For Christians, Christmas time is one of the most sacred, most joyous celebrations of the year. What about for people who are thinking about it, but who aren't sure about the whole "reason for the season"? What do we really know about what happened in Judea, 2000 years ago?

We're going to try to approach this topic from a neutral standpoint, and see where that leads us.

It's well-established that Jesus existed. He was physically, historically real. There is voluminous evidence from Christian sources, of course. Jesus Christ was also mentioned in non-Christian historical documents that have survived from that period. He's referred to twice by Josephus, the Jewish historian, in his work "Antiquities of the Jews" published in 93-94 AD. Tacitus, the Roman historian, writing in around 116 AD, also refers to "Christus" being put to death by the Romans under Pontius Pilate.

Was Jesus special? Even skeptics would need to wonder why and how this man from a small village in Galilee could launch a religion which would become the biggest, most influential one for at least the next two millennia of human history.

One of the intriguing things about Jesus is that his birth and life seem to have fulfilled prophecies from the Old Testament, which date back to the time of Moses - at least 1500 years BC, and to far older stories in an oral tradition. Those prophecies existed in texts written long before the Christian Era started.

What were some of those prophecies? There are many of them! Swedenborg lists some in Doctrine of the Lord 6. In this article, we're just going to focus on a few of them.

In this very early prophecy, it's indicated that the Messiah would be born as the son of a woman:

"And Jehovah God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, cursed art thou above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life, and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Genesis 3:14-15. This is confirmed in the story in Matthew 1:20.

In Micah, much later in the Bible, we read that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, in Judea:

"But thou, Beth-lehem Ephrathah, which art little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall one come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting." Micah 5:2.

This is confirmed in the story in Matthew 2:1, and Luke 2:4-6.

In Isaiah, we read that the Messiah would be born to a virgin:

"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." Isaiah 7:14. This is confirmed in the story in Matthew 1:22-23, and in Luke 1:26-31.

Lineage was an important factor, too. At least 5 forefathers of the promised Savior are named. First, he was prophesied to come from the line of Abraham, the progenitor of many of the peoples of the modern Middle East, including the Jews, the Arabs, the Lebanese, the Druze, and others. See Genesis 12:3, and Genesis 22:18. This prophecy is confirmed in Matthew 1:1, and Romans 9:5.

In the next generation, prophecy stated that the Savior would be descended from the line of Isaac, one of Abraham's two sons. See Genesis 17:19, and Genesis 21:12. This is confirmed in Luke 3:34.

For the third generation, the Word states that the Messiah would be a descendant of Jacob. It's prophesied in Numbers 24:17, and confirmed in Matthew 1:2.

For the fourth generation, attention focuses on the tribe of Judah, who was one of the twelve sons of Jacob (whose name was changed to Israel). See Genesis 49:10, and then Luke 3:33, and Hebrews 7:14.

Many generations later, in the second book of Samuel, and again in Isaiah, there are prophecies that the Messiah would be heir to King David's throne. Read 2 Samuel 7:12-13, and Isaiah 9:7. Then see Luke 1:32-33, and Romans 1:3.

There are many more prophecies, and we will look at more of them in a future article. But, to summarize these ones that we've just listed, what would Old Testament readers in the time of Caesar Augustus be expecting?

In Bethlehem, a virgin would bear a son. He would be descended from Abraham, through the line of Isaac, Jacob, Judah, and David. That's the way the story runs, in the Gospels.

It's clear that the Old Testament wasn't altered to suit the "facts on the ground". The prophecies are already there in pre-Christian scrolls. That leaves two possibilities:

1) Scenario A: The New Testament could have been written to twist the facts to match the old prophecies. Faithful Jews were awaiting the Messiah; they would have wanted to find matching stories. In this scenario, Jesus could have been just a regular man, but a standout leader and teacher and healer. He was so inspiring that his apostles endured hardship and death to spread what became a global religion. The stories about him were exaggerated or modified to help match the prophecies.

2) Scenario B: The Old Testament text contains deep inner meaning, and its prophecies were actually prophetic and true. The facts of Jesus' birth and life and ministry actually did match and fulfull the prophecies. In this scenario, Jesus was truly a miracle baby.

Which scenario is right? In both, there's a recognition that the teachings of Jesus contained wisdom, and that there is great value in them. In New Christian thought, the choice is for Scenario B -- that Jesus really was the Christ, the long-awaited Messiah, or Savior.

This of course requires some level of belief in miracles - prophecy, fulfillment, the virgin birth, angels bearing tidings, healings, feeding the multitudes. Can miracles really happen? Is it scientifically possible? Maybe they can... maybe as science advances, we will begin to understand those boundaries better.

At some level, don't most of us believe in miracles -- in the miracle of the very existence of the universe, and of living organisms that can reproduce, and of human life, and of love?

How to end this article? The whole subject of miracles needs more thought. And, here it is, December 22, and... instead of getting more analytical, I find that right now I just want to "be" in the holy days of Christmas.

If you're feeling skeptical, have a look at Arcana Coelestia 2568, and Arcana Coelestia 2588. They offer an interesting perspective!

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One source for this article was "100 Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus: Messianic Prophecies Made Before the Birth of Christ", by Rose Publishing.

(References: Teachings about the Lord 6)

668. "For Your judgments have been manifested." This symbolically means that the truths in the Word openly attest to this.

Judgments symbolize the Divine truths in accordance with which a person is to live, truths which reveal his character and are the precepts against which he will be judged. Moreover, because these Divine truths are found in the Word, and the Word now lies open, testifying that the Lord alone is God of heaven and earth, therefore the declaration that "Your judgments have been manifested" means symbolically that the truths in the Word attest to this.

That the Word now lies open, testifying that the Lord alone is God of heaven and earth, that a person ought to live in accordance with His precepts, and that today's faith is to be rejected, can be seen from four doctrinal works now published, one being The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Lord, another The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Sacred Scripture, a third The Doctrine of Life for the New Jerusalem, and fourth The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding Faith. These are the doctrines meant by the declaration, "For Your judgments have been manifested."

[2] Since the Lord embodies Divine good and truth, and since judgment symbolizes Divine truth, and righteousness Divine good, therefore in many passages referring to the Lord we find mention of righteousness and judgment, as for example in the following:

Zion shall be redeemed in righteousness, and her repatriates with judgment. (Isaiah 1:27)

(He will sit) upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to... establish it with judgment and righteousness... (Isaiah 9:7)

Be Jehovah exalted, for He dwells on high, and has filled the earth with judgment and righteousness. (Isaiah 33:5)

...let him who glories glory in this..., that... Jehovah (exercises)...judgment and righteousness in the earth. (Jeremiah 9:24)

...I will raise to David a righteous Branch, who shall reign as a King... and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. (Jeremiah 23:5; 33:15)

I will betroth Myself to you forever... in righteousness and with judgment... (Hosea 2:19)

Judgment will flow like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream. (Amos 5:24)

Your righteousness, (O Jehovah,) is like the mountains of God, Your judgments like a great deep. (Psalms 36:6)

(Jehovah) shall bring forth His righteousness as the light, and judgment as the noonday. (Psalms 37:6)

(Jehovah) will judge His people with righteousness, and His wretched with judgment. (Psalms 72:2)

Righteousness and judgment are the foundation of His throne. (Psalms 89:14)

...when I learn the judgments of Your righteousness... Seven times a day I praise You because of the judgments of Your righteousness. (Psalms 119:7, 164)

And elsewhere that people ought to exercise righteousness and judgment, as in Isaiah 1:21; 5:16; 56:1; 58:2; Jeremiah 4:2; 22:3, 13, 15; Ezekiel 18:5; 33:14, 16, 19; Amos 6:12; Micah 7:9; Deuteronomy 33:21; John 16:8, 10-11. Righteousness there refers to the goodness of truth, and judgment to the truth accompanying goodness.

[3] Since judgment refers to truth, and righteousness to goodness, therefore in some places we find references to truth and righteousness, as in Isaiah 11:5, Psalms 85:11. Also in Psalms:

The judgments of Jehovah are true; they are righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold..., and sweeter than honey... (Psalms 19:9-10)

That the Lord's government in the celestial kingdom is termed one of righteousness, and in the spiritual kingdom one of judgment, may be seen in the book Heaven and Hell (published in London), nos. 214-216.