It has been taught that Yeshua (Jesus) was not born earlier in history because GOD had to wait for a woman of such caliber great enough to "believe" to be impregnated by the Holy Spirit.

Too many Christians are seduced from the simplicity that is in Christ. Too many are taught that there is some mystical power called believing, and if they could learn to tap into it all of life's "goodies" would be theirs. Many are taken in when "bible teachers" give them so called biblical examples of this supposedly once lost but now newly discovered power. "Not knowing the scriptures nor the power of GOD", they are led so far from the truth it's a wonder any make it back.

In nearly every case of believing found in the Bible, one can see that the Believer first had something to believe. Mary didn't just sit down one day and say, "I'm going to believe hard enough to be impregnated by the Holy Spirit". Sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? Yet that's what many teach and many more believe!

We believe however, that Yeshua was not born earlier in history simply because that was not GOD's purpose. GOD chose the time of Christ's birth, not Mary. Nor was Yeshua finally born because the "temperature of believing" had risen to such a degree as to make it "available". What lunacy has been taught about GOD's word.

GALATIANS 4:4  But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.

Yeshua was conceived, born, crucified and raised at the exact moment GOD had selected, "when the fullness of time was come". When all that GOD intended to bring to pass before Christ's birth had been accomplished, then He was born. That is what the fullness of time means. That is when time is full. That will be equally true of His return,

ACTS 1:7  ...which the Father hath put in his own power.

All through the Old Testament the Lord's way was prepared. GOD's will had run its course down through the ages and HIS purpose had found its day. Everything was accomplished for Christ to be born and the word of GOD to become living. Man would like to think he could move GOD like a piece on a chess board by gritting his teeth and saying he is believing, but GOD won't be moved. GOD moves but HE won't be moved.

If mankind is somehow blessed by GOD, it is because of GOD's grace, not man's believing. Just as ages ago Esther had "found grace", so now with Mary, one "highly favored" had also "found grace".

LUKE 1:26-38  And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth. To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour [grace] with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also the holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elizabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

"Be it unto me according to THY word."

Sure, Mary believed but she believed "THY word". She believed the specific promise made to her. No one else in all history had received this promise. It was only offered unto Mary, and only Mary could believe it. I know so many wonderful Christians who somehow got it in their heads that believing is an action. It is not! It is a reaction to GOD's original action. Once GOD has spoken, once GOD has promised, then and only then can we believe, "according to THY word".

Six months earlier GOD had promised Mary's cousin Elizabeth that she who had been barren over these many years, would now bare a son. Any son would be great enough but she was to bare John the Baptist, who must precede Yeshua, to announce His coming. Just as one went before Joseph in Egypt to announce His coming, now John the Baptist would precede and announce the Messiah.

So many things had to be in their precise place for Yeshua's coming that it's ludicrous to teach that GOD was "waiting" for someone to believe. GOD was not waiting, GOD was preparing! HE was preparing Zacharias to believe. HE was preparing Elizabeth to bare the Baptist. HE was preparing Joseph so that he would not put away Mary. HE was preparing the registering of Caesar Augustus resulting in Joseph and Mary's journey to Jerusalem, the city of David,

LUKE 2:6  And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

"While they were there." All was according to a very carefully laid out plan from above. HE was preparing the shepherds in the field, and the wise men from the East. HE was even preparing Herod who sought to destroy "the young child". And HE was preparing Pilate who tried to wash his hands of the crucifixion. Yes, GOD was working all things after the counsel of HIS own will. But it was all by course, in the careful order GOD had planned.

Before John the Baptist's birth, because of his unbelief, his father, Zacharias, had had his tongue bound by GOD and was not able to speak. But when GOD unloosed it, oh how he believed.

LUKE 1:57-80  Now Elizabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her. And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John. And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all. And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake and praised God. And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea. And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him. And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto HIS people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.

What great promises for Israel to hear and believe. "To give light to them that sit in darkness." That is how my life was before I learned some of the word. I was frozen with confusion in a room full of darkness. When I learned to get my thoughts off myself and onto HIM and HIS word, the shadows began to fade and a new me began to emerge.

I'm sure that GOD wants each and every one of us to have the good life, to be saved from our enemies. But GOD's blessing on our lives doesn't come because we are such great Believers. GOD's blessing comes because HIS Son, Yeshua was such a great Believer. That is what it is all about, Yeshua. All of life, all of eternity is about Yeshua the Christ. He is the Beginning and the Ending. He was chosen before the foundation of the world and He was seated "far above all principality and power". At His name every knee should bow, in heaven and in earth and under the earth.

He is the purpose of the ages. Knowing Him, being found in Him, is the purpose of our lives. The very reason for our existence is to know and to be with Christ. Our purpose is to know Him, not ourselves, and to know HIS power, not our own.

If we miss Him in our pursuits, then we miss life itself, because He is our life. He is the way, the only way. He is the truth, the "all truth". He is life, the true and eternal life.

He is the one, the man who though guiltless and blameless, allowed His body to be bloodied, His skin ripped from His back, to be abused beyond our comprehension. And for what reason was this terror allowed to be unleashed upon our Lord? That some of us might be saved. Are we even close to understanding what kind of love He has for us? A word cannot describe it. Only by learning about the life of this man through GOD's word can we even begin to approach an understanding of true love.

The first question asked by GOD in the Old Testament was asked of Adam, "Where art thou?" Down through the ages that has been the great question of mankind, "Where art thou?" He has been lost. His only salvation, his only relief, his only answer is found in the first question of the New Testament asked of Herod by the wise men, "Where is He?" When we begin to pursue Him, our purpose is realized.

MATTHEW 2:1-2  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.

The wise men were astronomers whose ancestors had been taught by Daniel to watch the skies for "His star". When they saw a certain configuration of stars and planets in the sky, this would be the sign that "the King of the Jews" had been born.

Naturally the idea of another king bothered Herod a great deal since he currently had rule over the Judeans and was not looking forward to stepping aside. Unfortunately for him, the "chief priests and scribes" had long since lost this ancient teaching of Daniel and were not at all expecting Christ's birth.

MATTHEW 2:3-11  When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when you have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. When they heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

They had accomplished their purpose. They had watched for, followed, found, and worshipped their Lord. In addition, they presented unto Him great treasure and it is here that we find GOD accomplishing HIS purpose, for HE would soon require Joseph to "take the young child and His mother and flee into Egypt". That would be a costly venture which normally would require the selling off of one's property, but Joseph had before him treasure from the east which had just been delivered and he could leave that "night".

MATTHEW 2:13-18  And when they [the wise men] were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

Some Christians tell us we should always "stand our ground", if we truly believe. Yet here Joseph believed GOD's warning and "arose and departed into Egypt". Believing is hearing and obeying GOD's specific word to us. That is why it is so important for us to know the word.

Joseph took Mary and Yeshua and fled to Egypt. Why Egypt? Because that was GOD's purpose.

"Out of Egypt have I called MY Son"

Just as in past ages HE had called Moses and Israel out of Egypt, so now HE calls the antitype out of Egypt. After Herod's death Joseph and his family return to Israel and settle in Nazareth where, Yeshua "increases in wisdom and stature, and in favour [grace] with GOD and man". Then at about thirty years old He begins His ministry.

JOHN 1:29  The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

"Behold, the Lamb of GOD"!

And how was this lamb to "take away the sin of the world"? By giving His life and being the ultimate sacrifice. The sacrifice Believers looked for from Abel onward.

ISAIAH 53:1-7  Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath born our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before his shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

Yeshua offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for you and for me. Yet over the course of our lives do we rarely give Him a serious consideration? If we like sheep have gone astray it is because we have turned every one to his own way. We have too long pursued our own purposes rather then HIS.

JOHN 1:26  John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;

Yeshua was among them, yet they knew Him not. They may have shook His hand, saw Him about His father's business or even known His family. But Him they knew not. They knew Him not because they knew not the scriptures.

JOHN 8:31-32  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

After Christ's resurrection He met two men on the road to Emmaus. These men were sad because they had trusted that Christ would redeem Israel, yet the chief priests and rulers had had Him crucified. They said that they believed Him to be a Prophet, yet Christ calls them fools. Why were they fools? Because they were slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken, "and beginning at Moses... He expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself".

LUKE 24.32  And they said one to another, did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scripture?

The most thrilling sensation I know, is to have your heart burn within you after the Lord has opened up a portion of Scripture.

To understand GOD, HIS ways and HIS callings we must be taught. That is why GOD has preserved for us the Scriptures. If we could understand GOD through nature or meditation, then why has HE preserved for us the Scripture? To the degree that one places his eyes upon the Holy Page and reads for himself GOD's word, is the degree he is able to understand his Creator, his Lord and his own purpose for existing.

EPHESIANS 1:19-23  ...according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places. Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.

Yeshua has been awakened from among the dead. By GOD's mighty power He has been set in the heavenly places, far above all. He is coming back someday, but it's not to be crucified again. They won't nail Him to a cross or spit in His face this time. This time, He's coming back as King of kings and Lord of lords to rule with a rod of iron.

REVELATION 19:11-21  And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

He emptied Himself (PHILIPPIANS 2:7) and became full (EPHESIANS 1:23). He rejected the offer by Satan for the authority over all the kingdoms of the world (LUKE 4:5-6), yet He became King of kings and Lord of lords (REVELATION 19:16). He is the author and finisher of faith (HEBREWS 12:2), the beginning and the ending (REVELATION 1:8), the first and the last (REVELATION 1:11).

With Him we were circumcised (COLOSSIANS 2:11). In Him we were baptized (ROMANS 6:3). With Him we were crucified (GALATIANS 2:20). With Him we were buried (COLOSSIANS 2:11). With Him we were made alive (COLOSSIANS 2:13). We were raised and seated in the heavenlies with Him (EPHESIANS 2:6). All is with Him! Without Him there is nothing.

In Him we were found (PHILIPPIANS 3:9). In Him we were called (ROMANS 8:29-30). By Him we were reconciled (2 CORINTHIANS 5:18). By Him we were redeemed (1 PETER 1:18-19). In Him we were justified (ROMANS 3:24). In Him we were sanctified (1 CORINTHIANS 6:11). In Him we were made righteous (ROMANS 5:16-18). In Him we were glorified (ROMANS 8:30).

He is the purpose of the ages! He is the Red Thread that ties together all of time! He is the head of the Church! The firstborn of all creation! The way, the truth, and the life!

COLOSSIANS 1:19  For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell;