The SWORD OF THE LORD Newspaper December 13, 2019

D ECEMBER 13, 2019 Born to die Read the Bible in Just One Year 5 Editor | Dr. Shelton Smith Vol. LXXXV. No. 25 The Royal Highway to Heaven That man might live 13 The Word Was Made Flesh DR. SHELTON SMITH Jesus’ Preexistence The early part of John, chapter 1, gives a number of details about Jesus’ preexistence prior to Beth - lehem. It says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. “The same was in the beginning with God. “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. “In him was life; and the life was the light of men. “And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”—Vss. 1–5. All of that is prior to Bethlehem. It is testimony to the preexistent Christ. “In the beginning was the Word.” It says that He who is “the Word” was in the beginning. He was with God and He was God. Say hello again to some of the crowds floating around who try to nullify His deity. They are out there on the streets, in the courts, in the schools and, horror of horrors, even in some so-called churches. “The Word was God”! That’s the truth! If you ask, “How do you know that is talking about Jesus?” I will tell you that it’s because verse 14 says, “And the Word was made flesh.” Merry Merry Christmas Christmas The Real Deal of Christmas 12 Facts of Bible Prophecy 6 DR. CURTIS HUTSON “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish Jesus’ Prophecy it with judgment and with justice There are things about the Lord from henceforth even for ever. The Jesus prophesied in verses 6 and zeal of the L ORD of hosts will perform following. It is a reference to this.”—Isa. 9:6, 7. Isaiah, chapter 40. In my library is a booklet Some years ago when I was going entitled 57 Reasons. The author to a less-than-desirable theological lists fifty-seven reasons why he seminary, they tried to tell us that believes the Bible is the Word of the Book of Isaiah should be divided God. three ways. Their reasoning was If I had but one reason, I would believe the Bible is the Word of Continued on p 7▶ They Were Wise Men God on the ground of fulfilled Bible prophecy. Seven hundred years before the fact, the prophet prophesied Jesus’ supernatural virgin birth in Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” This had never happened before; it has not happened since. Jesus is correctly called “the only begotten of the Father” (John 1:14). A study of the Book of Daniel would have revealed to any Bible student the very year of the Savior’s birth. Micah 5:2 prophesied the very place He would be born. “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thou - sands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” Since more than one town was named Bethlehem, the Bible made sure to give the correct one, Bethlehem Ephratah. In John 3, Jesus predicted His own death, even telling the kind of death He would die. “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up.”—Vs. 14. Just like the serpent was raised up on a pole in Numbers 21, Jesus Christ was lifted up on a cross two thousand years ago. Isaiah 53 prophesied His death between two thieves: “And he was numbered with the transgressors” (vs. 12). Continued on p 8▶ DR. HUGH F. PYLE “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, “Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.”—Matt. 2:1, 2. It would be well for us to learn from these ancient wise men about whom we read in Matthew 2. For entirely too many people today Jesus has become, as Dr. DeHaan used to put it, “the forgotten Man of Christmas.” For many celebrants, Christmas will be all over in a day. But for the truly wise men (and women), Christmas with its message of joy and peace can last forever! How many people are foolishly getting ready for Christmas without getting ready for Christ? Taken up with all of the tinsel and trappings of Christmas, we forget that “He that cometh from above is above all” (John 3:31). Truly wise men still worship Jesus! Rome attempted to conquer the whole world with battles. God will yet conquer the world with a Baby. Let us explore the simple yet beautiful event of the wise men who found what they were looking for when they found the Babe of Bethlehem. 1. They Were Wise in Their Direction “There came wise men from the east.”—Vs. 1. University Purges Pledge of Allegiance for Not Being Inclusive receive more light. 2. They Asked a Wise Question “Where is he that is born King of the Jews?”—Vs. 2. Many people rush away from In other words, they were Christ at Christmas. These men anxious inquirers. Oh, that people moved toward Christ. When we would become anxious about act upon the light that God has given us, He will see to it that we Continued on p 6▶ A vote to stop reciting the Pledge of Allegiance during meetings was cast by the Grand Valley State University (GVSU) Student Senate— with twice as many voting to remove it than keep it—as the overwhelming majority insisted the patriotic tribute symbolizes an oppressive and discriminatory government that is noninclusive. One student senator at the Michigan university, Dorian Thompson [a conservative], revealed that 22 voted to remove the Pledge, while only 10 opposed the measure and 10 abstained.… “The arguments to remove it were to create an inclusive environment, that it represented an oppressive government and that there are international students that we should be representing,” Thompson informed the College Fix.… Continued on p 2▶