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Before Christmas, God chose to speak to people primarily through prophets.

But now, at Christmas, we remember that after hundreds of years of God’s silence, He gave us HIS SON, JESUS, as the trustworthy prophet who would fulfill all things.

Hebrews 1: 1 -3 (ESV) 1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by HIS SON, whom he appointed the heir of all things. . .

Hebrews 1: 1 -3 (ESV). . . through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature. . .

A KEY Passage: Deuteronomy 18: 15 -18

Deuteronomy 18: 15 -18 (ESV) 15 “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— 16 just as you desired of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die. . . ”

Deuteronomy 18: 15 -18 (ESV) 17 . . . And the LORD said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.

A Few KEY Reminders: üMoses was the greatest prophet known to Israel. Deuteronomy 34: 10 -12 “. . . and there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face. . . ”

A Few KEY Reminders: üAfter the period of the major prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel) & a number of minor prophets (Jonah, Hosea, Micah, Zechariah, etc. ), there was a period of 400 years (after Malachi) where God was silent; no prophet spoke.

A Few KEY Reminders: üGod is quite serious about the reliability of the message of a prophet. ü 2 Test of a True Prophet: üThe test of TRUTH üThe test of ACCURACY Deuteronomy 18: 20 -22

Deuteronomy 18: 20 -22 (ESV) 20 But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die. ’ 21 And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the LORD has not spoken? ’— 22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously.

A Few KEY Reminders: üSo after a period of 400 silent years, the people should be ready to listen to anyone – right? BAD DECISION! Deuteronomy 18: 9 -14

Can you think of some examples of some “bad prophets” today that people listen to? üPsychic Friends Network üHarold Camping – 1994 üOprah? üAstrology? It’s not in the stars. . .

A KEY Fulfillment: Jesus, the Son of God üA Biblical Prophet had 2 primary functions: üHe delivered God’s message to his own generation. üHe predicted the course of future events.

A KEY Fulfillment: Jesus, the Son of God ü 4 Characteristics of the Deuteronomy 18 Prophet that Jesus fulfilled: üHe was raised up by God: a Divine calling üHe was like Moses: having intimate knowledge of God üHe was from among the people: an Israelite üHe spoke with Divine authority: God’s message

A KEY Fulfillment: Jesus, the Son of God üFinal Proofs that Jesus was indeed the “Prophet like Moses” üWhat about John the Baptist? Could he be “the prophet like Moses? ” NO! John 1: 19 -21 üMoses wrote about Jesus: John 5: 46 (Deut. 18) üFeeding the 5000: John 6: 14

A KEY Fulfillment: Jesus, the Son of God üFinal Proofs that Jesus was indeed the “Prophet like Moses” üJesus at the Feast of Tabernacles: John 7: 40 üOn the Emmaus Road: Luke 24: 27, 44 üPeter quotes Moses about Jesus: Acts 3: 22

TODAY’S TAKEAWAY: What does all of this have to do with CHRISTMAS?

Isaiah 7: 14 (ESV) Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Isaiah 9: 6 (ESV) For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Micah 5: 2 (ESV) But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. Galatians 4: 4 -5 (ESV) But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law. . . ”

TODAY’S TAKEAWAY: What does all of this have to do with CHRISTMAS? üThe prophet like Moses (Jesus) came to fulfill all prophecies about Himself so that He could redeem you!

TODAY’S TAKEAWAY: What does all of this have to do with CHRISTMAS? üThe message of the prophets: “Deal with your sin; come back to God. ” üJesus’ message: “I have dealt with your sin and can bring you back to God!”

Remember this about Jesus’ birth. . . All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet… Matthew 1: 22 NIV