PT-1“The Purification and Presenting” *Luke 2:22-24)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/9/2026 9:50 AM

My Worship Time                                                  Focus: PT-1“The Purification and Presenting”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                Reference:  Luke 2:22-24

            Message of the verses:  “And when the days for their purification according to the Law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord: “Every firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice according to what has been stated in the Law of the Lord: “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

            The first thing that I can say about this section is that I will not be able to get through it in one SD, but as always I will take my time going through it, for I don’t want to miss what the Lord has for me in this important section of Scripture.

            I think it best for me to quote MacArthur’s commentary at the beginning of this SD:  “As was the case with Jesus’ circumcision, Mary’s purification (the word their merely reflects the presence of Joseph and Jesus) and the presenting of the baby Jesus were done strictly in keeping with the law of Moses.  Like circumcision, a woman’s purification after childbirth illustrated the need for cleansing from sin.  Leviticus 12:1-5 describes the purification process:

“1 ¶  The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2  "Speak to the people of Israel, saying, If a woman conceives and bears a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days. As at the time of her menstruation, she shall be unclean. 3  And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. 4  Then she shall continue for thirty-three days in the blood of her purifying. She shall not touch anything holy, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying are completed. 5  But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her menstruation. And she shall continue in the blood of her purifying for sixty-six days.” (ESV)

“The uncleanness in view here is ceremonial uncleanness, the first part of which lasted for seven days, like that of menstruation (Lev. 15:19).”  “19 ¶  "When a woman has a discharge, and the discharge in her body is blood, she shall be in her menstrual impurity for seven days, and whoever touches her shall be unclean until the evening.”  “While she was unclean, a woman could not touch anything sacred or holy, nor could she go to the temple.  Her ceremonial uncleanness tempered the natural joy of bringing a new life into the world (John 16:21) with sober reality that the child, like its parents, was a sinner (Ps. 51:5).”

(John 16:21)

“21  When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.”

(Ps. 51:5)

“5  Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.”

            More from the Old Testament Law: After a male child’s circumcision on the eighth day, the mother was ceremonially unclean for another thirty-three days.  Now it is interesting that if the child was a girl that her time of impurity was doubled to two weeks initially followed by a subsequent sixty-six days.  MacArthur adds that “The Bible does not explain the reason for tha additional time of uncleanness, but there are at least two possibilities.  First, as noted above, when a male child was born circumcision served as an illustration of sin and depravity.  It may be that God intended the extra period of uncleanness involved in the birth of a female child to take the place of circumcision.  Second, doubling the length of purification may reflect the stigma of women stemming from Eve’s leading the human race into sin (1 Tim. 2:14).” 

(1 Tim. 2:14)

“14  and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.”

“That stigma is removed in Christ; while a woman led humankind into sin, godly women, through their influence on their children have the privilege of leading many out of sin into godliness (v. 15).”

(v. 15).

“15  Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.”

            “After the days for Mary’s purification…were completed and she was again permitted to enter the temple, the couple brought Jesus up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord.  Though it did not have to be done at Jerusalem or the temple, the law of the Lord given through Moses declared that every firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord and set apart to Him.  In Exodus 13:1-2, ‘the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Sanctify to Me every first born, the first offspring of every womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and beast; it belongs to Me.’” Elaborating on that commandment Moses said to Israel,

11 ¶  "When the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and your fathers, and shall give it to you, 12  you shall set apart to the LORD all that first opens the womb. All the firstborn of your animals that are males shall be the LORD’s. 13  Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. Every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. 14  And when in time to come your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall say to him, ‘By a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. 15  For when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all the males that first open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ (Ex. 13:11-15 ESV).

“The setting apart of the first born was not for priestly service, because priests came only from the tribe of Levi (Jesus was from the tribe of Judah [Heb. 7:14]). Joseph and Mary then, were not presenting Jesus for priestly service, but rather dedicating His life to God.”

[Heb. 7:14]).

“14  For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.”

            “The Levites took the place of the firstborn of the rest of the tribes by being devoted to the service of God.  In Numbers 3:12-13, God said to Moses,

“Now, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel instead of every first born, the first issue of the womb among the sons of Israel.  So the Levites shall be Mine.  For all the first born are Mine; on the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt.  I sanctified to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, from man to beast.  They shall be Mine; I am the Lord. (cf. vv. 41, 44-45).

“But in return for their being exempted from priestly duty, a redemption price had to be paid for the firstborn from the other tribes. In Numbers 18:15-16, God said to Aaron,

‘Every first issue of the womb of all flesh, whether man or animal, which they offer to the Lord, shall be yours; nevertheless the firstborn of man you shall surely redeem, and the firstborn of unclean animals you shall redeem.  As to their redemption price, from a month old you shall redeem them, by your valuation, five shekels in silver.

Israel was to a great extent a theocracy, with the priests and Levites doing much of the word of governing the country.  The five shekels (a significant amount of money) paid by the families of the firstborn sons of the other tribes helped defray the cost of running the government.”

Spiritual Meaning for my Life Today:  I am thankful for all of the Word of God, even the things from the Old Testament that I don’t always understand the meaning of, but know that they are important because they are in the Word of God.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Trusting the Lord to work out some issues that my wife is having at this time, and we don’t know the source of pain she his having.

4/9/2026 10:58 AM

           

“The Circumcision and Naming” (Luke 2:21)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/8/2026 9:02 PM

My Worship Time                                                          Focus:  “The Circumcision and Naming”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                      Reference:  Luke 2:21

            Message of the verse:  “And when eight days had passed, before His circumcision, His name was then called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.”

            Now it was in obedience to the law’s requirement which is seen in Genesis 17:9-14; Lev. 12:3, that Joseph and Mary circumcised their newborn Son, and as the text says this happened And when eight days had passed, before His circumcision.  This happened eight days after His birth.  MacArthur states that circumcision has “three purposes.  First, along with the other dietary and sanitary regulations prescribed in the law, circumcision had health benefits.  As the sign of the Abrahamic covenant, circumcision was a spiritual object lesson of the need for cleansing from the depravity of sin, which is passed to each succeeding generation through procreation.  Circumcision was a physical symbol of the spiritual cleansing of the heart that takes place as salvation (cf. Deut. 10:16; 30:6;l Jer. 4:4).”  I think that it is necessary to quote these verses here.

(cf. Deut. 10:16; 30:6;l Jer. 4:4)

“16  Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn.”

“6  And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.”

“4  Circumcise yourselves to the LORD; remove the foreskin of your hearts, O men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn with none to quench it, because of the evil of your deeds.’”

            “But why was Jesus circumcised, since He was sinless (Isa. 53:9; John 8:46; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5) and did not need to have His heart cleansed?  The answer lies in understanding that He came to fulfill the law.  In the words of the apostle Paul, Jesus was ‘born of a woman, born under the Law’ (Gal. 4:4).  Like His baptism, Jesus’ circumcision served to ‘fulfill all righteousness’ (Matt. 3:15).  He could say with David, ‘I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your Law is within my heart’ (Ps. 40:8), and He alone kept God’s law perfectly throughout His life.  Only because He did so could His righteousness be credited to believers.  At the cross God treated Jesus as if He had lived their sinful lives.  He is, therefore, able to treat them as if they had lived Jesus’ perfectly righteous life.

            “In keeping with prevailing Jewish custom, the Child’s name was then (at His circumcision) called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.  The name Jesus is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew name ‘Joshua,’ which means ‘Yahweh saves.’  It is a fitting name for the One who was born to ‘save His people from their sins’ (Matt. 1:21).

            “One of the most egregious misrepresentations of biblical truth by the Roman Catholic Church is its portrayal of God as a reluctant  Savior.  The implication of Catholic theology is that the Father is angry, vengeful, and hostile toward sinners.  Jesus is slightly more sympathetic, but the truly gentle, compassionate, approachable one is Mary.  Sinners are thus well advised to approach her for salvation because Jesus cannot resist His mother’s requests.  So pervasive is this view that Rome elevates Mary to the status of co-redemptrix with Jesus.

            “Such a portrayal of God is completely false, since the Bible reveals Him to be a saving God by nature.  In Deuteronomy 33:29, Moses said, ‘Blessed are you, O Israel; who is like you, a people saved by the Lord.’  David referred to God as the  “God of our salvation’ (1 Chron. 16:35), while in Psalm 7:10 he exclaimed, ‘My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart.’  Psalm 106 chided Israel because ‘they forgot God their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt.’ Isaiah called God the Savior of Israel,’ who has saved His people ‘with an everlasting salvation’ (Isa. 45:15, 17; cf. 45:22; 59:1; 63:1, 8).  Jeremiah described Him as the ‘Hope of Israel, its Savior in time of distress’ (Jer. 14:8).”

            Now we will move to the New Testament where Mary referred to God as her Savior (Luke 1:47), 47  and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.  Paul described Him as “God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth’ (1 Tim. 2:3-4; cf. 4:10; Titus 1:3; 2:10; Jude 25) and affirmed that it is “God who has saved us” (2 Tim. 1:8-9; cf. Titus 3:4-5).  There is nowhere in the New Testament is God’s tender, compassionate, saving nature more clearly depicted than in the case of the prodigal son which is seen in Luke 15:11-32.

            MacArthur writes “Even more significant than what others said about Him are God’s repeated declarations that He is a Savior.  ‘For I am the Lord your God,’ He said in Isaiah 43:3, ‘the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.’  In verse 11, He added emphatically, ‘I, even I, am the Lord, and there is no savior besides Me.’  In Isaiah 45:21, God described Himself as ‘a righteous God and a Savior’ (Cf. 49:26; 60:16; Hos. 13:4).

            “The ultimate proof that God is a saving God is the reality that He ‘so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life’ (John 3:16; cf. 1 John 4:14).”  “14 ¶  And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.”  “In the Old Testament Isaiah predicted that God would be ‘pleased to crush Him [Christ], putting Him to grief’ (Isa. 53:10).  To the Romans Paul wrote, ‘For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly’ (Rom. 5:6) and, ‘He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?’ (Rom. 8:32).  In 2 Corinthians 5:21, the apostle described the profound theological implications of God’s sacrifice of His  Son:  ‘He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.’  ‘In this is love,’ wrote the apostle John, ‘not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins’ (1 John 4:10).

            “The Father’s choice of the name ‘Jesus’ for His Son is appropriate, reflecting the reality that He is ‘a Righteous God and a Savior’ (Isa. 45:21).

4/8/2026 9:49 PM

           

“Intro to Luke 2:21-24”

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/8/2026 9:55 AM

My Worship Time                                                                           Focus “Intro to Luke 2:21-24”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                Reference:  Luke 2:21-24

            Message of the verses:  “21 And when eight days had passed, before His circumcision, His name was then called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.22 And when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord
23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “EVERY firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”),24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”  (NASB)

            I begin with a little story, and that story has been frustration to me as I have copied the introduction to these verse now three times and lost them the first two times because I am not understanding this newer laptop that I have.  Hopefully number three will be the one where I can post this SD onto my blogs.

            “A basic legal principle requires a person’s testimony to be confirmed by multiple witnesses.  The Mosaic law declared that ‘a single witness shall not rise up against a man on account of any iniquity or any sin which he has committed; on the evidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed’ (Deut. 19:15; cf. 17:6; Matt. 18:16; 2 Cor. 13:1; 1 Tim. 5:19; Heb. 10:28).  In his gospel, Luke testified that Jesus Christ was born the Son of God; that He was Israel’s long-awaited Messiah, conceived in a virgin through the power of the Holy Spirit; that He is God in human flesh, the Redeemer, who will save His people from their sins.

            “Such an amazing, unprecedented claim came with verification as Luke presented the testimony of several witnesses to corroborate it.  Because a person’s testimony is only as credible as his or her character, Luke was careful to establish that the witnesses he presented were righteous people.

            “At the time of Jesus’ birth four groups, whose teachings were inimical to true biblical righteousness, dominated Jewish society.  The Sadducees were the theological liberals of the time, denying the resurrection of the body and the existence of angels (Acts 23:8).  Their archrivals, the Pharisees, were legalists, who believed they could earn their way to heaven by observing rituals and ceremonies (Matt. 23:1ff.) The Zealots were political revolutionaries advocating the violent overthrow of Roman rule and the recovery of Israel’s sovereignty (Acts. 21:38).  The last group, the Essenes, were ascetic hermits, living in the wilderness in isolation from the rest of society.

            “In contrast, the righteous were a small remnant in Israel.  Luke has already introduced some of them—Zacharias, Elizabeth, Joseph, Mary and the shepherds who received the announcement of Jesus’ birth in this section of  his narrative (2:21-38) Luke called four members of that righteous remnant to testify as witnesses to Jesus’ true identity and mission: Josheph and Mary, Simeon, and Anna.  The setting of this passage is closely connected with two Old Testaments themes.  The scene for most of the passage is the temple and involves the rituals prescribed by the Mosaic law.  The passage also borrows richly from the writings of Isaiah, particularly chapters 40-60.

            “Fittingly, the first to give testimony to Jesus were His parents, Joseph and Mary.  That Joseph was a righteous man is explicitly stated in Matthew 1:19, while Mary’s righteousness is evident from her declaration in Luke 1:47 that God was her Savior.  Five times in chapter 2 of his gospel Luke affirmed the couple’s righteousness by noting their commitment to the law of God (vv. 22, 23, 24, 27, 39).  Genuine righteousness, the righteousness that comes from God by saving faith, inevitably manifests itself in obedience since ‘faith without works is dead’ (James 2:26; cf John 3:36; Acts 5:32; 6:7; Rom. 1:5; 15:18; 16:26; 2 Thess. 1:8; Heb. 5:9; 1 Peter 1:1-2).  Obedience is also the mark of true love for God (John 14:15, 21, 23; 15:10, 14).

            “Two acts of obedience reveal Joseph and Mary’s testimony to Jesus as Messiah and Savior of the world; the circumcision  and naming ,, and the purification and presenting.”

4/8/2026 10:23 AM

 

PT-2 “The Picture of the Good News” (Luke 2:15-21)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/7/2026 10:02 AM

My Worship Time                                                  Focus:  PT-2 “The Picture of the Good News”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                Reference:  Luke 2:15-21 

            Message of the verses:  “When the angels had departed from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem, then, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger.  When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child.  And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.  But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.  The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.  And when eight days had passed, before His circumcision, His name was then called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.” (NASB)

            I will be continuing to quote from John MacArthur’s commentary as I begin this second SD on the verses above.  “The shepherds seeking out Mary, Joseph, and Jesus illustrates the next step in the salvation process.  Those who truly believe the revelation of God in Christ will come to Him.  They will accept His invitation, ‘Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light’ (Matthew 11:28-30; cf. John 5:40; 6:37, 44; 7:37).

            “There must have been an interesting dialog between the shepherds and Mary and Joseph between verses 16-17.  The young couple was no doubt overwhelmed by the shepherds’ recounting of the amazing event they had just witnessed.  The words of the angel provided further confirmation to Mary and Joseph of who their Child was.  And Mary’s account of Gabriel’s appearance to her (1:26-38), coupled with Joseph’s account of his dream (Matt. 1:20-23) could only have increased the shepherds’ amazement.

            “The angels’ appearance to them and their conversation with Mary and Joseph had the shepherds’ privy to information no one else had.  Their enthusiastic response was to make known the statement which had been told them about this Child.  They went everywhere proclaiming the news that the Savior, Israel’s long-awaited Messiah, had been born.  The shepherds thus became the first New Testament evangelists.

            “Once they had heard, believed, and acted on the truth, the shepherds could not help but tell others about it.  Their witnesses to the good news they had received reveals something else that happens in the life of a newborn soul.  The response of those who come to Christ is to tell others about Him.  Usually the most bold and passionate people in proclaiming the gospel are the newest Christians; the longer people are saved, the less excited they seem about their salvation, and the less eager they are to share their faith.  But true spiritual commitment is determined by the quality and tenacity of believers’ long-term joy over their salvation.  One measure of that joy is how eagerly they share the gospel.  Lack of zeal and passion that compels believers to tell others about Christ betrays a sinful heart of indifference and ingratitude.”  I believe it is good that I highlight this paragraph so those believers who read this will search their hearts to find out if they are not witnessing to others about the salvation they were given to them when they confessed to being a sinner, realizing that Christ died for them and accepting the forgiveness that only He can do for them.

            “The shepherds did not have that problem.  The astounding nature of their message, coupled with the eagerness and enthusiasm with which they shared it, caused all who heard it to wonder at the things which were told them by the shepherds.  Thaumazo (wondered) appears frequently in Luke’s writings (cf. 1:21; 63, 2:33; 4:22; 7:9; 8:25; 9:43; 11:14, 38; 20:26; 24:12, 41; Acts 2:7; 3:12; 4:13; 7:31; 13:41).  From the very beginning the life and ministry of Jesus Christ caused people to marvel and be amazed.  Unfortunately then, as now, much of that amazement produced not commitment, but merely curiosity.  When the shepherds heard the good news of the Savior’s birth, they immediately sought Him out. But all that is said of those to whom they witnessed is that they wondered.  After their initial amazement wore off, most of them probably just went on with their lives as if nothing had happened.

            “In contrast to the shallow, superficial reaction of many who heard the news, Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.  She reflected deeply on the significance of the birth of God’s Son, and on what that birth portended for her and Joseph as His earthly parents.  In addition to the normal thoughts that go through the mind of any new mother, Mary had many other things to think about.  She considered God’s redemptive purpose, how just as He had promised, He had sent a Savior to redeem His people.  But that redemption would come at a fearful cost.  As Simeon would later warn Mary, ‘Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed—and a sword will pierce even your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed’ (2:34-35).  Years later, Mary would watch her Son die on the cross bearing God’s wrath against sin (John 19:25-27).”

(John 19:25-27)

“25  but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26  When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27  Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.”

            “Mary’s deep meditation on the Savior illustrates another aspect of what it means to truly embrace Christ.  Salvation’s initial euphoria and excitement deepens into a richer, fuller, more profound understanding of the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The apostle John described the Christian life as a progression from being a spiritual child, who only knows God as Father and forgiver of sins, to being a spiritual young man will grounded in biblical truth, to being a spiritual father, with deep understanding of God’s person (1 John 2:12-14).”

(1 John 2:12-14)

“  12 ¶  I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake. 13  I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. 14  I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.”

“But no Christian will ever be satisfied with the level of knowledge they have attained.  Paul many years into his Christian pilgrimage, yearned to know Christ even better.  He expressed to the Philippians his desire to ‘know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death’ (Phil.3:10).

            “The shepherds had had an amazing evening, one that forever changed their lives.  But life goes on, and eventually the shepherds went back to their flock, glorifying and praising God (cf. 1:64; 5:25-26; 7:16; 13:13; 17:15; 18:43; 23:47; 24:52-53) for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.  Their hopes and longings that the Redeemer would come had been realized, and their lives were marked by a newfound attitude of praise and worship.  That same attitude characterizes all who know and love the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Ps. 22:26; 30:4; 33:1; 34:1; 100:4; Acts 16:25; Heb. 13:15), whom Paul describes as ‘the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus’ (Phil. 3:3).”

Spiritual Meaning for my Life Today:  I believe that like many, if not all believers that there are ups and downs in their (my) walk with the Lord.  I believe one thing that certainly helps in my walk with the Lord is doing my Spiritual Diaries which causes me to study His Word.  In the paragraph that I colored yellow in this SD it shows me how I desire to do things for the cause of Christ.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Trusting the Lord to continue to cause me to grow in the Lord, and to trust the Lord for what is going on in my wife as she continue to battle with cancer .  May I be a help to her in this battle.

4/7/2026 11:02 AM

 

 

 

PT-1 “The Picture of the Good News” (Luke 2:15-21)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/6/2026 8:07 PM

My Worship Time                                                  Focus:  PT-1 “The Picture of the Good News”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                Reference:  Luke 2:15-21 

            Message of the verses:  “¹⁵ When the angels had departed from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem, then, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ And they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the ^[manger. ¹⁷ When they had seen Him, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. ¹⁸ And all who heard it were amazed about the things which were told them by the shepherds. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. ²⁰ And the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.²¹ And when eight days were completed ^[so that it was time for His circumcision, He was also named Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.” (NASB)

            It looks like to me that the commentary on these verses will take a more than one SD in order to get through it.  These are wonderful verses to take a look at as we continue looking at the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ and how Luke describes the things surrounding it.  One of the things that is not in the gospel of Luke is telling the story of how His parents take Him to Egypt because Herod is trying to kill him.

            MacArthur begins his commentary on these verses by writing:  “How long the angels lingered is not known, but eventually they returned to heaven to resume their praise and worship before the throne of God (cf. Rev. 5:11-14).”

(cf. Rev. 5:11-14)

“11  Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12  saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” 13  And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” 14  And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.”

“After the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds immediately started discussing the amazing event they had just witnessed, and what they should do next.  Although the angel had not specifically commanded them to do so, they excitedly began saying to one another, ‘Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.’ Understandably, they wanted to get to Bethlehem as soon as possible.  But since they were responsible for the sheep under their care, they could not just drop everything and leave.  Either some of them had to remain with the sheep, or they had to find outer shepherds to watch over them.  As soon as those details were worked out, the shepherds went at once to Bethlehem.

            “The shepherds’ response illustrates the first two involved in a person’s coming to Christ: they heard the revelation.  In Romans 10:14 Paul described those same two steps (in reverse order):  “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard?’  As noted earlier, these shepherds were most likely devout worshipers of the true God, who were looking for the redemption of Israel.  Their hearts were prepared so that when they heard the revelation of the Savior’s birth they believed it.

            “After making provision for their sheep to be cared for, the shepherds came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby.  The traditional site of the field were the shepherds watching their sheep is about two miles from Bethlehem. Luke does not describe how the shepherds found Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus.  However, there would not have many babies born in a small village like Bethlehem on any given night.  Certainly news of any birth have spread rapidly by word of mouth, especially since Mary gave birth in a semipublic place…When the shepherds saw the Child as He lay in the manger, the angel’s prophecy was confirmed and their faith verified.”

            I continue to talk about what I posted on one of my Christmas Spiritual Diaries that perhaps I will use again by putting it onto this Spiritual Diary.  To me this makes the most sense to do this again, and so I will use this quote to end this SD.  I hope you will enjoy reading it!

            Now as far as the place where Jesus was born and who was there when He was born, it is not like the nativity scenes we see in people’s yards or in their houses.  I read a historic novel a few years ago and the author incorporated into the birth of Jesus a place called Midgal Eder and this place is mentioned in the book of Micah 4:8 where we read “8 "As for you, tower of the flock, Hill of the daughter of Zion, To you it will come-Even the former dominion will come, The kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.”  The words “tower of the flock” in the Hebrew is Midgal Eder, and this place was near Bethlehem on the way to Jerusalem and is where the lambs were born who would go to the temple and used for sacrifices.  There was a cave there and many believe that Jesus was born in that cave where these sacrificial lambs were born.  When you think about this it all makes perfect sense.  Now as far as who was there we know that Joseph, Mary, Jesus and later on the shepherds came, but as far as the wise men they did not come and see Jesus until he was near two years old.  They probably came from what was once Babylon and they probably got their information from Daniel who prophesied in his book of the time when the Messiah would die and so they would know when it would be near time for Him to be born and looked for Him following a star.  They first came to see Herod and asked him where the Messiah would be born and then went to find Him, giving gifts to Him and were then told in a dream not to go back to tell Herod.  Herod then had all male boys from the age of two years old and younger killed as was prophesied by Jeremiah. 

As far as Midgal Eder is concerned, there is no universal identification of the site. But I do believe it was a real site. The best thing I’ve read on the subject is from Alfred Edersheim’s The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah. (You can find his complete work online at Google Books.) I’ll include his quotation here, and then I’ll follow it with a few observations. (I’ll also highlight the key point he makes in the quote.)

 

But as we pass from the sacred gloom of the cave [i.e., he was just talking about the birth of Jesus in a cave] out into the night, its sky all aglow with starry brightness, its loneliness is peopled, and its silence made vocal from heaven. There is nothing now to conceal, but much to reveal, though the manner of it would seem strangely incongruous to Jewish thinking. And yet Jewish tradition may here prove both illustrative and helpful. That the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, was a settled conviction. Equally so was the belief, that He was to be revealed from Midgal Eder, “the tower of the flock.” This Midgal Eder was not the watchtower for the ordinary flocks which pastured on the barren sheep ground beyond Bethlehem, but lay close to the town, on the road to Jerusalem. A passage in the Mishnah leads to the conclusion, that the flocks, which pastured there, were destined for Temple-sacrifices, and, accordingly, that the shepherds, who watched over them, were not ordinary shepherds. The latter were under the ban of Rabbinism, on account of their necessary isolation from religious ordinances, and their manner of life, which rendered strict legal observance unlikely, if not absolutely impossible. The same Mishnaic passage also leads us to infer, that these flocks lay out all the year round, since they are spoken of as in the fields thirty days before the Passover—that is, in the month of February, when in Palestine the average rainfall is nearly greatest. Thus, Jewish tradition in some dim manner apprehended the first revelation of the Messiah from that Migdal Eder, where shepherds watched the Temple-flocks all the year round. Of the deep symbolic significance of such a coincidence, it is needless to speak.

 —Alfred Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, pp. 186-87

 

If Edersheim is correct (and I believe he is), the location for Midgal Eder would be north of Bethlehem and near the old road from Bethlehem to Jerusalem. (That road is the old “Hebron road” one drives on between Jerusalem and Bethlehem today!) I believe this puts the location somewhere between the Jewish kibbutz of Ramat Rachel and Bethlehem, probably just to the west of Har Homa. There used to be an actual sheepfold in this area where I would take our groups but, sadly, it has been covered over by the modern road that now goes to Har Homa.

 

A key point here. Edersheim indicates that Migdal Eder was an actual spot, but he is not saying it was a town or village. Rather, the name means “watchtower of the flock” which seems to identify it as a specific pasture area for sheep. And the sheep that grazed here were those specifically destined for Temple sacrifice. In that sense the shepherds keeping watch over the temple sacrifices were the ones to whom God announced the birth of the ultimate “sacrificial lamb.”

 

I’m attaching a screen shot from Google Earth that might be of help in identifying the location for Midgal Eder. Note that Ramat Rachel is at the top of the picture and Bethlehem is at the bottom. The road running along the left side of the picture is the old Hebron Road, and Homat Shemu’el/Har Homa is just to the right of center in the picture. Based on Edersheim’s description, I would place Migdal Eder almost in the center of the picture…north of Bethlehem, just to the west of Har Homa, and east of the road from Bethlehem to Jerusalem. Since the word means “tower of the flock” it is likely a high spot in this area where sheep would graze. The hills right around (or right at) Har Homa are probably the best possible location.

 

I hope this is helpful!

4/6/2026 9:32 PM

 

“The Purpose of the Good News” (Luke 2:13-14)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/6/2026 9:45 AM

My Worship Time                                                         Focus:  “The Purpose of the Good News”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                Reference:  Luke 2:13-14

            Message of the verses:  “And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” (NASB)

            MacArthur writes: “While the angel was speaking to the shepherds something even more amazing took place.  Suddenly (cf. v:9; Mal. 3:1; Mark 13:36; Acts 2:2; 9:3; 1 Thess. 5:3) there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host.”

(cf. v:9; Mal. 3:1; Mark 13:36; Acts 2:2; 9:3; 1 Thess. 5:3)

“9  And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.”

“1 ¶  "Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.”

“36  lest he come suddenly and find you asleep.”

“2  And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.”

“3  Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him.”

“5  For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.”

“How many of the millions of holy angels (‘myriad’ is the Greek word for 10,000, the highest number for which there was a word, hence the use of the expression ‘myriads of myriads’ to indicate more [Rev. 5:11]) appeared is not revealed, but the term multitude signifies a large group.  The appearance of so many angels at once is unprecedent in Scripture.”

[Rev. 5:11]

“11  Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands,”

            “These angels were doing what angels constantly do, praising God (cf. Rev. 5:11-12; 7:11-12).”

(cf. Rev. 5:11-12; 7:11-12)

“11  Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12  saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”

“11  And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12  saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.’”

“All heaven broke loose with rejoicing at the birth of the Son of God.  The angels knew Him as the second person of the Trinity before His incarnation, where they saw His ineffable glory.  They understood that the fall had transformed the human race into sinful rebels against God, but they also knew that God had provided a way of salvation for man.  Their deep concern for the salvation of sinners causes there to be ‘joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents’ (Luke 15:10).  The angelic chorus of praise reflects the transcendent pinnacle of all thought and action; the highest of all truths; the supreme reason for all that exists—the glory of God.  The ultimate purpose of the good news of salvation is to save sinners so they can join the angels in glorifying God.

            “The angels ascribed glory to God in the highest; that is, heaven.  On earth, the lowest place in comparison with heaven, they proclaimed peace among men with whom He is pleased.  The peace of which the angels spoke is the peace with God that results from salvation (Rom. 5:1; cf. Acts 10:36).”

(Rom. 5:1; cf. Acts 10:36)

“1 ¶  Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

“36  As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all),”

“Through faith in the Messiah, the ‘prince of Peace,’ God and sinners are reconciled (Rom. 5:10; 2 Cor. 5:18-19; Eph. 2:16; Col. 1:20-22).”

(Rom. 5:10; 2 Cor. 5:18-19; Eph. 2:16; Col. 1:20-22)

“10  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.”

“18  All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19  that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.”

“16  and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.”

“20  and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. 21  And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22  he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,”

            The peace of which the angels spoke is only for men with whom God is pleased.  That does not, of course, mean that He gives salvation to those who please Him by their good works, since salvation is ‘not as a result of works, so that no one may boast’ (Eph. 2:9).  The Greek text literally reads, ‘men of His good pleasure.’ As Marshall explains, ‘The phrase means ‘those upon whom God’s will/favor rests’, and expresses the thought of God’s free choice of those whom he wills to favour and save’ (The Gospel of Luke, The New International Greek Testament Commentary [Grand Rapids; Eerdmans, 1978], 112).  Salvation peace belongs to those to whom God is pleased to give it; it is not a reward for those who have good will, but a gracious gift to those who are the objects of God’s good will.”

Spiritual Meaning for my life Today:  I am so very thankful for what is written in the highlighted portion above, for I know that I could never earn salvation, so that makes me very thankful for what God has done for me in giving me the gift of salvation through what Christ did for me on the cross.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Continue to trust the Lord in giving His mercy to my wife as she goes through these cancer treatments, knowing that He is in control.  Grace for both of us as we go through this difficult time in our lives.

4/6/2026 10:24 AM

           

PT-2 “The Person Of The Good News” (Luke 2:11-12)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/5/2026 9:30 PM

My Worship Time                                                  Focus: PT-2 “The Person Of The Good News”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                 Reference:  Luke 2:11-12

            Message of the verses:  “for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in clothes and lying in a manger.”

            I want to continue quoting from John MacArthur’s commentary as he brings up some wonderful commentary on this section:  “Lord in a human sense is a term of respect and esteem, given to someone in a position of leadership and authority.  Especially it was the title borne by slave owners; kurios  (Lord) and doulos (slave) were connected.  To call someone Lord was to acknowledge your subservience.  In the New Testament Sarah called Abraham lord, acknowledging his authority over her as her husband (1 Peter 3:6).”

(1 Peter 3:6)

“6  as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.”

            But in this context Lord is no mere elevated human designation; it is a divine title.  To say that this Child is Lord is to say that He is God.  When used in reference to Jesus Christ kurios  (Lord) conveys all that is implied by the tetragrammaton YHWH (“Yahweh,” which the Septuagint translates kurios)—the name of God (cf. Ex. 3:14-15).”

(cf. Ex. 3:14-15)

“14  God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And he said, "Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’" 15  God also said to Moses, "Say this to the people of Israel, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.”

“The most fundamental and basic confession of Christianity is, “Jesus is Lord’ (1 Cor. 12:3).”

(1 Cor. 12:3)

“3  Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says accursed “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.”

“No one who does not affirm Christ’s full deity and equality with God the Father can be saved for, as He warned the Jews, ‘Unless you believe that I am [God], you will die in your sins’ (John 8:24).  Romans 10:9 declares that ‘if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.’

            “The Angel then gave the shepherds a sign by which they could recognize this remarkable Child:  they would find the baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.  That the baby would be wrapped in cloths would not single out Jesus for the shepherds, since that was done to all Jewish babies…To fail to properly care for a newborn baby, including wrapping it, was unthinkable (cf. Ezek. 16:1-5).”

(cf. Ezek. 16:1-5)

“1 ¶  Again the word of the LORD came to me: 2  "Son of man, make known to Jerusalem her abominations, 3  and say, Thus says the Lord GOD to Jerusalem: Your origin and your birth are of the land of the Canaanites; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. 4  And as for your birth, on the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to cleanse you, nor rubbed with salt, nor wrapped in swaddling cloths. 5  No eye pitied you, to do any of these things to you out of compassion for you, but you were cast out on the open field, for you were abhorred, on the day that you were born.”

“But Jewish mothers did not usually put their newborn babies in a manger, so that would narrow the shepherds’ search to the Child of whom the angel spoke.  The stark contrast between Jesus’ exalted status as Savior, Messiah, and God and the humble circumstances of His birth emphasizes the magnitude of His ‘[emptying] Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men’ (Phil. 2:7).”

4/5/2026 9:52 PM