Luke 2:30-32 - “For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."
I John 3:8 - “He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work.”
Every Christmas we are reminded of the prophecies about the coming of Jesus, but one prophecy from the beginning pits Satan against God. Genesis 3 reveals “the serpent shall strike the heel of the offspring of the woman, but he will crush the head of the serpent.” It says I John 3:8, quoted above, the Son of God was to destroy the works of the devil. As promised, Jesus confronted the demons. He not only cast them out of people but forbade them early to say who He was. They feared Him because their time and power was limited. Because of the resurrection, Jesus tells John the apostle to write down what is still to happen which includes Satan being bound for 1,000 years and then thrown into the pit with all his angels.
This is the mighty God who has all power to accomplish His will and He gives us some promises we can hang onto because He fulfilled His promises at Christmas, Easter, and in between. I marvel at the sovereignty of God. He was directing the shepherds, the Magi, Herod, the political leaders, and even usings Caesar in calling for the taxes at the prescribed time Jesus was to be born in Bethlehem.
Simeon and Anna were in the temple and gave the New Testament prophecies in this way. Luke 2:30-32 “For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel." And Anna, the old prophetess, also came up to them and declared this child was the one whom all were looking to for the redemption of Jerusalem.
Jesus was from the promised genealogical line in order to fulfill God’s plan. Because of the cross, death, and resurrection, Christ demonstrated His victory over sin and death once for all. The battle has been won. The tomb of death is now empty. Victory over Satan is concluded. We await His coming again for the final reign and destruction of all evil forces.
We are in His hands and are eternally secure. We know the end. It isn’t any preacher that tells you these things are true; it is the Mighty God Jesus who says “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. ” (John 14:3) Not only is Jesus the Son of God the Most high, but He will be a king from the line of David, and will have a rule that will last forever, living on and on in His eternal kingdom.
We are on a path, by faith in Jesus, going to heaven amidst our chaos and unpredictability, through uneasy economic problems, through the wars in the middle east and with economic unsettledness. As someone said, “Any one who isn’t schizophrenic these days just isn’t thinking clearly. “
Application Trust in this promise from Philippians 4:19” My God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
Prayer: Lord, I know that whatever my burden, battle temptation or trouble, You have the power and will meet it, handle it, solve it, and use it for my good and Your Glory.
