The Lamb of God wrapped in swaddling clothes, an exact sign.

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And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. – Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭7‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

Once again, in this glorious account of this heavenly event we are given such wonderful truth. The prophetic picture of who this child is will be revealed.

She wrapped Him in swaddling clothes. Swaddling is not unusual, all babies were swaddled. Yet the real sign was what He was clothed with. It was not a blanket, not pajamas, nor a onesie. But strips of cloth that were taken from old priests’ garments and previously used on the sacrificial lambs for Passover. After birth, the male lambs would be bathed in a salt solution, dried, and swaddled to be kept clean and spotless. During that time, old priestly garments were cut up into small pieces to be used for wicks to light the Menorah in the temple and reused to wrap the sacrificial lambs at birth. Every morning, the Priest would change the wicks in the temple and replace them with a new one.

Here we see the word of the Lord in every way declaring who Jesus is. He is the light of the world and the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. You might ask where she got these strips of priestly clothing. Just a thought: remember Zachariah, Elizabeth’s husband was a priest. She had stayed with Elizabeth for six months. These strips were used as wicks to light up the temple. Even the time of His birth, at night, in darkness, is the backdrop of the world’s condition.

Arise, shine for your light has come, the light of the world is Jesus. Behold God’s light and God’s sacrificial Lamb, slain before the foundation of the world:

“She will give birth to a Son; and you shall name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” – Matthew‬ ‭1‬:‭21‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

God’s gift of salvation, all wrapped up and ready to be revealed as the greatest given, for and to anyone who will freely receive Him. Glory to God!

-Keith Curlee

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They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; For from you will come forth a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ” – ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭2‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

We continue in the report and testimony of the documented birth of Jesus. The Holy Ghost, the Spirit of truth, chose and moved primarily on Matthew and Luke. I am often reminded of how God sees the beginning of a thing and the value He places on it—the importance. Ern Baxter, a wonderful mentor, once told me this, “The beginning of a thing determines its end.” As in Genesis, “In the beginning GOD ….” We see Bethlehem in this prophecy and the truth concerning its value. It is not viewed as little or the least of the cities of Judah.

For who has shown contempt for the day of small things? – Zechariah‬ ‭4‬:‭10‬ ‭NASB2020‬

Man and his flesh want to start with grandeur and great importance in their own eyes. He makes of himself a reputation motivated by powerful ambition and self-gratification. Here we see God is not impressed nor does He need great fanfare when He moves in the beginning of something. He begins with one,

For the eyes of the Lord roam throughout the earth, so that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. You have acted foolishly in this. Indeed, from now on you will have wars. – ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭16‬:‭9‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

Starting with one angel, one virgin, one barren couple, one betrothed man, and one town. All, by no means the least, but His beginnings. He needs not many or few, nor an advantage or fleshly help, nor man’s thoughts or plans. He simply looks for a heart that is completely given to Him.

When I was a summer missionary in my youth, we did backyard Bible Clubs. A song we sang with the children was, “All your heart, All your heart, Jesus wants to live in all your heart.” The smallest of all His beginnings is the heart of man, where His utmost desire to is dwell and make His abode.

May our hearts be completely given to Him. May we see what beginnings He brings about and the great things He has done and is going to do.

Glory to God in the Highest!

-Keith Curlee

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Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be pregnant by the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, since he was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. But when he had thought this over, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a Son; and you shall name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Now all this took place so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled: “Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and they shall name Him Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.” And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he named Him Jesus. – ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭1‬:‭18‬-‭25‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

How wonderful is this man who stood in the midst of misunderstandings and, I am sure of, accusations, and covered his betrothed with his heart? What kind of scrutiny he and Mary must have endured. As I meditate on this, I wonder whether I would have stood knowing such a situation. It is so easy to read and, because we know the whole story, not to judge.

We live in a society today where this is viewed as just a mistake and carries with it very little consequence. In fact, for a few dollars, it can be eliminated.

In the case of all the major players in the birth of Jesus, the Holy Ghost testifies of their righteous living before God. Joseph, a righteous man, looked to protect his betrothed, to send her away, and to secretly cover her.

It was only with the intervention of an angel and Joseph’s own faith-filled acceptance of the angel’s message that both Mary’s life and the life of her unborn baby were saved. The Incarnation of God.

Mary knew exactly what she would face in her home and community after she said her faith-filled, “Let it be done to me according to your word” to the visiting angel. And still, she said, “Yes.” She trusted that God would take care of her, and He did, through her holy husband Joseph. He was heaven’s intervention. Protecting the work of God from the satanic and self-righteousness of religious man. We can say that when Mary gave her account of how this was to come about, he believed her. The scripture gives insight into Joseph’s response and not reaction.

He was a man of thought. Setting his mind on what is above. How this would affect her, first, above himself. As we know from Ephesians 5, a husband’s love is manifested in giving himself up for her. We get a wonderful picture of the kind of family Jesus was to be born into. No matter how it came to be, He would have a mother and Father who loved God and one another. A righteous family where He would grow in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and man.

Joseph was not fearful or did not feel inadequate. He stood in his place and did as the angel in his dream commanded. The confirmation of what the Holy Ghost had done in her was of God. The angel told him not to be afraid and, before His birth, to name the child Jesus.

The inclusion of Joseph is sometimes overlooked or minimized, but not by heaven. He is seen not as a stepfather, but as Jesus’ father. What faith and courage we can take from him. He awoke from his dream and did exactly what had been commanded of him. He took Mary as his wife and honored that which the Holy Ghost did in her and kept her as a virgin.

Righteous Joseph. Glory to God in the Highest.

-Keith Curlee

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“While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. – ‭‭Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

Here we see Mary, as she endeavors to comprehend and wrap her mind around the angel’s word to her. The impossibility of such a supernatural and unbelievable thing happening. So many questions must have assaulted her thinking:

What would people think? Who would believe an angel appeared to her? Why would God choose me? What will my family say?

This is impossible. Yet she did not voice any one of these doubts and fears. Her response was one of the most powerful and clear answers in recorded scripture: “Behold The Lord’s servant, be it unto me according to your word.”

Many of God’s servants, when God called them, gave him excuses and why they could not say, “Yes” initially to him. They saw their limitations and failures and too great of a task. Mary shows us what our mindset should be when the Lord speaks to our hearts in her confession, “I am your servant, I am here for you no matter what you ask of me. I am yours. Be it unto me according to Your word.” She simply received and let the word of God have its perfect work.

For every believer, our place is to simply be a receiver. “Receive ye the Holy Ghost,” Peter declared.

When I think of Mary, I cannot but hear Jesus teaching us about our hearts being like soil. To the degree we receive the seed is to the degree it yields its intent. Some 30, some 60, some 100.

Her response as His servant was, “Be it unto me, according to Your word.”

May we become receivers of all He has for us and His promise of His good work He has begun and will finish according to His word.

Glory to God in the Highest!

-Keith Curlee

Matthew records the covenant lineage of Jesus.

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Oh no, genealogies, more begats. Laborious to read but very important to trace. The redemptive line which runs through the lineage, carrying the promises of God and the prophetic hope of all the promises of God being fulfilled in Jesus.

Beginning with Adam and Eve in the garden after the fall, God curses Satan and He continues to resist and carry out His authority over the evil one, the serpent of old. He declares his fate, his end.

“And I will make enemies Of you and the woman, And of your offspring and her Descendant; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise Him on the heel.” – ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭3‬:‭15

God reminds him that he is an enemy of heaven and all of creation and in every generation the war will continue. Through the descendents of Eve will come one who will bring his ultimate defeat.

Let’s start with the opening sentence of the book. Matthew tells us the two key people who are most important in this genealogy:

The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham. – Matthew 1:1

God recognizes the choosing of Abraham and His covenant to him and his descendants. From this opening statement, we expect this family tree to help us understand not only the ancestral past of Jesus, but also his identity and mission. Jesus is called the son of both David and Abraham. Starting with Father Abraham and his barren wife Sarah—does that sound familiar? By calling Jesus the “Son of Abraham,” the author is connecting Jesus to the father of the people of Israel. Abraham represents the moment when God selected and separated his family from the rest of the nations all the way back in the book of Genesis. It was through these Israelite people that God promised to bring blessing to all of humanity (Gen 12:1-3). Salvation and restoration of mankind.

Secondly, “Son of David,” is a term that the author of Matthew is very fond of. Verse one is the first of ten appearances of the phrase in the book and it draws our attention to the royal line of King David. Abraham’s name pointed to a belonging amongst the people of Israel. David’s name tells us that Jesus was royalty. He is called the son of David and of Abraham.

In Jewish culture, lineage was crucial for establishing identity and legitimacy, so presenting Jesus as a descendant of David held significant meaning. He is the Messiah, prophesied to come to Israel and the world. His sonship, legitimatized, as the Son of God sent into the earth also called the son of man.

Glory to God in the highest!

-Keith Curlee