Messiah's Incarnation
And what about Christmas?
Introduction
When we think of the incarnation of Jesus, our Messiah, we typically think of Him being born in Bethlehem in a barn and being laid in feeding trough for animals(manger) wrapped in swaddling clothes(strips of cloth).
- Luke 2:7 She(Mary) gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them(Joseph & Mary).
Questions:
- What does "incarnation" mean? Answer: It was at the moment at which the "only-born Son of God(Jn1:14;3:16)" became human, the "son of man - a phrase Jesus used many times, in reference to Himself.
- Was Messiah's incarnation at His birth or at His conception? Answer: Human life begins at conception, according to the following texts =>
- Jehovah said to Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I sanctified you. I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5)
- Luke 1:41 And it came to pass, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit;
- A list of these and other similar texts => Genesis 25:22-23; Isaiah 49:1; Jeremiah1:5; Psalm139:13-16; Luke1:41-44; Exodus21:22-25
This study is a mainly focused on the incarnation of our Messiah, which would have been about 9 months prior to His birth.
Jesus - Light of the World
John 1:1-14 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He existed in the beginning with God. ... 4 The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. ... 9 The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. ... 14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
- Did you notice the incarnation of Jesus in verse 14?
- Did you notice how Jesus, as the light of the World, is connected to His incarnation?
- Have you heard of "The Feast of Lights"? Could there be a connection?
The Feast of Lights
This feast is commonly known as Hanukkah. There are similarities between Christmas and Hanukkah:
- Both come on the 25th day of the month:
- Christmas on the 25th day of the month of December
- Hanukkah on the 25th day of the month of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar
- Sometimes, the 8 days of Hanukkah overlap with Dec 25, as it does this year (2025).
Desiring to live by every word that comes from the mouth of Jehovah (Deut8:3; Matt4:4)
-Sid Nash: 12/18/2025. Latest version: https://sidnash.org/docs/MessiahIncarnation.html