Faith Baptist Church
4258 Botetourt Road
Fincastle, Virginia 24090
(540) 473-2325
Numbers 24:17
I promise you before we finish with this message that you’re going to see stars.
We all know the biblical account of the wise men who followed the star they saw in the east. They traveled for months, perhaps up to two years, before arriving in Bethlehem, Matt.2:1-3, 9-10. Their number was probably greater than three magi. They studied the stars as astronomers, not astrologers. They saw something others did not see.
But this star which stood over the birth place represented more than the Star of Bethlehem. It was a star of prophecy.
In the eighth century B.C., it is said in Micah 5:2 that this same star of prophecy would be born in Bethlehem. That he would be the everlasting ruler of Israel, which is the theme of the Davidic covenant, and this is yet to come. Micah’s prophecy also foretells of Jesus Christ origins as well as his first and his second advent. It tells us that out of Bethlehem he would come and his goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting, that is, he had no beginning.
John 1:1,14; Ps.90:2 read...
Isa.7:14 tells us Jesus Christ would be born of a virgin thus he had no sin nature, no earthly father, only a God appointed earthly foster father, Joseph.
This Universal Single Deity package is unique in the highest sense in that deity means neither the Father, Jesus Christ, or the Holy Spirit have no beginning or end.
As we continue these wise men were being drawn to more than a star of purpose, they were being drawn to the Star of Jacob.
Num.24:17 - Moses prophesied of a Star out of Jacob. This is the star of purpose.
Men will follow after other stars; sports stars, Hollywood stars, philosopher stars, science stars, and even that terrible fallen star called Satan in Rev.9:1. But the Star of Jacob tops them all. Why would any one want to hitch their wagon to any other star, and yet we see in Matt.2:3 that this Star troubles mankind and he still troubles mankind. This Star of Jacob so troubled men that they crucified Him on a Roman cross.
It was prophesied in Micah 5:1 that men would smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.” This was fulfilled in Matt.27:30 just before his crucifixion. “And they spat upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.”
Moses prophesied in our Numbers passage that this Star of Jacob will one day hold his Scepter of authority over Israel, and he will have all authority over the Gentiles nations one day as well, Ps.2. This will be fulfilled in his millennial kingdom, a kingdom that could commence in just a little over seven years if the tribulation begins today. Most churches today do not preach on the return of Christ and his future earthly kingdom. They have a gospel that is filled with social justice and peace, where man invents a worldly kingdom without hope of a literal return of Jesus Christ.
However, all of the unfulfilled prophetic end time’s events are just a moment away from commencing. Are you ready to meet your Savior as a Christian? Or would you think, I’m too busy to leave. I’ve got a mortgage and a car payment to keep up with; I’ve got school work to do. I have a vacation planned and I’ve already made the deposit. I’m behind at work.
All life here on earth will cease as we know it. Our Savior is coming after us, whether we are ready to leave or not. Some saints are ready to leave. Their present focus is heavenward. Their present sense of accountability is Christ first. They are ready.
Rest assured Jesus Christ will leave no believer behind when he comes for his church.
The rapture of the church will take only a split second and then seven years of tribulation such as this earth and mankind has never seen will commence. Are you ready?
At the end of those seven literal years our Lord will come in his second coming. He is depicted as the Stone which was rejected by Israel in his first coming, Matt.21:42.
This Stone, who will descend out of heaven at blazing speed, will crush the Antichrist and all the world powers gathered together to wipe Israel off the face of the earth, at the Battle of Armageddon, Dan.2:34.
This is the Star of Jacob. As the judge from heaven He will separate the lost from the saved and then His 1,000 year earthly reign will begin. The lost will die by the millions in an instant wherein their judged souls will immediately go to Hades, Matt.25:31-33; 41-46 where they will remain in a conscious state in misery for 1,000 years until the Great White Throne judgment.
The saved tribulation saints who did not die during those seven tribulation years will go physically into Christ earthly kingdom.
The Old Testament saints and tribulation martyrs will be bodily raised and glorified together, Dan.12:11-13; I Cor.15:23. The previously raptured church age saints who have returned from glory with the Lord at his second coming will be there in all their glory.
What will you be doing in seven years if the Lord raptures out all believers today? As far as that goes what will you be doing in seven minutes if you are not ready for the Lord? Will you be one of the many unsaved who is killed in the tribulation period, or will you be one of those who is cast into Hades at Christ second coming? If you have rejected the gospel prior to Christ rapture of the church you will have no chance during the tribulation period to be saved as Paul says in II Thess.2:10-12.
You may say, this is not a happy Christmas message and it isn’t if you’re not a Christian. If you are a believer you should be a happy person because you are on the winning team.
An honest and satisfying celebration of Christmas is incomplete if we do not know Jesus Christ as our Savior. The words of Jesus Christ say except a man is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. This spiritual rebirth is necessary because we are all born into sin. We must tell God we know we are sinners; that Christ came as the Son of God to die for our sins; that we believe he was crucified for our sins; that he was buried and was raised from the dead for our sins. If we confess with our mouths the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in our hearts God has raised him from the dead we will be saved, for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Rom.10:9-10.