Everyone knows the Christmas story. But the birth of Jesus was on this wise. The angel Gabriel had spoken to Zacharias, Mary and Joseph. Joseph took Mary as his wife. She was pregnant with Jesus. Mary was about 8 months pregnant when Ceasar announced a taxed on the world. Joseph and Mary had to travel to Bethlehem to be taxed. Joseph was of the house and lineage of King David. They traveled with a caravan. Mary rode a donkey for 90 miles. When they arrived in Bethlehem, so had the rest of family. There was no rooms available. Mary was having contractions. Joseph needed to find something quickly. Someone offered his stable. Thank God it was springtime. Winter in Israel is the rainy season. So, among the animals, the savior of the world was born. His crib was a feeding trough with hay as a mattress. Mary and Joseph were entrusted with mission more important than anything in this world. And they did with grace. Joseph and Mary stayed in Bethlehem for about two years. Until the wise men, kings in their own right, came to visit the King of kings.

Crain Blanchard

Www.joseph1637.com

God created Adam and Eve. He gave them the garden of Eden. God gave them one commandment. They disobeyed and lost the garden. But God gave Adam a promise, covenant, the God would send a savior. Man had completely rebelled against God. So, God chose Noah. He saved Noah and his family by the ark though the flood. God promised a savior and gave laws on how to act. Again, man rebelled against God. God chose Abraham. He promised Abraham a savior. Man rebelled again. God chose Moses. God promised a savior and gave laws. Then God chose David, made him king of Israel and promised a savior. The last covenant God gave to man is through Jesus. This covenant has 2 commandments.

PS. Today is the 75th anniversary of D-Day, the invasion of Europe by the Allies, American, English, French and the rest of the free world, to free the world of nazism.

Crain Blanchard.

Www.joseph1637.com

There weren’t prophets in the land of Israel for 400 years. It’s everything in God’s time. Everyone in Israel was looking for the messiah. God told them it was time. But only 3 people knew who He was. The next prophet in Israel was John the Baptist, Jesus’s cousin. Then Jesus. The bible says that Israel killed all their prophets. It is because that people don’t want to hear the truth. It hurts to listen and watch your sin be revealed. People will cry out in pain because of their sins. So everyone was listening and wanting for the messiah to appear. Only those who trust God, will follow and believe. God used signs and wonders to reveal Jesus. The shepherds and the wise men saw the truth and believed. So, everyone was looking for a messiah. And God sent His son.

Crain Blanchard.

Www.joseph1637.com

God had sent the ark angel Gabriel to tell Zacharias that he was going to be a father. Zacharias didn’t believe and God took his voice until John the Baptist was born. Gabriel had other task to do. He appeared to Mary, mother of Jesus, and told her she would become pregnant. And His name would be Jesus. He would save His people from sin. Then Gabriel told Mary that her cousin Elizabeth was pregnant. Mary believed and went to be with Elizabeth. I’m sure that Mary told Joseph. And he had a hard time believing. Joseph was a righteous man and believed God. When Mary returned to Nazareth, she was 3 months pregnant and Joseph had to make a decision. Was he going to take Mary as his wife or not? While he thought on this, the ark angel Gabriel appeared to him in a dream. Gabriel told Joseph that this was of God and to take Mary as his wife. The bible says that he awoke and took Mary as his wife. And didn’t know her until Jesus was born. Matt.1 Luke 1.

Crain Blanchard.

Www.joseph1637.com

In the coming blogs, I am going to write about the 4 gospels in chronological order. It is a study of the life of Jesus. There hadn’t been a prophet in Israel for 400 years. God was preparing Israel for the coming of Jesus. When the time had arrived, God sent Gabriel to Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist. Zacharias was high priest and in the holy of holies and preforming his duties burning incense before God. Gabriel appeared to Zacharias and began to speak to him about coming events. Zacharias was afraid and didn’t believe Gabriel. God struck him mute. Gabriel said he wouldn’t speak until his son John was born. Zacharias and Elizabeth were older and passed child bearing age. But God was going to bring to pass His word. John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Ghost from the womb. Gabriel’s work was finished. He would speak to a virgin in Nazareth also. Matthew 1, Luke 1.

Crain Blanchard.

Www.joseph1637.com

After Nehemiah, many things happened to the Israelites. First, God didn’t speak to them for 400 years. Then Alexander the great conquered Israel and the rest of the Middle East. Then in 167BC, Mattathias Maccabee lead the Jews in a revolt against the Greek rulers and won. This is when the pharisees began. A 100 years later, the Romans came and conquered the Middle East. The Romans put Herod the great as governor of the province. By the time Jesus was born, Israel was an occupied country. The Romans allowed the Israelites to practice their religion and to govern themselves. The Ark of the covenant wasn’t in the temple. God resided above the Ark. So there was no presence of God in Israel. This was God’s plan to reveal Jesus. The word of God was given to man to reveal the knowledge of God and Himself to mankind. As one reads the bible, the picture of Jesus Christ becomes very clear. 1 Peter 1:13 “wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. ” KJV.

Crain Blanchard.

Www.joseph1637.com

In the Jewish religion, heritage is the upmost importance. The 1st chapter of Matthew is listed the lineage of Jesus. One, it is to prove that He is Jewish and two, it’s to see His family. The linage comes from the father, but being Jewish comes from His mother. In Jesus’s family, there is a king, 2 prostitutes, and Moabitess. Moab, brother to Israel, was cursed by God and no wives could be taken from them. Read the book of Ruth. God isn’t willing that any should perish, but all should come to the saving knowledge of Christ. Apostle Paul said it himself, I am the chiefest of sinners. God made a covenant with Abraham. God was fulfilling He promise and sent His son to redeem man. And the birth of Jesus was on this wise.

Crain Blanchard.

Www.joseph1637.com

Job said, though He slay me yet will I trust Him. Esther said, if I perish, I perish, but I am going to see the king. David sought God carefully with tears. Peter said, who else has the words of life. For 400 years, God didn’t speak to the Israelites, from Nehemiah to Jesus. And if you look at their history, they sought the Lord. Then when the time was right, God sent angels to speak the Israelites. The Israelites were looking for the messiah. And John the Baptist came preaching repentance for the remission of sin. There Jesus came preaching that the kingdom of God was at hand. And yet so many didn’t believe. They saw the truth and what it would do to themselves. The pain of the truth was too great. Even though God would have brought them thought it all. God will fulfill His word to everyone. Even to those who don’t believe. Because God is not willing that any should perish but that all would come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Crain Blanchard.

Www.joseph1637.com

The book of Nehemiah was the last one written in the old testament. There was no prophets in Israel who could bring the word of God for 400 years. The next prophet in Israel was Jesus. John the Baptist was the last levitical priest recorded in the bible. Jesus was a priest after the order of Melchizedek, not the sons of Aaron. Life went on in Israel, but the Ark of the Covenant wasn’t in the temple. Jeremiah hide the treasures of the temple when Nebuchadnezzar invading Israel. The Ark is still not in the Israel. It will not until the last days of earth. Right before Jesus returns the temple will be rebuilt and the Ark found. Sin is a hard thing and will separate us from God. And you will not hear from God until you repent of your sins. God will be silent, hopefully not for 400 years.

Crain Blanchard.

Www.joseph1637.com

Nehemiah had finished his work in Jerusalem. He told the king, he would stay for so long. So he had to make sure everything was going like it supposed to. Nehemiah was reading the word of God and saw where God commanded that Israel wasn’t to make a covenant or have anything to do with Moab or Ammon. Several priests had wives from there. Nehemiah called the Israelites together. He read the word of God to them. Then said the Israel had to separate themselves from strange wives. It was a process, but it was done. Nehemiah said why do you provoke God with sin. Didn’t our fathers go into captivity because of sin. Even the smallest sin will separate you from God. The smallest fox spoils the vine. God says he that knows to do good and doesn’t, to him it is sin.

Crain Blanchard.

Www.joseph1637.com