Category: Articles and Devotionals

I’m sure I’m not the only Christian bothered by the skyline of Jewish Jerusalem and seeing the Al-Aqsa Mosque and bright gold Dome of the Rock shrine dominating the land where the Temple of Solomon once stood.

According to Reuters, “The Al-Aqsa lies at the heart of Jerusalem’s Old City on a hill known to Jews as Har ha-Bayit, or Temple Mount, and to Muslims internationally as al-Haram al-Sharif, or The Noble Sanctuary. Muslims regard the site as the third holiest in Islam, after Mecca and Medina.”

(As an aside, it was built approx. 680-690 AD during a civil war to give a rivaling Islamic faction, followers of prominent Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik, a religious focal point since he didn’t have possession of Mecca.)

“Al-Aqsa is the name given to the whole compound and is home to two Muslim holy places: the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, also known as the Qibli Mosque, which was built in the 8th century AD. The compound overlooks the Western Wall, a sacred place of prayer for Jews, for whom the Temple Mount is their most sacred site. Jews believe biblical King Solomon built the first temple there 3,000 years ago. A second temple was razed by the Romans in AD 70.”

The Romans laid complete siege to Jerusalem, took anything valuable or sacred, and some of the surviving Jews fled and became part of the Diaspora elsewhere in the Roman Empire. 

Time went on.  Wars were fought.  Including Christians.  (Islam didn’t exist then.  It originated in Mecca about 610 AD.)

“The twenty-five years of unprecedented conflict [Great Wars of Antiquity] greatly weakened both empires, leaving them vulnerable to attack. And when that attack finally came in the early 630s, the Romans and Persians could do little to stop the wave of Arab conquests. In the following decades, the Sasanian Empire and much of the Roman world were swallowed up by the Arabs. The emergence of Islamic faith led to a new world order and a decisive break from the classical past. The Byzantine Empire lost much of its territory to Arab conquests.”

This chapter of Jerusalem might be titled “Expedience is a Poor Negotiation Skill” or “What were you thinking?  Have you lost your mind?” There was a guy named Sophronius, the Eastern Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem. As the Arabs were incoming, he collected up relics and sent them off to Constantinople, and then Sophronius surrendered and signed Jerusalem away to the caliph.

The precise date (637-638) of the surrender of Jerusalem is up for debate, but the result was far-reaching.  

Questions for further Thought:

What do you think about Sophronius taking all the “holy relics” offshore to go to Constantinople but surrendering the Holy City?

Land lost through involuntary acts when defeated by an enemy, is that the same in the eyes of God as signing it away?

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, it is Your Jerusalem.  The place Your Father and our Father decreed for His temple to be built, a real place where You worshiped in Your lifetime.  By Your grace, let us not despise history nor worship manmade things or buildings which can never contain You.  You wept over Jerusalem.  You said, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’ Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. “Do you see all these things?” He asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”” (Matthew 23:37-24:2).  Oh, Lord, I’m glad none of this takes You by surprise.  We long for the day when we cry “Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord”!  Come, Lord Jesus.  Amen!

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 By signing up on the sidebar of my Home Page you can receive these daily “From the Jews for the World” devotionals. Or they will be reposted on SeminaryGal’s Facebook page as well.

===

Acknowledging inquiries about an entire season’s devotionals for your study group’s planning purposes, Seminary Gal’s prior seasons’ Advent devotionals can be accessed via the archives to the right and are as follows:  

• “Awaken Remnant” was the devotional topic for 2022. It began November 27, 2022, and highlighted the remnant found throughout Scripture as evident in Jesus’ lineage.
• The multi-faceted Interlude between the promise of a Deliverer and the birth of our Messiah and King was the theme of 2021’s devotional series. It is archived beginning November 28, 2021.
• 2020’s Devotional Series Divine Intervention began on November 29, 2020 and explored God’s activity on behalf of a hurting world and nations in tumult– Intervention for you and for me when our status as sinners required nothing short of a miracle.
• God’s Christmas list explored what might be on God’s Christmas list, learning what He wants from us. It began December 1, 2019.
• Storyteller began December 2, 2018 and entered into the Christmas story through its telling.
• The 2017 series Still Christmas, began December 3, 2017 and was the Advent complement to the Lenten series, Be Still and Know that I AM God.
• The 2016 season devotionals were called “Timeless: The Message of Christmas for All Ages” and explored how the message of Christmas is timeless truth, for all ages of people, and for all ages at all times.  Timeless hope, encouragement, grace, peace, and love as we looked into the Word, saw the face of our Lord Jesus, and experienced restoration in His presence.  His goodness and His Gospel are truly Timeless. The 2016 devotionals began November 27, 2016.
• The 2015 season devotionals were titled Incarnation and involved digging deep–and yes, I mean deep– in this important mystery of Christian theology.  They began November 29, 2015.
• Carol Me, Christmas! remains one of my most popular offerings and tells the Christmas story through our most beloved Christmas hymns and carols.  You can access all of the numbered devotionals from 2014 via the archives.  They began November 30, 2014.
• The 2013 series was Emmanuel: When LOVE Showed Up in Person and examined the Prologue to the Gospel of John.  It began December 1, 2013.
• The 2012 series focused on Expecting the Unexpected…the unexpected, unlikely, and uniquely divine qualities of God’s perfect plan outlined in Luke’s account of the Christmas story.  It began December 1, 2012.

I’m starting to get really annoyed at the appropriation by TikTok theologians of the Jewish Jesus who fulfilled Scripture.  If I’ve seen it once, I’ve seen it a dozen times or more the claim that Jesus was simply Palestinian (with no mention that He was a Jew or the Son of God).

The word Palestine, they claim, has been used to refer to the territory surrounding Bethlehem since 5 the century BC when Greek writer Herodotus used the word.  (A Greek writer.) They say the origin of the word itself comes from Philistine (you know, like shepherd David used a sling and 3 smooth stones, one of which landed in the head of the Philistine and killed Goliath, the evil giant). 

And since Jesus was born in the “land of the Philistines”, they argue, He must be Palestinian.  Nope.

By that line of anachronistic thought, anyone born during the Roman occupation at Jesus’ birth must be Italian.

Let’s just state this clearly.  Whether one wants to use shorthand “Palestine” to refer to Biblical areas of Judea and Samaria, it does not matter.  Jesus was not Palestinian. He was a Jew born in Judea.

The world’s oldest land dispute originated in Genesis 13:14-15 when God promised it to Abram and affirmed it in Genesis 17. 

“The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.” Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. (Genesis 17:8-9)

Questions for further thought:

Have Jewish people historically lived at peace with Christians?  Ignore the viral TikTok narrative reels of Orthodox priests supposedly spitting on everyone in sight.  I’ve been to Israel.  Walked the streets and far from being spat upon, I was welcomed.  The Jews know their Holy Land is holy to Christians, too, and that true, biblical Christians are their great friends.

Why would Jews feel as though true Christians are their great friends, but true Muslims are not?

Why might other religious groups than Jews or Christians want to claim the birthplace of Jesus, Bethlehem, as their own? 

What distinguishes the Jews of today’s Jerusalem from the Jews of Jesus’ Jerusalem?  Neither group (as a whole) believes in Jesus.  Some Jews from Jesus’ Jerusalem (Peter, Matthew, James, etc.) would come to see Jesus as their Messiah after His death/resurrection.  What about today’s Jews?  Jews for Jesus has a strong presence there believing that an ingathering is coming. Are today’s Jews beyond the reach of God?

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, help us to see those from Your ancestral home through Your eyes.  Help us to speak tenderly to open the eyes of the spiritually blinded so they may see Your grace in offering salvation first to the Jew and then, importantly, for the world.  Please, Lord, give us open hearts to welcome Your people who are yet to be redeemed whether from Arab communities, Gentile communities or Jewish ones.  Grant us wisdom by which to speak, grace to offer mercy to people who need both Your message and mercy.  I pray for the Peace of Jerusalem, Lord.  For only You can give that.  Amen.

===

 By signing up on the sidebar of my Home Page you can receive these daily “From the Jews for the World” devotionals. Or they will be reposted on SeminaryGal’s Facebook page as well.

===

Acknowledging inquiries about an entire season’s devotionals for your study group’s planning purposes, Seminary Gal’s prior seasons’ Advent devotionals can be accessed via the archives to the right and are as follows:  

• “Awaken Remnant” was the devotional topic for 2022. It began November 27, 2022, and highlighted the remnant found throughout Scripture as evident in Jesus’ lineage.
• The multi-faceted Interlude between the promise of a Deliverer and the birth of our Messiah and King was the theme of 2021’s devotional series. It is archived beginning November 28, 2021.
• 2020’s Devotional Series Divine Intervention began on November 29, 2020 and explored God’s activity on behalf of a hurting world and nations in tumult– Intervention for you and for me when our status as sinners required nothing short of a miracle.
• God’s Christmas list explored what might be on God’s Christmas list, learning what He wants from us. It began December 1, 2019.
• Storyteller began December 2, 2018 and entered into the Christmas story through its telling.
• The 2017 series Still Christmas, began December 3, 2017 and was the Advent complement to the Lenten series, Be Still and Know that I AM God.
• The 2016 season devotionals were called “Timeless: The Message of Christmas for All Ages” and explored how the message of Christmas is timeless truth, for all ages of people, and for all ages at all times.  Timeless hope, encouragement, grace, peace, and love as we looked into the Word, saw the face of our Lord Jesus, and experienced restoration in His presence.  His goodness and His Gospel are truly Timeless. The 2016 devotionals began November 27, 2016.
• The 2015 season devotionals were titled Incarnation and involved digging deep–and yes, I mean deep– in this important mystery of Christian theology.  They began November 29, 2015.
• Carol Me, Christmas! remains one of my most popular offerings and tells the Christmas story through our most beloved Christmas hymns and carols.  You can access all of the numbered devotionals from 2014 via the archives.  They began November 30, 2014.
• The 2013 series was Emmanuel: When LOVE Showed Up in Person and examined the Prologue to the Gospel of John.  It began December 1, 2013.
• The 2012 series focused on Expecting the Unexpected…the unexpected, unlikely, and uniquely divine qualities of God’s perfect plan outlined in Luke’s account of the Christmas story.  It began December 1, 2012.

A usual baby born in a natural way to any man in David’s family line like Joseph and any usual woman in Bethlehem.  Nothing supernatural.  He’d grow up to be powerful because he had good genes, the right education taught by premier academics, the right path opened for him by his parents’ and political connections, and, of course, a little bit of luck and a ton of charisma.  And he’ll rise to rule the world!!!

* * * * * * (That describes the antichrist.) * * * * * *

Take a moment and let that sink in. 
That description of messiah is who many Jews of today
are still waiting for–
to put their trust in a man.  

The fact of where Jesus came from…that Jesus is the Son of God… makes the world of difference. No external human being helped Him to find the path to success or would be able to take credit for Him. No amount of being a self-made man would give Him reason to boast because Jesus was not self-made.  No getting it done without any help from God explains Jesus.  Nothing but God could account for His rise, nor for the unexpected: His Crucifixion. 

Think about this bizarre turn in the plan of God.  Kill the Messiah.

In the case of Jesus Christ, it IS about Who You are and where You’re from.  Because it explains most fully what He was doing then and what He’s about to do.

Questions for further thought:

If the target was always peace with God (by payment for sin), how was the death of the Messiah necessary?

1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.”

If Jesus triumphed over death at the tomb, why is the last enemy to be yet destroyed…still…death?  Did people stop dying after Jesus’ ascension?  Why not?

Prayer:

Thank You, Lord Jesus for being born King by the mercy and grace of God the Father!  Thank You that You did not waver in Your mission of bringing peace with God and fulfilling Scripture “From the Jews, for the World.”  We praise You that no one contributed to Your success and yet Your humility and grace give the awesome privilege of Your Gospel to share with the world.  Lord, I pray that the first paragraph description of the antichrist will resonate deep in the hearts of my Jewish friends. May the shock of that realization cause them to see the glorious grace by which You came as a baby in a supernatural event to do in the spiritual realm what only the Man of Heaven could accomplish.  Let them turn, by Your light and power, from earthly plane expectations (hope invested in a man who will rise to powerfully betray them) and begin the process of their coming back to You as the end draws near.  Thank You, Lord, that You’ve given this task of sharing the Gospel with Your followers to reach Your world.  May it bear fruit to Your glory.  Amen.

===

 By signing up on the sidebar of my Home Page you can receive these daily “From the Jews for the World” devotionals. Or they will be reposted on SeminaryGal’s Facebook page as well.

===

Acknowledging inquiries about an entire season’s devotionals for your study group’s planning purposes, Seminary Gal’s prior seasons’ Advent devotionals can be accessed via the archives to the right and are as follows:  

• “Awaken Remnant” was the devotional topic for 2022. It began November 27, 2022, and highlighted the remnant found throughout Scripture as evident in Jesus’ lineage.
• The multi-faceted Interlude between the promise of a Deliverer and the birth of our Messiah and King was the theme of 2021’s devotional series. It is archived beginning November 28, 2021.
• 2020’s Devotional Series Divine Intervention began on November 29, 2020 and explored God’s activity on behalf of a hurting world and nations in tumult– Intervention for you and for me when our status as sinners required nothing short of a miracle.
• God’s Christmas list explored what might be on God’s Christmas list, learning what He wants from us. It began December 1, 2019.
• Storyteller began December 2, 2018 and entered into the Christmas story through its telling.
• The 2017 series Still Christmas, began December 3, 2017 and was the Advent complement to the Lenten series, Be Still and Know that I AM God.
• The 2016 season devotionals were called “Timeless: The Message of Christmas for All Ages” and explored how the message of Christmas is timeless truth, for all ages of people, and for all ages at all times.  Timeless hope, encouragement, grace, peace, and love as we looked into the Word, saw the face of our Lord Jesus, and experienced restoration in His presence.  His goodness and His Gospel are truly Timeless. The 2016 devotionals began November 27, 2016.
• The 2015 season devotionals were titled Incarnation and involved digging deep–and yes, I mean deep– in this important mystery of Christian theology.  They began November 29, 2015.
• Carol Me, Christmas! remains one of my most popular offerings and tells the Christmas story through our most beloved Christmas hymns and carols.  You can access all of the numbered devotionals from 2014 via the archives.  They began November 30, 2014.
• The 2013 series was Emmanuel: When LOVE Showed Up in Person and examined the Prologue to the Gospel of John.  It began December 1, 2013.
• The 2012 series focused on Expecting the Unexpected…the unexpected, unlikely, and uniquely divine qualities of God’s perfect plan outlined in Luke’s account of the Christmas story.  It began December 1, 2012.

Jesus’ birth was more political than His death.  The whole world was more than content to crucify Jesus after He’d been around for a while.  Sure the angels proclaimed His birth to the Jews, but that was long ago, and it didn’t turn out like they’d thought it should.  In the end, it didn’t matter when it came time to crucify Him. The Jewish elites were on board every bit as much as the Romans whose law had to be invoked to do it. 

A strange case of unity to fulfill prophecy. 

.

It wasn’t just Jews or just the Romans.  It was everyone, and ironically everyone since it was proclaimed good news for great joy for all the people (Luke 2:10-14).  Yet 30 years later, that was forgotten. Taking sides together against God became the fashion (just as it is today). 

Jesus’ birth upended everything. First, for the Jews, his birth was good news for causing great joy to all the people, not just the select few or the select Jew. Some would believe that He was the Messiah, others that He was their Messiah alone, and others would not believe at all.  It divided Jew from Jew, even members of one’s own household, just as Jesus predicted.

Jesus said, “Proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near’…Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword… a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ (Matthew 10:10, 34-36) It certainly proved true among the Jewish brethren.

But, for the world political system, Jesus’ birth (seen from the spiritual plane) meant that governments among men are only that: among men.  They will be forever subordinate to the only true government of God as His Kingdom of righteousness in this world.  It’s a Kingdom of Heaven and peace with God. The world still hates that.

Questions for further thought:

“The Canadian Human Rights Commission claims that Christianity in practice in Canada is essentially a form of discrimination in a recent paper. “Only through better understanding of how religious intolerance takes place in Canada can our legislation, policies and programs be crafted to address the causes and consequences of this intolerance,” the paper reads.

How does keeping politics out of Christmas serve only to secularize it?

Is true salvation “from the Jews, for the world” easier or harder when Christmas has been secularized and Christian religious beliefs have been downgraded to unimportant nuances? Can a Muslim or a Jew or a Hindu celebrate with Santa and reindeer and presents? Is salvation communicated in a Santa scenario?

Tertullian (one of the prominent Church fathers of the Western church) famously stated, “‘What indeed has Athens to do with Jerusalem?’ What concord is there between the Academy and the Church?”  How did Jesus’ birth enter into that debate before it was written and upend the religion of Jerusalem and the politics of the world with its philosophers?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to see that Your goal was far bigger than an earthly peace.  May we not dismiss the political realities of Your birth and death as if they are removed from politics entirely.  Help us to speak boldly into the world and not be ashamed of the Kingdom of Heaven and the peace with God that You came to bring.  Amen.

===

 By signing up on the sidebar of my Home Page you can receive these daily “From the Jews for the World” devotionals. Or they will be reposted on SeminaryGal’s Facebook page as well.

===

Acknowledging inquiries about an entire season’s devotionals for your study group’s planning purposes, Seminary Gal’s prior seasons’ Advent devotionals can be accessed via the archives to the right and are as follows:  

• “Awaken Remnant” was the devotional topic for 2022. It began November 27, 2022, and highlighted the remnant found throughout Scripture as evident in Jesus’ lineage.
• The multi-faceted Interlude between the promise of a Deliverer and the birth of our Messiah and King was the theme of 2021’s devotional series. It is archived beginning November 28, 2021.
• 2020’s Devotional Series Divine Intervention began on November 29, 2020 and explored God’s activity on behalf of a hurting world and nations in tumult– Intervention for you and for me when our status as sinners required nothing short of a miracle.
• God’s Christmas list explored what might be on God’s Christmas list, learning what He wants from us. It began December 1, 2019.
• Storyteller began December 2, 2018 and entered into the Christmas story through its telling.
• The 2017 series Still Christmas, began December 3, 2017 and was the Advent complement to the Lenten series, Be Still and Know that I AM God.
• The 2016 season devotionals were called “Timeless: The Message of Christmas for All Ages” and explored how the message of Christmas is timeless truth, for all ages of people, and for all ages at all times.  Timeless hope, encouragement, grace, peace, and love as we looked into the Word, saw the face of our Lord Jesus, and experienced restoration in His presence.  His goodness and His Gospel are truly Timeless. The 2016 devotionals began November 27, 2016.
• The 2015 season devotionals were titled Incarnation and involved digging deep–and yes, I mean deep– in this important mystery of Christian theology.  They began November 29, 2015.
• Carol Me, Christmas! remains one of my most popular offerings and tells the Christmas story through our most beloved Christmas hymns and carols.  You can access all of the numbered devotionals from 2014 via the archives.  They began November 30, 2014.
• The 2013 series was Emmanuel: When LOVE Showed Up in Person and examined the Prologue to the Gospel of John.  It began December 1, 2013.
• The 2012 series focused on Expecting the Unexpected…the unexpected, unlikely, and uniquely divine qualities of God’s perfect plan outlined in Luke’s account of the Christmas story.  It began December 1, 2012.

.

Jesus’ mom was Jewish.  His Dad is God.  To all the so-called church leaders out there diminishing His birth by removing all celebrations because of the war between Hamas and Israel, is that what Jesus would do? Wow, there’s strife in the world among men.  I guess we should put communicating peace with God for all eternity on hold until a better time.

Maybe Bethlehem hasn’t had a problem with the commercialization of the Nativity, but for quite a while, they’ve had a problem with the Jews and demonstrably with Christians of faith (not ecumenism or The Church of the Holy Tourist). 

“According to the statistics provided to CNA by the Ministry of Tourism, the economy of Bethlehem relies on tourism for 60%-70%. “We were expecting that 2023 was supposed to be the peak year” … But the war has changed everything. “We expect that 12,000 out of 15,000 workers are no longer employed in the tourism industry. I can estimate that 90% among them are Christians,” he said.”

Many Christians have chosen to flee the area due to persecution and religious harassment.

“In 1950, Bethlehem and the surrounding villages were 86 percent Christian. But by 2016, the Christian population dipped to just 12 percent, according Bethlehem mayor Vera Baboun. Across the West Bank, Christians now account for less than 2 percent of the population, though in the 1970s, Christians were 5 percent of the population. In Bethlehem, the traditional birthplace of Jesus, today there are just 11,000 Christians.”

Bethlehem was administered by the British Mandate from 1920 to 1948 when Israel became a recognized state.  However, since 1995, Bethlehem is located in territory under Palestinian National Authority administration and military control by decree from the UN.  The influx of refugees from the war-torn region into Bethlehem changed the demographic profile from a Christian majority into a Muslim one.

“In 2020, when the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PCPSR) asked Christian Palestinians “how they felt under Israeli occupation,” 70 percent responded that they felt safe, 94 percent said they were free to travel, and 57 percent said they never felt harassed when crossing Israeli checkpoints.

“If Israel does not make Christian Palestinians feel unsafe, then who does? According to PCPSR, 87 percent of Christians worried about a surge in crime in PA territory, 77 percent feared radical Islamist groups, including Hamas, and 67 percent of Palestinian Christians said they felt unsettled about a provision in the Palestinian Basic Law that stipulates that “the principles of Islamic sharia are a main source of legislation.”

The one place in the Middle East where minorities have continued to thrive is… yes, Israel.

Questions for further thought:

Dating back to Bethlehem’s mention in the Bible, there was neither Christian majority nor Muslim.  When Joseph and Mary went to the census, Christianity did not exist.  It was Jews, nomadic tribes of Arabs, and Roman pagans.  Islam wasn’t invented until Muhammad in 610 AD.  Galilee and Judea were considered Jewish though under Roman rule.  Hence, the census.  “So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.” (Luke 2:4-5).   

How did the Roman census serve to have the Messiah born exactly where Scripture foretold?

Today, by making sure there are no Jews remaining in Bethlehem, how does that dash any remaining Jewish expectation for the Messiah to be born there?  How does that serve to discourage Jews in their Messianic hopes?  How ought it help Jews of faith to reconsider that their Christ has, in fact, come?

Prayer:

Lord God, please use me to communicate the arrival of the Messiah 2000 years ago in a manger in Bethlehem and the ways in which He is presently fulfilling every expectation the Jewish people ever had regarding their Messiah.  The ingathering of Jews has begun, the capital of the nation of Israel is Jerusalem, and You will return.  We look to the clouds for Your coming and ask in today’s moment, You will help us to communicate the love of God “from the Jews for the world.”  We praise You that You wrapped Him up in a tiny package of an unexpecting baby to be crucified as a man and to rise to the glory of God.  We praise You for Your plan of salvation.  Amen.

There’s a difference between not complicating the very simple message of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and what’s going on in the city of His birth this Christmas. 

Church leaders have made the decision considering the war in a totally separate area of the West Bank (Gaza) to eliminate all “unnecessarily festive activities.” 

Bethlehem is listed as located within the “State of Palestine” having gone from “Palestinian Controlled Occupied West Bank” to the “State of Palestine” in a flash of the Internet.  139 UN countries have recognized it even since the October 7 Hamas attack upon Israel.

The Church leaders in the area wrote,
 “Therefore, We, the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem, call upon our congregations to stand strong with those facing such afflictions by this year foregoing any unnecessarily festive activities,” the patriarchs wrote. “We likewise encourage our priests and the faithful to focus more on the spiritual meaning of Christmas in their pastoral activities and liturgical celebrations during this period, with all the focus directed at holding in our thoughts our brothers and sisters affected by this war and its consequences, and with fervent prayers for a just and lasting peace for our beloved Holy Land.”

Uh, all the focus?! The spiritual meaning has absolutely nothing to do with just and lasting peace in the Holy Land and the afflictions faced by residents therein. 

The spiritual meaning is that the Messiah, Savior of the world was born.  From the Jews, for the world.  Shouldn’t we celebrate it all the more in a world of trouble…because it’s a spiritual hope?

.

But far from the spiritual meaning, the Church leaders write, “Instead, by edict of the Patriarch and Church Heads of Jerusalem, this December will be very much like that first Christmas 2,000 years ago. No gifts, no celebrations, no fireworks or festivities– Just a babe born on a deep winter night under a bright star.”

Questions for further thought:

Just a babe? Just….a…babe?  “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:11-12)

He wasn’t just a regular babe.  He is the Son of God.  How does that make His birth different?

No celebrations of His birth 2000 years ago?  What did the angelic choir do?  “Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:13-14). Pipe down, you angels, there’s a war going on.

How does this action by so-called church leaders subsume the eternally significant birth of the Messiah under the politics of the moment and fail to witness to the world true hope and peace found in the preeminent importance of His birth being “From the Jews, for the world?” It makes you wonder, are these “church leaders and patriarchs” even Christian at all?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, forgive us for the cowardice, blindness, and irresponsibility of those in leadership in our churches.  Forgive us for elevating them and diminishing You.  As You said to the Samaritan woman at the well, “”If you knew the gift of God and Who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” (John 4:10) Lord, we ask that You will turn this for Your glory.  That You would send unquenchable fire in our hearts, and eternally living water for our souls, that there would be celebrations on earth and in the heavens to display unmistakably for a watching world… that the festivities are far from “unnecessarily” festive, but rather true unrestrained rejoicing of a cosmos in the birth of our Messiah, and that You are Lord.  We celebrate You.  We look forward to Your return and celebrate Your saying You will come again soon.  Amen, Come, Lord Jesus.

===

 By signing up on the sidebar of my Home Page you can receive these daily “From the Jews for the World” devotionals. Or they will be reposted on SeminaryGal’s Facebook page as well.

===

Acknowledging inquiries about an entire season’s devotionals for your study group’s planning purposes, Seminary Gal’s prior seasons’ Advent devotionals can be accessed via the archives to the right and are as follows:  

• “Awaken Remnant” was the devotional topic for 2022. It began November 27, 2022, and highlighted the remnant found throughout Scripture as evident in Jesus’ lineage.
• The multi-faceted Interlude between the promise of a Deliverer and the birth of our Messiah and King was the theme of 2021’s devotional series. It is archived beginning November 28, 2021.
• 2020’s Devotional Series Divine Intervention began on November 29, 2020 and explored God’s activity on behalf of a hurting world and nations in tumult– Intervention for you and for me when our status as sinners required nothing short of a miracle.
• God’s Christmas list explored what might be on God’s Christmas list, learning what He wants from us. It began December 1, 2019.
• Storyteller began December 2, 2018 and entered into the Christmas story through its telling.
• The 2017 series Still Christmas, began December 3, 2017 and was the Advent complement to the Lenten series, Be Still and Know that I AM God.
• The 2016 season devotionals were called “Timeless: The Message of Christmas for All Ages” and explored how the message of Christmas is timeless truth, for all ages of people, and for all ages at all times.  Timeless hope, encouragement, grace, peace, and love as we looked into the Word, saw the face of our Lord Jesus, and experienced restoration in His presence.  His goodness and His Gospel are truly Timeless. The 2016 devotionals began November 27, 2016.
• The 2015 season devotionals were titled Incarnation and involved digging deep–and yes, I mean deep– in this important mystery of Christian theology.  They began November 29, 2015.
• Carol Me, Christmas! remains one of my most popular offerings and tells the Christmas story through our most beloved Christmas hymns and carols.  You can access all of the numbered devotionals from 2014 via the archives.  They began November 30, 2014.
• The 2013 series was Emmanuel: When LOVE Showed Up in Person and examined the Prologue to the Gospel of John.  It began December 1, 2013.
• The 2012 series focused on Expecting the Unexpected…the unexpected, unlikely, and uniquely divine qualities of God’s perfect plan outlined in Luke’s account of the Christmas story.  It began December 1, 2012.

Any political or religious movement that relishes, welcomes, or pursues death of any part of humanity (young, old, religious, ethnic, etc.) has no part in the Christian worldview.  Beware of any political or religious ideology that seeks the death of Jesus’ heritage or the faith movement He began.

.

Seriously, is this that hard a concept?? Our God values life and therefore, the existence in the Christian heart of anti-values like “Death to America! Death to the Jews! From the River to the Sea” have no place.  Death is Satan’s playground.

Beware of any religious ideology that is against God. (Even if half of that religious ideology claims it is peaceful and its writings allow it to confuse and deceive if it furthers that religion’s aims).  Moreover, if eradicating the Jews could stop the Messiah from coming, or if killing all the Christians, or if sealing off the Beautiful Gate (Golden Gate, Eastern Gate) in Jerusalem as was done by the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman in 1541, what does it say about that person’s view of the Messiah?

Questions for further thought:

If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)

“He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all– how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one.

Christ Jesus who died– more than that, who was raised to life– is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:32-39)

If the Messiah is a man, blocking the entrance to Jerusalem will not be a huge obstacle.  If the Messiah is God the Son, how stupid is that to think that a few bricks are going to stop Him?

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, as Your return is “soon” according to Your Word, help us to look for Your coming. By Your grace and power, may we be found faithful when You return.  Keep our eyes focused on You.  For You are Faithful and True.  Amen.

===

 By signing up on the sidebar of my Home Page you can receive these daily “From the Jews for the World” devotionals. Or they will be reposted on SeminaryGal’s Facebook page as well.

===

Acknowledging inquiries about an entire season’s devotionals for your study group’s planning purposes, Seminary Gal’s prior seasons’ Advent devotionals can be accessed via the archives to the right and are as follows:  

• “Awaken Remnant” was the devotional topic for 2022. It began November 27, 2022, and highlighted the remnant found throughout Scripture as evident in Jesus’ lineage.
• The multi-faceted Interlude between the promise of a Deliverer and the birth of our Messiah and King was the theme of 2021’s devotional series. It is archived beginning November 28, 2021.
• 2020’s Devotional Series Divine Intervention began on November 29, 2020 and explored God’s activity on behalf of a hurting world and nations in tumult– Intervention for you and for me when our status as sinners required nothing short of a miracle.
• God’s Christmas list explored what might be on God’s Christmas list, learning what He wants from us. It began December 1, 2019.
• Storyteller began December 2, 2018 and entered into the Christmas story through its telling.
• The 2017 series Still Christmas, began December 3, 2017 and was the Advent complement to the Lenten series, Be Still and Know that I AM God.
• The 2016 season devotionals were called “Timeless: The Message of Christmas for All Ages” and explored how the message of Christmas is timeless truth, for all ages of people, and for all ages at all times.  Timeless hope, encouragement, grace, peace, and love as we looked into the Word, saw the face of our Lord Jesus, and experienced restoration in His presence.  His goodness and His Gospel are truly Timeless. The 2016 devotionals began November 27, 2016.
• The 2015 season devotionals were titled Incarnation and involved digging deep–and yes, I mean deep– in this important mystery of Christian theology.  They began November 29, 2015.
• Carol Me, Christmas! remains one of my most popular offerings and tells the Christmas story through our most beloved Christmas hymns and carols.  You can access all of the numbered devotionals from 2014 via the archives.  They began November 30, 2014.
• The 2013 series was Emmanuel: When LOVE Showed Up in Person and examined the Prologue to the Gospel of John.  It began December 1, 2013.
• The 2012 series focused on Expecting the Unexpected…the unexpected, unlikely, and uniquely divine qualities of God’s perfect plan outlined in Luke’s account of the Christmas story.  It began December 1, 2012.

Jesus wasn’t a Christian.  There were no Christians then. 
Jesus was born Jewish, raised Jewish, taught according to Judaism, and died as a Jew. 

Accept it.

.

Questions for further thought:

Why do people want to diminish Jesus’ heritage as a Jew?  Are they ashamed of Him?

In many churches, pastors are afraid of sounding political, more so if the politics are seen as upholding traditional Christianity.  Why are pastors content sounding political when the politics encourage “woke” culture?

On the spiritual side, what (or who) causes people to be afraid of culture and how is that a lesser fear than fearing God?

How does silence in the face of evil reflect the truth of what they believed?  Jesus said in Luke 12:4 “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear Him.”

Many pastors and churches were silent during the Holocaust.  Aside from fear, what might have been some additional reasons for their silence? 

How many pastors act as if every Jew is a problem, siding with Palestinian extremist protestors, believing that the Jews have been “occupiers” since well before Jesus, or that Jesus wasn’t Jewish?

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, grant that Your people should never be ashamed of You.  Of Who You are.  Of Your history, Your lineage, and Your teachings.  Help us to fear God and Him only.  As Your Church continues in faith, may we be strengthened against fear of persecution knowing You already told us how this was going to be.  We remember Your admonitions from John 15:20-27: “’A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted You, they will persecute us also. If they obeyed Your teaching, they will obey ours also.” 

Give us boldness because You said, “They will treat you this way because of My Name, for they do not know the One who sent Me.” 

At the root issue in our culture is sin.  Help us to stand firm on what You have said about sin: “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.” 

Help us to remember Your words about hate which won’t disappear until Your return: “Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’

When we feel timid or weak, we praise You for the Gift of the Holy Spirit because He will protect us in testifying about You:  “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father– the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father– he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.”

This is all about witness and we praise You that Your Word never returns to You empty (Isaiah 55:11). Amen.

===

 By signing up on the sidebar of my Home Page you can receive these daily “From the Jews for the World” devotionals. Or they will be reposted on SeminaryGal’s Facebook page as well.

===

Acknowledging inquiries about an entire season’s devotionals for your study group’s planning purposes, Seminary Gal’s prior seasons’ Advent devotionals can be accessed via the archives to the right and are as follows:  

• “Awaken Remnant” was the devotional topic for 2022. It began November 27, 2022, and highlighted the remnant found throughout Scripture as evident in Jesus’ lineage.
• The multi-faceted Interlude between the promise of a Deliverer and the birth of our Messiah and King was the theme of 2021’s devotional series. It is archived beginning November 28, 2021.
• 2020’s Devotional Series Divine Intervention began on November 29, 2020 and explored God’s activity on behalf of a hurting world and nations in tumult– Intervention for you and for me when our status as sinners required nothing short of a miracle.
• God’s Christmas list explored what might be on God’s Christmas list, learning what He wants from us. It began December 1, 2019.
• Storyteller began December 2, 2018 and entered into the Christmas story through its telling.
• The 2017 series Still Christmas, began December 3, 2017 and was the Advent complement to the Lenten series, Be Still and Know that I AM God.
• The 2016 season devotionals were called “Timeless: The Message of Christmas for All Ages” and explored how the message of Christmas is timeless truth, for all ages of people, and for all ages at all times.  Timeless hope, encouragement, grace, peace, and love as we looked into the Word, saw the face of our Lord Jesus, and experienced restoration in His presence.  His goodness and His Gospel are truly Timeless. The 2016 devotionals began November 27, 2016.
• The 2015 season devotionals were titled Incarnation and involved digging deep–and yes, I mean deep– in this important mystery of Christian theology.  They began November 29, 2015.
• Carol Me, Christmas! remains one of my most popular offerings and tells the Christmas story through our most beloved Christmas hymns and carols.  You can access all of the numbered devotionals from 2014 via the archives.  They began November 30, 2014.
• The 2013 series was Emmanuel: When LOVE Showed Up in Person and examined the Prologue to the Gospel of John.  It began December 1, 2013.
• The 2012 series focused on Expecting the Unexpected…the unexpected, unlikely, and uniquely divine qualities of God’s perfect plan outlined in Luke’s account of the Christmas story.  It began December 1, 2012.

To a paranoid political ruler like Herod, nothing could be worse than this visit from the Magi. 

Matthew 2:1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

.

King of the Jews?? Uh, Herod thought he was that.  Born king?  Someone born to take what was his by political appointment?

The Samaritan “half-breeds” (left behind to intermarry with Gentiles after the northern tribes were hauled off during the Assyrian exile) weren’t big fans of “the Jews,” and like the woman at the well, they had their own expectations about the Messiah. Herod was no better.  He was an Idumean (heritage to Edom) and consequently, didn’t think that much about any Messiah, yet through politics, he was appointed king over the Judean territory, over “the Jews”. 

King by political appointment! Until that fateful day when his paranoia and hatred of giving up any of his power made Messianic-King predictions worth squashing.  Herod undertook to kill Jewish boy babies in the vain attempt to prevent what God was establishing.

Matthew 2:16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.

Questions for further thought:

Has society become desensitized to killing babies or has it always been lurking under the surface?  Pharaoh did it in Egypt (Exodus 1).  Herod did it in Bethlehem (Matthew 2).  How does an increasing population look at atrocities like Hamas’ killing of Israeli babies on October 7 and feel it is somehow justified?  As if decapitating babies or incinerating them alive in ovens will somehow “Free Palestine.”  Make no mistake, these people’s actions document and display their evil root as enemies of God.

Why do enemies go after children?  What do children represent to a family, a faith, or a nation?

What would be the advantage in Jesus being King from His birth?  How is it more significant than rising to that level or being anointed by any man to be a king?

Prayer:

Lord, help us to see modern events in their historical settings.  Help us to hold firmly to Your Word, focus on advancing Your plan of salvation from the Jews for the world, and avoid getting embroiled in hatred for anyone.  Give us wisdom not to sacrifice Your truth for expediency of promises of peace in this world.  When society screams “Did God really say…?,” or that someone new will save us with a little political savvy, or crying “Peace!  Peace!,” help us to stand firm on Your Word.  “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68).  In You all things are Yes and Amen (2 Corinthians 1:20-24). 

===

 By signing up on the sidebar of my Home Page you can receive these daily “From the Jews for the World” devotionals. Or they will be reposted on SeminaryGal’s Facebook page as well.

===

Acknowledging inquiries about an entire season’s devotionals for your study group’s planning purposes, Seminary Gal’s prior seasons’ Advent devotionals can be accessed via the archives to the right and are as follows:  

• “Awaken Remnant” was the devotional topic for 2022. It began November 27, 2022, and highlighted the remnant found throughout Scripture as evident in Jesus’ lineage.
• The multi-faceted Interlude between the promise of a Deliverer and the birth of our Messiah and King was the theme of 2021’s devotional series. It is archived beginning November 28, 2021.
• 2020’s Devotional Series Divine Intervention began on November 29, 2020 and explored God’s activity on behalf of a hurting world and nations in tumult– Intervention for you and for me when our status as sinners required nothing short of a miracle.
• God’s Christmas list explored what might be on God’s Christmas list, learning what He wants from us. It began December 1, 2019.
• Storyteller began December 2, 2018 and entered into the Christmas story through its telling.
• The 2017 series Still Christmas, began December 3, 2017 and was the Advent complement to the Lenten series, Be Still and Know that I AM God.
• The 2016 season devotionals were called “Timeless: The Message of Christmas for All Ages” and explored how the message of Christmas is timeless truth, for all ages of people, and for all ages at all times.  Timeless hope, encouragement, grace, peace, and love as we looked into the Word, saw the face of our Lord Jesus, and experienced restoration in His presence.  His goodness and His Gospel are truly Timeless. The 2016 devotionals began November 27, 2016.
• The 2015 season devotionals were titled Incarnation and involved digging deep–and yes, I mean deep– in this important mystery of Christian theology.  They began November 29, 2015.
• Carol Me, Christmas! remains one of my most popular offerings and tells the Christmas story through our most beloved Christmas hymns and carols.  You can access all of the numbered devotionals from 2014 via the archives.  They began November 30, 2014.
• The 2013 series was Emmanuel: When LOVE Showed Up in Person and examined the Prologue to the Gospel of John.  It began December 1, 2013.
• The 2012 series focused on Expecting the Unexpected…the unexpected, unlikely, and uniquely divine qualities of God’s perfect plan outlined in Luke’s account of the Christmas story.  It began December 1, 2012.

You can’t say Jesus’ entrance to this earth wasn’t political. 
He was “born King of the Jews” (Matthew 2:1-2).

.

Aside from the fact that the Jews had a king whom nobody really liked (Herod), Jesus’ being born King of the Jews did not fit the profile of the expected Messiah.  The Messiah would not be born anything but would rise through normal political and military channels.  It’s part of why Jesus was such a disappointment to even disciples like Judas.  Where was the overthrow?  Where was the rebellion to upend the oppression of Roman rule?  Where was the vindication of the Jews?  Where was the peaceable kingdom brought in by military victory and rewarded with anointing as king?

Questions for further thought:

Revisit the Messianic checklist of expectations:

• ingathering of the exiles,
• restoration of Israel’s religious courts
• eternal peace,
• justice,
• end of wickedness, sin and heresy,
• restoration of the line of King David,
• rebuilding of Jerusalem,
• restoration of Temple service. 

Even restoration of the line of King David, how many people could trace their lineage back to David?

How does being “born King” upend that expectation of accomplishments leading up to Messianic title? 

What control did it take away from humans being able to choose their Messiah, vote him in or power to dethrone him?

How did being “born King” put the ball squarely in God’s court?  A gift of God, not by works that any man should boast (Ephesians 2:9).

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for Your wisdom and divine plan from of old.  We praise You that salvation doesn’t depend on us but is from You and “from the Jews” to the entire world.  Help us to share Your light with our brothers and sisters whether from the Jewish political spectrum or the Gentile one.  We bless Your Holy Name for making peace for us with You through the life and death of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

===

 By signing up on the sidebar of my Home Page you can receive these daily “From the Jews for the World” devotionals. Or they will be reposted on SeminaryGal’s Facebook page as well.

===

Acknowledging inquiries about an entire season’s devotionals for your study group’s planning purposes, Seminary Gal’s prior seasons’ Advent devotionals can be accessed via the archives to the right and are as follows:  

• “Awaken Remnant” was the devotional topic for 2022. It began November 27, 2022, and highlighted the remnant found throughout Scripture as evident in Jesus’ lineage.
• The multi-faceted Interlude between the promise of a Deliverer and the birth of our Messiah and King was the theme of 2021’s devotional series. It is archived beginning November 28, 2021.
• 2020’s Devotional Series Divine Intervention began on November 29, 2020 and explored God’s activity on behalf of a hurting world and nations in tumult– Intervention for you and for me when our status as sinners required nothing short of a miracle.
• God’s Christmas list explored what might be on God’s Christmas list, learning what He wants from us. It began December 1, 2019.
• Storyteller began December 2, 2018 and entered into the Christmas story through its telling.
• The 2017 series Still Christmas, began December 3, 2017 and was the Advent complement to the Lenten series, Be Still and Know that I AM God.
• The 2016 season devotionals were called “Timeless: The Message of Christmas for All Ages” and explored how the message of Christmas is timeless truth, for all ages of people, and for all ages at all times.  Timeless hope, encouragement, grace, peace, and love as we looked into the Word, saw the face of our Lord Jesus, and experienced restoration in His presence.  His goodness and His Gospel are truly Timeless. The 2016 devotionals began November 27, 2016.
• The 2015 season devotionals were titled Incarnation and involved digging deep–and yes, I mean deep– in this important mystery of Christian theology.  They began November 29, 2015.
• Carol Me, Christmas! remains one of my most popular offerings and tells the Christmas story through our most beloved Christmas hymns and carols.  You can access all of the numbered devotionals from 2014 via the archives.  They began November 30, 2014.
• The 2013 series was Emmanuel: When LOVE Showed Up in Person and examined the Prologue to the Gospel of John.  It began December 1, 2013.
• The 2012 series focused on Expecting the Unexpected…the unexpected, unlikely, and uniquely divine qualities of God’s perfect plan outlined in Luke’s account of the Christmas story.  It began December 1, 2012.