Wednesday, December 11, 2013

CHRISTMAS IN REVELATION




SHEPHERD TO SHEEP 

CHRISTMAS IN REVELATION

Did you know that Christmas is found in the book of Revelation? 

First you have a Satanic Christmas because the world will be so evil during the Tribulation:  (Rev 11:7-10) When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.  8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.  9 Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves.  10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. 

Notice how people were so excited to get rid of the two witnesses of God that they exchanged gifts!  See what happens when you take Christ out of society?  God puts the spirit of celebration in our hearts and if we don’t worship His Son then we end up with a cheap substitute.  How meaningless the holiday can be when you replace it with something so foreign to its original design.  Having Christmas without Christ is like people coming over to your birthday party and no one ever acknowledges you or even gives you a present.  It’s all about you, but your friends make it into something that’s all about them.    

Then you have a picture of the events of Bethlehem during the birth of Christ: (Rev 12:1-5) Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars.  2 Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth. 3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads.  4 His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born.  5 She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne. 

The woman is Israel (Gen 37:9‑11) and she is in pain to give birth because Israel was waiting for the Messiah to come forth.  The red dragon represents Satan and His murderous nature.  He rebelled against God and was kicked out of heaven taking a third of the angels with him, who became demons.  When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Satan stirred up Herod to kill the Christ child but Joseph and his family fled to Egypt for safety (Mat 2:13-16).  Jesus was to be born and then die for the sins of mankind.  He rose again from the dead and then ascended to the Father.  Soon He will rule in His kingdom on the earth and the whole world will worship Him.   

The devil’s holiday or Merry CHRISTmas.  Let’s give gifts to honor the greatest gift of all…Jesus! 

Louie

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