480. Jesus Christ, more than any other figure or historical happening mentioned, is the most important figure in the Bible. The Old Testament prophesies about His coming and His death, the New Testament sees Him be born, establish a ministry, and eventually sacrifice Himself for all who believe in Him.
481. Many incidences in the Old Testament point to Christ: Abel's lamb was a type of Christ. So was Abraham's willing offering of his son, Isaac, for sacrifice. The Passover lamb in Egypt was a type of Christ. Even the scarlet cord the prostitute Rahab hung in her window was a symbol of Christ!
482. "To Him give all the prophets witness." Truly, God had been telling His people about the coming Savior long before Jesus was ever born. Micah foretold Jesus' birth, Zechariah told of how He will eventually reign as King over all the earth. Joel described the day of judgment and what part Jesus will play in it.
483. The New Testament is the unraveling of all those prophesies and foretellings of the Old Testament. Jesus' birth is recorded in two Gospel books: Matthew and Luke.
484. The Christmas story reveals the depth of God's love to all humankind. Matthew's and Luke's Gospels tell the story of the virgin birth, the humble beginnings of Jesus, and the joyous celebration set off in heaven when Christ was born. Though missed by many, God allowed both great (the magi) and humble (the shepherds) to join the celebration.
485. The number of magi who followed the star of Bethlehem is unknown. The Bible doesn't tell much about them. The Christian tradition that there were three kings did not arise until about seven hundred years after the event took place. Their legendary names-Balthasar, Melchior, and Caspar, in Western traditions-emerged much later. So did the story that one of them was black. Medieval Christians reasoned that the three kings must have come from three continents, so one must have been African.
486. The magi did not come to the actual stable where Jesus was born. Their trip thought to have taken place when Jesus was closer to two years old.
487. Because Herod ordered the slaughter of young Jewish children, Mary and Joseph fled to Egypt with the child Jesus. The Egypt in which Jesus found shelter was much different from the proud and mighty nation that His ancestors Abraham and Moses had known. The glory that had been Egypt was gone. The flourishing cities through which pharaohs once rode in pomp were decaying and the great pyramids and temples were crumbling.
488. Symbolically the announcement of the angel to the shepherds provides a counterpoint to the homage paid by the wealthy wise men. In New Testament times shepherds ranked low on the social register. The shepherds also served as a reminder that Jesus was coming as both the shepherd to the flock of Israel and as the sacrificial lamb that would take away the sins of the world.
489. Joseph and Mary returned from Egypt some time after the death of Herod in 4 B.C. and made their home in Nazareth, a town in Galilee. The name Nazareth is derived from Hebrew words that mean "consecrated people," because this town was noted for clinging to the ancient laws and customs of the Hebrews. Jesus' birthright is celebrated on December 25 now, but that wasn't always the case. For centuries a different calendar was used, and the date was in the spring.
