This Israelites in the desert (wilderness) being guided by a cloud ( shade and cool ) by day, and pillar of fire ( warmth and light for walking ) by night. Even through our trials God takes mercy on us. Don’t forsake the gifts that may be easy to overlook. Stand firm in your faith, Our Lord promised to walk our path before us, and throughout history He has proven His Perfect love for us. Love you, Your Brother in Battle
His star. I have wondered if the star was Jesus's throne described in Ezekiel 1,2 and other places in Ezekiel. From a distance it might appear as a star. It says that it moved. It would not have Him upon it because He was now a baby boy. How did they know it as His star? Possibly they had the memory of the account of what Ezekiel saw and related it as His star.
The younger generations of today face a growing list of defensive answers to the evolution theories they are taught from a very early age, and hard-lined evolutionists don't seem to be in a hurry to remove debunked theories still being taught. It's very confusing to younger people and requires more explanations to the same questions from Christians. So many children are not growing up in a Christian home in today's world, so we have to be aware of the starting point that's needed to give logical answers.
Jason: Loe your ministry, just much of your information with my ministry in Redlands CA, Market day, called Areopagus Project. But I do think you missed something in your “his start” presentation. I think it is pretty clear that Joseph, Mary and Jesus went home to Nazareth within 2 months of the birth, given time for the purification that you mentioned in the presentation. It states in Luke 2;39 that they returned to their “house” with the “child” which I thank you for stating that by the time the Magi reached the area, Jesus wasn’t a “baby” but a “child”. Therefore, it is pretty clear that the Magi never stepped foot in Bethlehem, nor does the text state they did, rather it says “they went to where the child was”. Obviously from comparing Luke’s gospel with Matthew, it is clear they went to Nazareth. It is really the only way both accounts make sense.
What are chances that the star that they saw at its rising, in the western sky, was literally the angel(s) that came to announce His birth returning to heaven?
Accepting that this “star” was a supernatural Ariel phenomenon, leads me to wonder if the unidentified lights in the sky that we see today could be signs as well, or maybe a demonic phenomenon to mislead and confuse.
"Some people today think they're a Christian because they said a prayer, or because they come to church" and then @1:15:05 ... Ouch, Jason gives a totally FALSE "repent of your sins" works based GOSPEL. NO, what makes someone a Christian is what they BELIEVE, period. Simple faith alone in Christ alone, believing that He is who He claimed to be (God in the flesh) and has done for you what He claimed to have done (died to pay for your sins and rose again from the dead) THAT is the Gospel, and BELIEVING in that is all that is required for salvation.
Some of this has thrown me for a loop. Although I know some of this presentation is speculation I have to wonder why the version of the Christmas story we’ve always heard seems to be so far off? Also, as far as the story goes doesn’t it sound like the Magi were there when Jesus was in the manger?
