Audio Version read by Kathy Bird
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Gabriel Announces Birth Of John & Jesus - Joseph Decides To Break The Engagement In 423 B.C., Jerusalem was not really prosperous under the great leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah and somehow lost it's attractiveness for the Jews. Even though the leaders of the people took up residence in Jerusalem, a vigorous effort was put forth to bring people into the city who were living in the surrounding areas by casting lots. One man in ten would be chosen to live in Jerusalem. ( Found in Nehemiah Chapter 11 Verse 1-2 ) Very little is known about Jerusalem's history for the next 100 years. Upon the death of Alexander the Great, Jerusalem found itself under the rulers of Egypt and the South, known as the Ptolemies, in 320 B.C. One hundred years later, the rulers of Jerusalem went from Ptolemies to Seleucidae, which was Syria and the North. In the year 199 B.C., Egypt recovered rule of Jerusalem for one year only! In 198 B.C., the powerful Syrian king, Antiochus III (the Great), took Jerusalem, welcomed by the Jews because he gave treasures to the Temple. In 169-168 B.C., the son of Antiochus III, Antiochus IV (Epiphanes), rules Jerusalem in a cruel manner, desecrating the temple by sacrificing a pig on the altar, and prohibiting Jewish sacrifices, circumcision, the observance of the Sabbath, and killing any Jew possessing a copy of the Holy Scriptures. These outrages lead to war with the Jews in which the Syrian armies were repeatedly defeated by the brilliant Judas Maccabeus. Jerusalem was delivered from this cruel king by Maccabeus in the month of Chislev (our month of December in 165 B.C.) This time of deliverance has been celebrated by the Jews as Hanukkah, or the Feast of Lights. Two years later, the son of the defeated cruel king, Antiochus IV (Eupator), reigned for two years then was slain. After this, Jerusalem comes back into the hands of the Jewish authorities. It was not a peaceful reign because of the jealousy and divided interest on the part of the leaders. One Jewish leader, Alexander Jannaeus, crucified 800 Pharisees! In 65 B.C., the Roman army starts to invade Jerusalem, but is ordered to stop. Pompey invades Jerusalem in 64 B.C., and destroys it's walls. In 55 B.C., the temple is again pillaged by Crassus and fifteen years later the area is occupied by the Parthians. In 40 B.C., Augustus, the emperor of Rome, made Herod the Great, the king of Judea. (the Jewish territory) It took Herod three years to take the territory of Jerusalem and he took over the reign in 37 B.C. The Romans had a passion for constructing large buildings and Herod decided he would build the most significant structure ever to stand in the Holy city of Jerusalem. The building would be known as Herod's temple, which started construction in 20 B.C., and was finished in 62 A.D., even though Herod had died in 4 B.C. The new testament begins with two writers: MATTHEW, the tax-collector who was chosen by Jesus to become his apostle and LUKE, who was not one of the twelve apostles but through close association wrote the events related to him by those who were there. GABRIEL ANNOUNCES JOHN THE BAPTIST'S BIRTH The book of Luke starts with the story of a priest of the Temple in Jerusalem named Zacharias, who is told by the angel Gabriel that his wife Elizabeth, is going to bear a child even though they are both very old. Gabriel tells Zacharias the child's name shall be called John and he shall call many people to return to God and announce the coming of the Messiah! Zacharias finds these things hard to believe and for his disbelief, the angel makes him unable to speak until the baby is born! GABRIEL ANNOUNCES THE BIRTH OF JESUS The angel Gabriel appears to a young virgin girl named Mary, who lives in the city of Nazareth and is engaged to a man named Joseph, of the family of David. Gabriel tells Mary that she will conceive and bear a son and give him the name Jesus. "He will be worthy of great honor will be called, 'Son of God'. The Lord God will make him a king like his ancestor David was, and he will be the king of the descendants of Jacob forever; and his kingdom will never end." Mary is troubled and surprised by Gabriel's words and she says to the angel, "How can this be, for I am a virgin and have not slept with any man?" The angel tells her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will put the child in you. For this reason the holy child will be called the Son of God.' Then Gabriel tells Mary about her relative Elizabeth who is now six months pregnant even though she is very old. For there is nothing that God cannot do." Mary says to Gabriel, "I am the Lord's servant, may it happen to me as you have said." Mary goes to see Elizabeth and remains with her for about three months, then returns home. ELIZABETH GIVES BIRTH TO A SON and when the neighbors and relatives assemble for the circumcision of the child, they intend to name him after his father, Zacharias. Elizabeth says, "No! His name is to be John." They point out to her that none of the relatives have that name, then using signs they ask Zacharias what he wishes the child to be called. On a writing tablet he writes, "His name is to be John." All are astonished and at that moment Zechariah's mouth is opened and he begins to speak in praise of God. ( Found in the Book of Luke: Chapter 1 ) The book of Matthew starts with the genealogy from Abraham to King David and through to Joseph, husband of Mary, who is the Virgin Mother of Jesus Christ. This is where Matthew joins Luke in telling the story of Jesus birth. JOSEPH DECIDES TO BREAK THE ENGAGEMENT to Mary quietly and not expose her to public ridicule because she is pregnant. The angel of the Lord comes to Joseph in a dream and tells him: "Joseph, son of David, have no fear about taking Mary as your wife. It is by the Holy Spirit that she has conceived this child. She is to have a son and you are to name him Jesus because he will save his people from their sins." All this happened to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet Isaiah concerning the birth of the Messiah: a name which means "God is with us". Joseph does as the angel of the Lord tells him and accepts Mary as his wife. |