If there is one thing Christmas teaches me, it is that God keeps his promises. A prophecy is a promise, a God-given guarantee. And the Bible is filled with prophecies about the coming Messiah:
- God promised that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem – promise kept! “Where did the prophets say the Messiah would be born?” He asked them. “In Bethlehem,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote: ‘O Bethlehem, of Judah, you are not just a lowly village in Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’” (Matthew 2:4-7)
- God promised that a virgin would conceive the Messiah -- promise kept!All of this happened to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child!"(Matthew 1:22-23 NLT)
- God promised that the Messiah would be called Immanuel – promise kept! "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel." (Matthew 1:22-23 NLT)
- God promised that the Messiah would be called out of Egypt – promise kept! That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called my Son out of Egypt.” (Matthew 2:14-15 NLT)
Matthew wanted his Jewish audience to be certain that Jesus was their long-awaited Messiah. To convince them, he showed them how God's prophetic promises were fulfilled in Christ. In convincing them, Matthew has convinced me: GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES!
Has God made a promise to you? He will keep His promise!
- God said, “I will supply your every need.” (Philippians 4:19)
- God said, “I will watch over you.” (Psalm 121:5)
- God said, “I won’t allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)
- God said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)
- God said, “I will give eternal life” to the one who believes in Jesus the Messiah. (John 6:47)
God does not always tell me when the promise will be fulfilled, or where the promise will be fulfilled, orhow the promise will be fulfilled. But the promise will be fulfilled. Christmas reminds me that God is the ultimate Promise Keeper. What promise do you need to count on today?