And on that day Michael answered Raphael and said: 'The power of the spirit transports and makes me to tremble because of the severity of the judgement of the secrets, the judgement of the angels: who can endure the severe judgement which has been executed, and before 3 which they melt away? 'And Michael answered again, and said to Raphael: 'Who is he whose heart is not softened concerning it, and whose reins are not troubled by this word of judgement 4 (that) has gone forth upon them because of those who have thus led them out? 'And it came to pass when he stood before the Lord of Spirits, Michael said thus to Raphael: 'I will not take their part under the eye of the Lord; for the Lord of Spirits has been angry with them because they do 5 as if they were the Lord. Therefore all that is hidden shall come upon them for ever and ever; for neither angel nor man shall have his portion (in it), but alone they have received their judgement for ever and ever.'
God is an expert Playwright. He packed all this information into the manger scene after Jesus was born. All these themes can be examined regarding Jesus’ work and what he means to God for the salvation work they both will do for humankind.
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