When the Kings of the East arrive in Jerusalem and ask where the King of the Jews was to be born, their presence causes a great commotion. Herod did not know, but he quickly consulted the priests and scribes, who answered that it was in Bethlehem in Judea. This was stated in an ancient prophecy of Micah. It was not the only prophecy about the birth of the Messiah. In fact, the prophets had announced the coming of the Savior for many centuries before the birth of Jesus, giving quite precise details .
Their understanding of the prophecies was probably not complete, because God always surprises us and goes beyond what we can imagine. Let’s look at some of these prophecies and what they teach us!
1. The Messiah will be born in Bethlehem – Micah 5:1-4
Bethlehem was a small village, not far from Jerusalem. The fact that it was such a humble and simple place where Jesus was born tells us a lot about what things God considers important . He is not interested in the great metropolis, nor in honours, nor in nobility. He shows himself best in the simplicity that allows us to see what is important. Another fine thing about God: Bethlehem means House of Bread. What a prophetic name to remind us that He will be our food!
2. He will be born of a virgin and will be named Emmanuel – Isaiah 7:14
It is the sign given to King Ahaz when he prefers to trust in men rather than in God. How incredible is the power of God and how it surpasses human imagination! Isaiah did not know it, but that child will not only be born of a Virgin, but will be God himself. He knew that his name would be Emmanuel, which means: God-with-us, but he certainly did not suspect to what extent God was willing to join the destiny of humanity. God is not an impersonal cosmic entity, but a person with a name who loves us and gives himself entirely for us .
3. He will be descended from David and will bring reconciliation – Isaiah 11,1-9
The Messiah will be born from the stem of Jesse, and will be filled with the Spirit of God. The lamb will graze with the lion, and the child will not be afraid of wild animals. It will be a time of peace, where all hatreds and resentments will be healed, all rifts, and everything will have the harmony that springs from the knowledge and presence of God.
What do prophecies teach us? 4 lessons
What lessons can we learn from these prophecies? These are four lessons that can illuminate our lives not only at Christmas time, but at any other time in our lives when we need to remember that God remains faithful to his Word.
1. God does not let himself be carried away by haste
His timing is often long… but perfect. In a world that wants everything instantaneous, the prophecies about Jesus teach us that God prepared the birth of the Savior over the course of centuries. God took His time to educate and prepare humanity. What does this say to us who want everything immediately?
2. They teach us to prepare ourselves
Good things, things that are truly worthwhile, take time. Preparing our hearts means being able to value the gift that is given to us, as well as being ready to accept it. If I do not value it, I will not be able to accept it, and it will be sadly like those pearls that are thrown before swine (Mt 7:6). God offers us time to prepare ourselves and accept his gift.
3. God always keeps his promises
He has always done so… and we still sometimes distrust his words. The problem is not that we do not believe in God, but that we do not believe that he will fulfill what he promises us. If you are plagued by doubt or simply do not fully understand the figure of Jesus, I recommend the online course “Knowing Jesus to live in Jesus.” A perfect course for this time when we prepare our hearts to receive the King of Kings.
4. Since God always delivers, we can trust Him
That is precisely the reason for our hope. Our patience is not simply a matter of enduring, thinking “positively” that one day everything will get better. Our patience is full of hope, because we know without a doubt that God never fails us, and that He fulfills everything He promises. And what He promises is wonderful, surpassing anything we can imagine.
Look at this promise from God, a prophecy for our future: “See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are! … Beloved, we are children of God now, and what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We know that when God appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1 Jn 3:1-2).
Let us prepare our hearts with joy and hope because God fulfills what He promises! The birth of Jesus confirms this: God loves us infinitely .