It may not be a familiar to many people today, but YULETIDE is a word going back to the tenth century that refers to Christmas as the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Yuletide is actually a name originating from a German celebration lasting twelve days around the winter solstice in December and January. Yuletide also relates to an old English word geol, and it begins on the shortest day of the year, December 21, and ends on the first day of the year, January 1. So, yuletide can refer to Christmas Day or the Christmas season in general.
“Words from Above” in the Bible never use the actual word Christmas, but there are many references to the birth of Jesus, the obvious basis for the celebration of Christmas. The prophet Isaiah predicted 700 years before the actual birth of Jesus in Isaiah 7:14 that a virgin would conceive, bear a son, and call His name Emmanuel, which means “God with us”. The fulfillment of that prophecy is recorded in Matthew 1:18, which tells us that when Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they married, she conceived a child through the Holy Spirit of God. Isaiah also tells us in Isaiah 9:6 that He will be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace.
Micah the prophet predicts in Micah 5:2 that Jesus would be born in the town of Bethlehem, and describes it as a little town, but says that out of Bethlehem would come a ruler in Israel. Micah says that this ruler has been active in the world since the very beginning of time and will remain active forever. Again, Matthew 2 tells us that when Jesus was born in Bethlehem, wise men from the east came from the east to Jerusalem asking where they could find the King of the Jews, also a reference to Jesus. They said that they had seen His star in the east and had come to worship Him. King Herod inquired of the Jewish religious leaders where this child was predicted to be born, and they immediately told him that it was Bethlehem.
God Himself predicted the birth of a child who would be a descendant of the first woman Eve, and that there would be entity or hatred between this descendant and those associated with Satan for deceiving her and also convincing her to disobey God. This descendant would be Jesus, and there would be hatred between Him and Satan, until Satan would be defeated forever by Jesus. The Bible tells us that we can now celebrate the birth of Jesus, and one day celebrate His victory over Satan.
Larry R. Steffee is pastor of the Center Hill Brethren In Christ Church on Miller Road in Smithville. Everyone is welcome to attend. For information, you may email lrsteffeetn@yahoo.com.
