What you say goes, GOD, and stays, as permanent as the heavens. (Psalms 119:89 MSG)
To prophesy means to proclaim or to announce God’s message. Prophets speak (or repeat) what God has told them. A prophet is God’s mouthpiece to the world. Prophecy is the message. What is spoken was by divine inspiration; it was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet; the Spirit of the Lord spake by them. Prophets and holy men formerly, spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost; so that what they said is to be looked upon as the Word of God.
1. Matthew 1:23 & Isaiah 7:14
2. Matthew 2:6 & Micah 5:2
3. Matthew 2:15 & Hosea 11:1
4. Matthew 2:17 & Jeremiah 31:15
5. Matthew 2:23 & Judges 13:5
Many of the prophecies take several years before they are fulfilled (time frame). The first example above (Isaiah 7:14) took about 740years before its manifestations in Matthew 1:23. And whenever there was a fulfilment we are taken aback to when it was originally spoken.
The Prophecy upon Bethlehem and Nazareth serves as literal examples for us this Christmas. They both symbolize the lives of many of us right now.
1. Bethlehem of Judea (Matthew 2:6) - Bethlehem, the birthplace of Christ, was a small town about six miles south of Jerusalem. The word “Bethlehem” denotes “house of bread” - perhaps given to the place on account of its great fertility. In Micah 5:2, it was said: “though thou be little.” Though a small place so far as population is concerned, yet it shall not be small, or be the least in honour; for the Messiah shall be born there. Jesus’ birth gave the place an honour which could not be conferred on the larger cities by all their numbers, their splendour, and their wealth. The birth of a distinguished personage was always supposed to give honour.
So come to think of it, what has history said about you? What has been said about your future? I want to tell you emphatically that we serve a God who not only change history, He can transform your future forever! Whose report will you believe? His word concerning your life will surely come to pass! (Psalm 62:11). This is the message for this season!
2. Nazareth (Matthew 2:23) - This was a small town, situated in Galilee, west of Capernaum, and not far from Cana. It was built partly in a valley and partly on the declivity of a hill, Luke 4:29. A hill is yet pointed out, to the south of Nazareth, as the one from which the people of the place attempted to precipitate the Saviour. It was a place, at that time, proverbial for wickedness, providing the background for Nathanael’s wry remark to Philip, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46). Have you always heard people say: “Jesus Christ of Nazareth!” Yes, this is because Jesus was actually a Nazarene (Mark 1:24, Matthew 21:11, Acts 2:22), He hailed from the source describe as evil. Serious issue… Jesus, evil source?! Interesting!
We need to appreciate this. When God’s word comes, they are to meet specific issues in our lives. For Nazareth, a great light appeared (Isaiah 9:2). So what has happened to your land; as a person and as a nation? I want to tell you that God has made declaration towards that effect. We must acknowledge them and hold unto them. They will surely come to pass.
Shalom,
Seun Oyeniran
Also available on the author’s facebook note. If you wish to receive this material in alternative formats: MSword, PDF, etc, feel free to contact the author.
One More very important thing!
As much as God’s prophecy can be useful for our lives, they can produce negative results if you don’t qualify for the benefits. Jesus was born, for you to have total salvation from wickedness and impending destruction that follows. Yes something good can come out of your Nazareth once the Jesus is born inside.
You have to be born again for you to be enlisted in the row call of beneficiaries of heavenly gifts and resources. How? 1. Conviction: accept that you are a sinner.(1John 1:8, Romans 3:23) 2. Cofession: Confess your sins to God not to man.(1John 1:9) 3. Conversion: believe and live with the understanding that Jesus Christ is here to save you (John3:16, John 1:12). It’s important for you to take these step before you key into His prophecy for your life!
Apart from God being a Master strategist as we have come to see in the preceding sections; where He orchestrated a divine agenda for humanity through the birth of Jesus, He is also a God who when He has spoken, it will surely come to pass (e.g. Exodus 16:12). When God speaks, His words are bound to be fulfilled. Those things may seem impossible to us, but to Him all things are possible(Mark 10:27). See the plants as the rain drops on it, they occur at his rhythm. It may take a while for God's word to be fulfilled in our lives and within our time frame (which is quite different from God’s time frame), but it will surely come to pass. God’s word towards us comes in many ways and at any form; they become prophecies upon our lives. So what does prophecy means?
"Prophecy shows the will, counsel, and determination of God about any matter; the accomplishment of it, the faithfulness and veracity of God in his word; the prediction declares that the thing would be, and the thing itself was done, that what was spoken might be fulfilled; not merely by way of accommodation, or in a typical and mystical, but in a strict, proper and literal sense"The main reason why we are considering this topic especially this Christmas is for us to look again into those things that God has said concerning us and have a re-enacted faith upon them, believing Him that has said it, for He will do it (1 Thessalonians 5:24). Long before Jesus was born, there was an heralding of His coming. Cross-check these places in the Bible and see for yourself:
1. Matthew 1:23 & Isaiah 7:14
2. Matthew 2:6 & Micah 5:2
3. Matthew 2:15 & Hosea 11:1
4. Matthew 2:17 & Jeremiah 31:15
5. Matthew 2:23 & Judges 13:5
Many of the prophecies take several years before they are fulfilled (time frame). The first example above (Isaiah 7:14) took about 740years before its manifestations in Matthew 1:23. And whenever there was a fulfilment we are taken aback to when it was originally spoken.
The Prophecy upon Bethlehem and Nazareth serves as literal examples for us this Christmas. They both symbolize the lives of many of us right now.
1. Bethlehem of Judea (Matthew 2:6) - Bethlehem, the birthplace of Christ, was a small town about six miles south of Jerusalem. The word “Bethlehem” denotes “house of bread” - perhaps given to the place on account of its great fertility. In Micah 5:2, it was said: “though thou be little.” Though a small place so far as population is concerned, yet it shall not be small, or be the least in honour; for the Messiah shall be born there. Jesus’ birth gave the place an honour which could not be conferred on the larger cities by all their numbers, their splendour, and their wealth. The birth of a distinguished personage was always supposed to give honour.
So come to think of it, what has history said about you? What has been said about your future? I want to tell you emphatically that we serve a God who not only change history, He can transform your future forever! Whose report will you believe? His word concerning your life will surely come to pass! (Psalm 62:11). This is the message for this season!
2. Nazareth (Matthew 2:23) - This was a small town, situated in Galilee, west of Capernaum, and not far from Cana. It was built partly in a valley and partly on the declivity of a hill, Luke 4:29. A hill is yet pointed out, to the south of Nazareth, as the one from which the people of the place attempted to precipitate the Saviour. It was a place, at that time, proverbial for wickedness, providing the background for Nathanael’s wry remark to Philip, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46). Have you always heard people say: “Jesus Christ of Nazareth!” Yes, this is because Jesus was actually a Nazarene (Mark 1:24, Matthew 21:11, Acts 2:22), He hailed from the source describe as evil. Serious issue… Jesus, evil source?! Interesting!
We need to appreciate this. When God’s word comes, they are to meet specific issues in our lives. For Nazareth, a great light appeared (Isaiah 9:2). So what has happened to your land; as a person and as a nation? I want to tell you that God has made declaration towards that effect. We must acknowledge them and hold unto them. They will surely come to pass.
"What should make us even more dependent on God is who He is; His sovereignty, power, awesomeness, greatness and terribleness ( Zephaniah 2:11, Deuteronomy 34:12, Isaiah 66:1, 1 Kings 18:24). God may seem far away from us at some instances, but His reassuring words should keep us going (Habakkuk 2:1-4) because he can never fail. In difficult and trying times, He’s there with us even nearer than the clothes we wear. The words he has spoken to us both written in the scriptures and through His ministers should be the source of our comfort. All of His promises towards us are ye and amen, in Christ Jesus that glory will come to Him (2Corinthians 1:20). Hallelujah! His words hold forever no matter what! Darkness may have the whole night but joy comes in the morning. Rejoice!"No matter what time and seasons present to you, God’s word concerning you will always come to pass (Isaiah 40:5)
Shalom,
Seun Oyeniran
Also available on the author’s facebook note. If you wish to receive this material in alternative formats: MSword, PDF, etc, feel free to contact the author.
One More very important thing!
As much as God’s prophecy can be useful for our lives, they can produce negative results if you don’t qualify for the benefits. Jesus was born, for you to have total salvation from wickedness and impending destruction that follows. Yes something good can come out of your Nazareth once the Jesus is born inside.
You have to be born again for you to be enlisted in the row call of beneficiaries of heavenly gifts and resources. How? 1. Conviction: accept that you are a sinner.(1John 1:8, Romans 3:23) 2. Cofession: Confess your sins to God not to man.(1John 1:9) 3. Conversion: believe and live with the understanding that Jesus Christ is here to save you (John3:16, John 1:12). It’s important for you to take these step before you key into His prophecy for your life!
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