God's Voice That First Christmas

I have been meditating on God's wonderful voice that surrounded the first Christmas - think about it - all these people heard God's voice in supernatural ways (mostly through angelic visitations).

I can't think of any time in history when there was this amount of angelic visitation surrounding an event. I can't recall any other time when God spoke quite so dramatically and as often as this, to so many different people. I have tried to list these events in chronological order:

Lu. 1:8-25 Zacharias (a priest who ministered in the presence of God) had a visitation from the angel Gabriel who stands in the presence of God. Gabriel told him he would have a son and that he would remain mute until the child was born. Zacharias obeyed the Lord and called his son John.

Lu. 1:26-38 Mary (a simple Godly young woman who was favored by the Lord) had a visitation from the angel Gabriel who told her she would conceive and give birth to Jesus - she yielded to God's word and obeyed 

Matt. 1:20-24 Joseph (a simple carpenter) had an angelic visitation in a dream - the angel carried the message of God that Joseph should make Mary his wife and that she would have a child - Jesus. Joseph obeyed everything that he was told to do.

Matt. 2:1-12 Wise men from the east (educated men) heard God's voice through signs in the stars, through the prophets, and in a dream. The wise men obeyed everything the Lord directed them to do and say.

Lu. 2:8-20 Shepherds (simple working men) had a visit from and angel and a short time later from a whole host of angels who praised God. The shepherds obeyed the call to visit Jesus in Bethlehem

Matt. 2:13- 14 Joseph had a visit from an angel in a dream. The angel gave specific instructions that Joseph should take Mary and Jesus to Egypt because Herod was seeking to kill him. Joseph obeyed everything that he was told to do.

Matt. 2:19-21 Joseph had another visitation from an Angel in a dream telling him to take his family back to Israel. Joseph obeyed everything the angel told him to do.

Matt. 2:22-23 Joseph was spoken to by God in a dream and given instructions to go and live in Nazareth. He obeyed what the Lord told him to do.

Each of these people heard God's voice in a way that was specific to them - how they would best be able to hear and be impacted by God's message of hope. The Lord designed each visitation of His voice in a way that best suited these listeners. For example, God showed Himself to the wise men through the signs they were used to seeing and interpreting. I can imagine that the Shepherds were hardened men who needed some sort of dramatic display in order to believe it was really the voice of God, so the Lord showed up very dramatically with a choir of angels.

There is no indication that any of these people had heard God's voice like this before, and yet each one immediately obeyed what the Lord was saying.

Let us turn our ears to God's voice this Christmas - let us be open to hearing what He has to say. He is our Emmanuel - God who is always with us! He spoke when Jesus was conceived and born - He is still speaking today and his grace is renewed in our hearts. He is able to speak to each of us in a way that has the greatest ability to impact our lives - I love Him for that!!

Song of Deliverance 7

The Song from Prison - Acts 16:25-26

But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them

Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken;

Sometimes at midnight (when things seem to be at their darkest) the Lord requires that we sing. At times like these, look for the earthquake and for the lives of many to be affected by the presence of the Lord. God’s song of deliverance was sung by Paul and Silas – this time it was a hymn of the Church. It is amazing to see how the Philippian jailor was so impacted by the lives of Paul and Silas. It seems as though he was asleep during the hymn singing, yet he so clearly knew the great question to be asked once God’s power and glory were revealed in this prison: Acts 16:30…”Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” All of his household were saved and baptized that night.

Ps 142:7 Bring my soul out of prison, That I may praise Your name; The righteous shall surround me, For You shall deal bountifully with me.”

God’s men who were sent to prison and prospered by His grace:

• The favor of God on Joseph's life brought him great favor in captivity and in the prison
Gen. 39:21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

• Although Samson had disobeyed the Lord, yet God heard his prayers and he had great strength and victory over his enemies.
Judges 16:21 Then the Philistines took him and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza. They bound him with bronze fetters, and he became a grinder in the prison. 

• Jeremiah was a prophet who was faithful and obedient to the Lord. He was thrown into prison on 3 occasions, yet he still served the Lord. Even when he was in prison, God’s word came through him with clarity

Jer. 32:2; 33:1 ...Jermiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the prison, which was in the king of Judah's house.
Moreover the word of the Lord came to Jermiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the prison saying...

• Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were Babylonian prisoners in exile. They remained faithful to the Lord and would not bow down to any king or god other than the Lord. God preserved their lives supernaturally and revealed His favor and glory through these young men - Dan. 1-3.

• Paul and Silas were the instruments of God's grace and glory in the Philippian jail. The Lord revealed His delivering power in the midst of their praises.

Whatever seems to be a prison to you – turn your heart to song and see God’s glory revealed in the praises. He has songs of deliverance for you that will release you from bondage and bring freedom to others who sit in darkness.

Is. 42:6-7

"I, the Lord, have called You in righteousness, And will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the Gentiles,

To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the prison, Those who sit in darkness from the prison house.”

Is. 61:1 "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

The Lord will set every captive free

with His songs of deliverance!!

Part 1: HERE