“Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed, as when at first he lightly esteemed the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward more heavily oppressed her, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, in Galililee of the Gentiles. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined. You have multiplied the nation, and increased its joy; they rejoice before You according to the joy of harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. For You have broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian. For every warrior’s sandal from the noisy battle, and garments rolled in blood, will be used for burning and fuel of fire. For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder. And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and over His Kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” 
Isaiah 9:1-7 (see also Isaiah 7:14 and 11:19; Luke 1:67-79).

A Voice in the Wilderness
The second part of Isaiah (chapter 40) opens with "the voice of him that crieth in the wilderness.” (John the Baptist) and is concerned with the person and work of Jesus Christ. The New Testament also opens with John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus preparing His way (John 1:6, 23). Isaiah ends with the vision of new heavens and a new earth wherein dwells righteousness. The New Testament closes with this same view in Revelation. This striking similarity between Isaiah and the whole Bible is unforgettable.

9.1 "Nevertheless there shall be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali.” (The first to fall to Assyria - within months of Isaiah's meeting with Ahaz  - 7:1-9)

God sends distress on disobedient nations. For the guilty there is gloom.
God judges nations. He humbles the proud.

Undeserved Favour
“But in the future He will honour Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan.” God is merciful. He intervenes in history to work salvation and deliverance. This is what grace means - undeserved favour.

9.2 "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light.- on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”  This prophecy of course had its fulfilment when God Himself in the person of Jesus Christ appeared and preached the Gospel in the land of Zebulum and Naphtali and in Galilee of the Gentiles.

In the most unexpected places, at the least expected times - God intervenes. Even in the worst of times God's people have a comfort. "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” 2 Corinthains 4:8-9 (see also 2 Cor. 6:4-8).

Post Tennebras Lux! After the Darkness Light
Where sin increased God's grace increased much more. No matter how dark things may become, God's light shines brighter. And all the darkness cannot put out that light. "I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I the Lord do all these things.” Isaiah 45:7

(Modern examples of people walking in darkness - of Atheism, Communism, Animism and Islam - who have seen a great light - in the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, Red China, Mozambique, Sudan). Revival blessings in the midst of persecution and oppression.

When the Gospel comes to any place light comes. A great light. Those who live in darkness: (Examples from witchcraft dominated areas, Hillbrow, Albania). Those outside of Christ have no God, no forgiveness, no salvation, no hope, no heaven.Only darkness and despair.

9.3 "You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before You as people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder.” The nation of Israel had been severely judged and diminished. It had just lost the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali. Yet the Word of God came through Isaiah to comfort His people and reassure them that despite the present traumatic cutting off and diminishing of the nation of Israel - yet the time will come when God Himself will enlarge the nation and increase their joy. Everyone rejoices over success and achievement and prosperity (as at a harvest) and over gaining a victory or gift (as with plunder).

God's intervention will accomplish the salvation of His people. He will achieve Redemption for those to whom He grants the gift of faith and repentance. He will bless His children with the greatest gifts ever given - the forgiveness of sins, deliverance from the kingdom of darkness, entrance into the eternal Kingdom of God, adoption into the family of God. "Those who sow in tears will reap in joy.”

Good News
9.4 "For as in the day of Midian's defeat, You have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor.” The Lord has intervened and ended the oppression of sin and Satan. Into our darkness, His Light has shone. At the beginning of His ministry Christ quoted Isaiah 61:1: "The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed.” Luke 4:18

The Cross and the Crown
9.5"Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire” The wicked will be judged. Those who oppress God's people will be destroyed. The message of Christmas is not only a message of God's Love for His people but also of His Wrath against sin. We see here not only His mercy but His Justice. He Saves, but He also Judges. The message of the CRADLE includes a message of the CROSS and the CROWN.

The Christmas message of the Cradle should emphasise the Deity of Christ's incarnation. But the purpose of Christ's coming was the Cross. He was born to die as an atonement for our sins. Yet the Saviour whose Incarnation we remember at Christmas will come again as the eternal Judge.

He who died on the CROSS now wears the CROWN of the Sovereign Lord of the universe. We will all stand before His throne and have to give an account of our lives. Unless we have turned to God in faith and repented of our sins we will be condemned. If our lives have not borne the fruit of obedience we too will be destined for burning. Along with those guilty of innocent blood we will be fuel for the fire.

The Cradle
9.6 "For to us a Child is born.” Everyone loves the birth of a child. Well, almost everyone. Of course there are some who prefer abortion to birth. Instead of life they choose death. But most of us find a new born child cute. "Ag shame" we say in our uniquely South African way. That is why most people celebrate Christmas. A babe in a manger is so unthreatening. So harmless.

The Menace of the Manger
However some atheists feel very threatened. Every Christmas season the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) institutes law suits against any public manger scenes. Radical Humanists in S.A. look forward to future opportunities when they can try to banish all public expression of Christian Faith.

But aside from neurotic atheists, most people feel drawn to the story of the baby born in a manger, with Angels singing, shepherds kneeling, wise men bringing gifts. It all seems quite nice and sweet and cute. But the verse doesn't stop there, "to us a Son is given.” We no longer worship a babe in the CRADLE. He is the Son of God who died on the CROSS.“ And the government will be upon His shoulders.”

War on the Womb
This is getting more threatening. This is why Herod declared war on the womb. He understood The Menace of the Manger. There was no room for god in the world He has made.

"Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews? We ... have come to worship Him.” Matt 2:2 declared the Magi from the East. Herod felt that his selfish lifestyle and comfortable political position was threatened by the new born babe. Gripped by selfishness and a lust for power, Herod sought to murder the Messiah by massacring all still in the manger in Bethlehem.

Centuries before Pharaoh had sought to slaughter all new born Hebrew boys in Egypt. And today other Pharaohs and Herods are waging a similar war on the womb.

Born a King
Christ was not born a prince nor an heir to the throne. He was the only One who has ever been born a King:"And the government will be on His shoulders.” Jesus is Lord. He is sovereign. He is the final authority.

In Eastern Europe the Communist authorities allowed prayer - in the churches-but not in the schools. You could preach piety - but not the Lordship of Christ in all areas of life. Jesus could be Lord over your soul maybe - but not over your mind, or your life, or your home, or work, or community, or city, or country!

The Lordship of Christ
When the Bible speaks of "the Government" it is always talking about God's sovereign government. We are unBiblical when we attribute sovereign powers to the civil authorities. Civil governments are"God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.” Rom. 13.4. Governors "are sent by Him to punish those who do wrong.” 1 Peter 2:14 . As Jesus declared to the Roman governor Pilate: "You would have no authority over Me unless it had been given you from above.” John 19:11

This is the message of the Manger: Jesus is Lord! He is Lord of all and over all aspects of life: King of kings and Lord of Lords!

9.6 "And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince o f Peace."
*Wonderful Counselor. He is all knowing. He embodies absolute wisdom. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He hears our prayers. He guides His people.
*Mighty God. He is all powerful. He is God Himself. Jesus Christ is the Incarnation of God. He is fully God and fully man. (Ask the Jehovah's Witnesses, the unbelieving Jews and Liberal Theologians to explain this verse. How do they understand these Words?)
*Everlasting Father. He is eternal. From everlasting to everlasting. And as a Father He is compassionate. He Cares, He provides and He protects.
*Prince of Peace. There is no peace without the Prince of Peace. Those politicians who think that they can achieve peace without Christ are deluded. Only in Christ will we as individuals, families, or nations, find true and lasting peace.

9.7 "Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over His Kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.”

The ultimate victory and triumph of Christ's Kingdom is inevitable.
"All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before Him, for dominion belongs to the Lord and He rules over the nations." Psalm 22:27-28

"All kings will bow down to Him and all nations will serve Him.” Psalm 72:11

"In the time of those kings, the God of Heaven will set up a Kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but will itself endure forever.” Daniel 2:44

"Thenations on every shore will worship Him, every one in it’s own land.” Zeph 2:14

"And this Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:14
"The kingdoms of this world have become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign for ever and ever.” Rev. 11:15

This is what the Great Commission calls us to: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all the nations ... teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you...” Matthew 28:18-19

There is no authority that is not under Christ. This is what it means to pray the Lords Prayer: "Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” Matthew 6:10

As Isaiah 11:9 declares: "The earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” Every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. (Phil 2:10 & 11)

This is the message of Christmas - not only of the CRIB , but also the CROSS.
Not only the Cross but also the CROWN . At Christmas we celebrate the advent of the Eternal, All-powerful, All-knowing, Everywhere present, Holy and Glorious Creator, God into our world.
 
The first recorded reaction to the Birth of Christ was from the shepherds “who returned glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen.” Luke 2:20. “Simeon took Him up in his arms and blessed God.” Luke 2:28 “And Joseph and His mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of Him.” Luke 2:33.

You rejoice that a child has been born.
Q But do you recognise that He is Emmanuel - God with us - the Son of God?
Q Do you submit to His government?
Q Do you obey Him as Lord of your life?
Q Is He your Wonderful Counselor?
Q Is He your Mighty God?
Q Is He your Everlasting Father?
Q Is He the Prince of Peace in your Life?

If so rejoice - His Government will never end. His Kingdom will endure forever.
Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end.

"The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this”

Dr. Peter Hammond 
Livingstone Fellowship 
P.O. Box 74 
Newlands, 7725 
Cape Town, South Africa 
Tel: 021-689-4480 
Email: mission@frontline.org.za

​Timing
A Biblical day began at sunset. God's day begins in darkness and ends in light. Today, with our electricity and clocks we calculate days from midnight to midnight. Man’s day begins in darkness and ends in darkness.
So Christmas Day 25 December, Biblically, begins as the sun sets on Christmas Eve, 24 December. For this reason, many families, from Germanic and Nordic ancestry, celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve.
 
The Greatest Gift
We give gifts at Christmas time in honour of the greatest Gift ever given. For "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son". Freely we have received, freely we must give. It is far more blessed to give than to receive.
 
Getting Vs. Giving
Yet, we still have many people who have not grasped this most basic truth of Christmas. To many Christmas is the season for getting, not giving. Many have their hands out asking where is their Christmas box? "What do you have for me?" "Give me! Give me! Give me!"

Complete strangers seem to have no shame in demanding some gift for themselves at Christmas Day. We need to remind them whose birthday we are celebrating.
 
The First Christmas Gifts
The very first Christmas gifts were given by the wise men from the East. They travelled great distances, across difficult and dangerous terrain, in order to worship the Greatest Person ever born. They presented extraordinary gifts: Gold for the King of kings; Frankincense for the High Priest of all priests; Myrrh for the sacrifice that would end the need for any other blood sacrifices. 

These men from the East were wise. They recognised when the Messiah would be born. They discovered where He would be born. As they came from Babylon and Persia, where Daniel had served, they were no doubt aware of the prophecies made by Daniel, which clearly identified when the Messiah would be born. The gifts were most appropriate.

They recognised that this was not merely an heir to the throne, a prince, being born! "Where is He who has been born King …?" They recognised that gold was most appropriate for the King of all kings.

Frankincense is symbolic of prayers and worship, so in presenting frankincense they recognised that the Messiah would be the High Priest over all priests. 
Myrrh was an ointment used for burial. Jesus Christ was coming as the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world.
 
The Crib, the Cross and the Crown
At Christmas we remember the crib, but we also need to look beyond the crib to the Cross. The wood of the crib should remind us of the wood of the Cross, on which our Lord would die, a willing sacrifice for your sins and mine. But the wise men looked beyond the wood of the crib and of the Cross to the gold of the crown. For we no longer worship a babe in a manger, or even a suffering Saviour on the Cross, but a risen, ascended Redeemer reigning on high who will return to Judge the living and the dead.
 
The Lamb of God and the Lion of Judah
The crib, the Cross and the crown. The crib reminds us of the Incarnation. Jesus is Emmanuel - God with us. The Cross reminds us of why Jesus came. He lived the perfect life that we should have lived and He died the death that we deserve to die. The crown points to the return of the King of kings and the eternal Judge. The first time Jesus came as the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world. The next time He will come as the Lion of Judah to conquer and to Judge.
 
When Will You Bow to Christ?
The question is not: will you bow to Christ, but when will you bow to Christ? Will you bow to Christ today in the day of grace, when forgiveness is freely available? When the door to heaven is wide open? Or will you bow on the Day of Judgment, when the door to salvation is firmly closed, when the day of grace is ended? We will either bow to Christ as Saviour today, or we will bow to Him as Judge, on that great and dreadful Day of Judgment.
 
What Gift Will You Give?
As we remember His birthday at Christmas we should ask: What gift will you give the One whose birthday we are celebrating? What can you give to our Lord Jesus Christ? What gifts would be appropriate for the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the Creator and eternal Judge? Our Saviour and Redeemer?
 
The Boy Who Gave Jesus His Lunch
Andrew brought a little boy to Jesus and the little boy gave Jesus his lunch - five loaves and two fish. With that little boy's lunch, the Lord Jesus fed thousands with the food He multiplied. Jesus can do a lot with a little.
 
The Widow's Mite
Our Lord Jesus pointed out that the widow gave more than all the rest. The widow's mite may have looked very small in the eyes of those around, but the Lord, knowing how little she had, recognised that she had actually given everything she could.
 
The Expensive Perfume
Mary gave Christ the gift of expensive perfume, anointing Him for burial. "Then Mary took a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus feet and wiped His feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume".
 
Zachias
Zachias hosted Jesus and honoured Him by making restitution and donating much of his riches to the poor.
 
Give Him Your Attention
Jesus said; "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." What can you give the Lord Jesus Christ? You can give Him your attention. Study His Word. Learn His Law. Get to know the Word of God and the God of the Word. Meditate on His Word, the Bible. Determine to put first things first. Bible before breakfast. Scripture before supper. Psalm before lunch. Read through the whole Bible this year. That will only take ten to twelve minutes a day to read four chapters of the Bible each day. There are 1187 chapters in the Bible. If you read just four chapters a day you will be able to read through the entire Bible in one year. How can you know His will unless you study His Word?
 
The Sacrifice of Obedience
"To obey is better than sacrifice." Determine to obey God. Dedicate your life to obeying the Cultural Mandate of Genesis 1:28. Care for and improve God's creation. Plant trees. Cultivate gardens. Adopt animals. Care for the environment. Recognise that all animals belong to God. Treat animals with the care and diligence of those who must give an account to the Creator and eternal Judge. Be kind to God's animals. Ensure that animals have access to fresh, clean water and good healthy food. Do not waste food. Think of your pets, wild birds and other animals who can benefit. Do not litter. Recycle. Be thoughtful and considerate.
 
Make Christ's Great Commission Your Supreme Ambition
Obey the Great Commission. Dedicate your life to making disciples, teaching obedience to all things that the Lord has commanded. Introduce others to Christ. Witness for Christ. Be alert to evangelistic opportunities. Give Christ your love, your devotion, your worship and adoration. Give Him your heart, and mind, and hands, and feet. Devote your time, talents and treasure to Christ and His Kingdom. Use your initiative and energy to advance the Kingdom of God. Be whole- hearted and persevere to the end.
 
Give Christ All that you Have
Does Jesus have all of you that there is to have? Jesus said that the widow gave all that she had. What have you given to God? 
Have you made promises that you have gone back on? 
Have you made commitments that you have not honoured?
 
Be Reconciled to Your Brother
Jesus said leave your gift at the alter and first go and be reconciled with your estranged brother. Make that phone call. Write that letter. Forgive. Ask for forgiveness. Do restitution. 
These would be acceptable gifts and sacrifices of praise to present to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ on His birthday.
 
What are You Searching For?
Wise men seek Christ. The question is: What are you seeking for? Is it fun, friends, fame and fortune? Popularity, prestige and power?
 
"Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6: 33
 
Dr Peter Hammond​
Frontline Fellowship
P.O. Box 74 Newlands 7725
Cape Town South Africa
Tel: 021-689-4480
Email: mission@frontline.org.za

​Empty Boxes
Have you noticed the impressive large Christmas trees set up in many shopping malls? Surely you have noticed the beautifully wrapped presents piled up under most of these trees? You will see many children’s eyes wide as they look at these bright, shiny, shimmering presents, often with attractive ribbons around them?

Over the years, when my children were very young, they each asked: What's in those boxes? The answer is: Absolutely nothing! They are beautifully wrapped and attractively presented, but the presents under these Christmas trees in the shopping malls are all empty!

Empty Promises
The world offers so much, but in the end it turns out to be empty. The world, the flesh and the devil promise you everything you could possibly desire. If only you will buy their product or service, you are promised all the fun, fame and fortune you could desire. All the power, popularity, prestige and possessions your heart could desire. But like those alluring and attractive looking presents under the Christmas trees in the mall, the promises of the world turn out to be disappointingly empty. For those who pursue materialism they will find merry go rounds that get them nowhere, mazes that get them lost and dead-end streets that will frustrate their desires. Hedonism and existentialism prove to be short sighted, meaningless, empty and purposeless. What are you searching for? What is your purpose in life? What's in the boxes you have been obtaining from the world?

Trends are Treadmills. Do not waste your life on the empty boxes of the world. The time wasting treadmill of trends, fashions and fads are ultimately frustrating. Do not settle for less than God's very best. God gives the best to those who leave the choice to Him. "And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29: 30

What is Your Life's Purpose?
What are you seeking for in life? What is the chief end of man? To glorify God, and enjoy Him forever. Christmas should remind us of the danger of missing out on what is most important. We read in the Bible: "… there was no room for them in the inn." Luke 2: 7

"Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6: 33

Dr. Peter Hammond​
Frontline Fellowship
P.O. Box 74 Newlands 7725
Cape Town South Africa
Tel: 021-689-4480
Email:  mission@frontline.org.za

​One of the more recent Christmas traditions has been the repeated assertions, on the internet, in the press and from some pulpits, that the 25th December could not have been Jesus' actual birthday.
​
​Examining the Historical Record
According to this position, He could have been born on almost any other day of the year, except 25 December. It is asserted that 25 Dec. had originally been the pagan winter solstice festival, which had been taken over by the Christians to promote the new faith. In doing so, many of the old pagan customs crept into this new Christian celebration. Numerous articles, booklets, radio programmes and even T.V. documentaries have been produced asserting this position.

Myths
However, this opinion is itself based upon historical myths, incomplete research and ignorance of history.

Christmas Predates Constantine
​Christians have celebrated the Incarnation and nativity of the Lord Jesus on December 25 since the earliest centuries. Long before the conversion of Constantine in AD312, and the end of the persecution by the Roman Empire, 25 December was already established as a venerable and tenured tradition for celebrating Christmas Day. ​

Christmas Predates Catholicism
​The assertion, therefore, that Christmas is a creation of the Roman Catholic church and that it has something to do with the mass, is false. The tradition of Christmas, the Christ Festival, long pre-dates the establishment of what became Roman Catholicism.

Saving Lives
​The world before Christ was a world without hospitals, a world without charity, a world without respect for the sanctity of life. Hospitals were an innovation of Christianity. Hence the healing symbol of a cross represents hospitals. The nursing profession was founded by Christians such as Florence Nightingale out of devotion for Christ. One of history’s greatest humanitarian movements, the International Red Cross, was founded by Christians in response to the Scriptural injunctions to care for the sick and the suffering. Christians such as Dr. Louis Pasteur have fuelled some of the greatest practical advances in medicine. Pasteur has probably saved more lives than any other individual in history through his inventions.
 
Caring for the Poor
The whole concept of charity was a Christian innovation. Benevolence to strangers was unknown before Christ. The teachings and example of Jesus Christ have inspired the greatest acts of generosity, hospitality, self-sacrifice and service for the poor, sick and needy over two thousand years.

Setting the Captives Free
Before the advent of Christianity every culture-practised slavery and human sacrifice - even the highly esteemed Greek and Roman civilisations. Child sacrifice was common among the pagan religions. The Aztec Empire in Mexico and Inca Empire in Peru engaged in slavery, ritual rapes and mass human sacrifice. Suttee, the burning of widows on the funeral pyres of their husbands, was common practice in Hindu India before the missionary William Carey arrived. Slavery was eradicated as a result of tireless efforts of Christians such as William Wilberforce and David Livingstone. Respect for life and liberty is a fruit of Christianity. Those promoting abortion, euthanasia and pornography are not offering us progress, but only a return to pre-Christian paganism.

Blessing the Nations
The positive impact of Jesus Christ on the world cannot be overstated. Everything from education to human rights, from public health to economic liberty - the things we cherish most and many of the blessings we take for granted - all can be traced to the spiritual and the cultural revolution begun by Jesus Christ.

The Scientific Revolution
The irrefutable fact is that Christianity gave birth to modern science. The scientific revolution began with the Protestant Reformation and the Bible played a vital part in the development of scientific discovery. Every major branch of science was developed by a Bible believing Christian. The Bible essentially created science. When we get into a car, start the engine, turn on the lights, drive to a hospital, receive an anaesthetic before an operation, and have an effective operation done in a germ-free environment, we need to remember that we owe it all to Jesus Christ. ​

​Education for All
"Every school you see - public or private, religious or secular - is a visible reminder of the religion of Jesus Christ. So is every college and university." Dr. James Kennedy.

There is no doubt that Jesus Christ was the greatest Teacher the world has ever known. When He spoke, "They were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority…" Mark 1:22. The life, teachings and example of Jesus Christ have profoundly influenced the whole development of education worldwide. The Great Commission of our Lord Jesus was to "make disciples of all nations…teaching them…" Matthew 28:19-20

From the very beginning Christians were establishing schools. Amongst the many innovations in Christian Education was that these Christian schools taught everybody, including girls and women. Formally educating both sexes was a Christian innovation. The Greeks and Romans before the birth of Christ did not formally educate girls. Only boys from the privileged classes obtained an education. Christianity revolutionised education by making it available to all classes and both genders. Saint Augustine observed that Christian women were better educated than the pagan male philosophers.

The phenomenon of education for the masses has its roots in Christianity. The pursuit of the knowledge of God in a systematic, philosophical and in-depth way gave rise to the phenomenon of universities all around the world. It was the Christian faith that gave rise to the idea of higher learning. The greatest invention in the field of learning, the printing press, by Johannes Gutenberg, was also a fruit of the Christian faith. The first book to be printed was the Bible.
Most of the languages of the world were first set to writing by Christian missionaries. The first book in most languages of the world has been the Bible. Christianity has been the greatest force for promoting literacy worldwide throughout history.

The Christian missionary movement in the 19th Century pioneered tens of thousands of schools throughout Africa, Asia and the Pacific Islands - providing education for countless millions, even in the remotest jungles, giving the gift of literacy to tribes which had never before had a written language.

Every branch and level of education was pioneered by Bible believing Christians. The concept of graded levels of education was first introduced by a German Lutheran, Johan Sturm in the 16th Century. Another Lutheran, Frederick Froebel introduced kindergartens. Education for the deaf was also pioneered by Christians.

Sunday schools were begun by Robert Raikes in 1780, to provide boys and girls from the poorest homes with the gift of literacy and the riches of the Scriptures.

One Truth
The very name "university" testifies to its Christian origins. University means "One Truth". The first universities grew out of the monastic missionary centres, which had discipled Europe. The first university lecturers were the missionary monks who had collected books, accumulated libraries, copied manuscripts and were uniquely equipped for advanced academic study. Most universities began as Christian schools. Isn’t it time that teachers, lecturers and professors took an in depth look at the greatest Teacher the world has ever known, the greatest Book ever produced and the Faith with inspired and pioneered every major branch of education and science?

Compassion for the Blind
Before Jesus Christ, human life in the Greek and Roman world was extremely cheap. Infants born with physical defects such as blindness, were commonly abandoned to. However, Jesus Christ showed particular compassion for the blind, healing many blind individuals during His ministry on earth. When the Roman persecution of the Church ended, in the 4th Century, Christians established asylums for the blind. In the 19th Century, Louis Braille, a dedicated Christian who lost his eyesight at age three, developed the worlds first alphabet that enabled blind people to read with their fingers.

The Rule of Law
​The Bible, particularly the Ten Commandments, laid the framework and legal foundations of Western civilisation. The very first statute, the first written restriction on the powers of government was the Magna Carta of 1215. It was written by a pastor and thoroughly saturated with Scriptural principles.

InspirationalThe life and teachings of Jesus Christ have inspired the greatest literature, the greatest art, the greatest examples of architecture, the age of exploration, world missions, the rule of law, the separation of powers, checks and balances, representative government, the sanctity of life, compassion for the poor, blind and needy and so much more that we take for granted.
Christianity has been the most powerful agent in transforming society for the better across 2000 years. No other religion, philosophy, teaching, nation, or movement has changed the world for the better as Christianity has done.
The Bible is the greatest Book ever written. Jesus Christ is the greatest Man who has ever lived.

Wise men still seek Him.
He became like us – that we might become like Him.
He was rejected – that we might be accepted.
He was condemned – that we might be forgiven.
He was punished – that we might be pardoned.
He suffered – that we might be strengthened.
He was whipped – that we might be healed.
He was hated – that we might be loved.
He was crucified – that we might be justified.
He was tortured – that we might be comforted.
He died – that we might live.
He went to hell – that we might go to Heaven.
He endured what we deserve – that we might enjoy what only He deserves.

Dr. Peter Hammond
Frontline Fellowship
P.O. Box 74 Newlands 7725
Cape Town South Africa
Tel: 021-689-4480
​Email: mission@frontline.org.za
​
​Highly recommended sources:
What if Jesus Had Never Been Born? book By Dr. James Kennedy and Dr. Jerry Newcombe
What if Jesus Had Never Been Born? DVD
How Christianity Changed the World by Professor Alvin Schmidt

​A Miraculous Book
The Bible is a supernatural Book. It is the Greatest Book ever written, the first Book to ever be printed. It has been translated into more languages, printed more times, read by more people than any other book in the history of the world. The Bible has over 2,000 specific prophecies that have already been fulfilled in history. There has never been anything else in all of history to compare with the Bible’s prophecies. Jesus Christ fulfilled 333 of those prophecies during His ministry on earth.

A Miraculous Birth
One of those prophecies was of the miraculous birth of Christ. "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 7:14

Sacred Scripture records the supernatural birth of Christ: The Holy Spirit came upon the virgin Mary and the power of the Highest overshadowed her (Luke 1:35). The Angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph and told him that which was conceived in Mary was of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20).

"And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His Name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins. So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet saying: 'Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son and they shall call His Name Immanuel, which is translated, 'God with us'." Matthew 1:21-23
 
A Miraculous Life
A miraculous Book predicted the miraculous birth of the most miraculous Person in all of history. Jesus Christ healed the sick. He made the crippled walk, the deaf to hear, the dumb to speak and the blind to see. He raised the dead. There never was anyone who taught as Jesus taught, who lived a perfect life, and who died such a death, taking our sins upon Himself.
 
A Miraculous Resurrection
Yet His life did not end with His death on the Cross. Three days later He rose from the dead. The tomb of Christ is empty. Jesus lives today. The miraculous Book points to His miraculous birth, which was the prelude to a miraculous life, atoning death and miraculous Resurrection from the dead.
 
A Miraculous Return
He has promised to return again to Judge the living and the dead. On that day will He be your Saviour? or your Judge?
 
Born King
Jesus Christ was not born a prince, or an heir to the throne. He is the only One who has ever been born a King. The Wise men from the East, asked: "Where is the One who has been born King…? We have come to worship Him." Matthew 2:2
 
The Menace of the Manger
King Herod felt that his selfish lifestyle and comfortable political position was threatened by the newborn babe. Gripped by selfishness and a lust for power, Herod sought to murder the Messiah by massacring all still in the manger, in Bethlehem.
Everyone loves the birth of a child. Well, almost everyone. Of course there are some that prefer abortion to birth. Instead of life they choose death. Most of us find a new born child cute. That is one reason why most people celebrate Christmas. A babe in a manger seems so unthreatening, so harmless.
The Scripture goes beyond declaring: "For unto us a Child is born, to us a Son is given. And the Government will be upon His shoulder…". This is getting more threatening. This is why Herod declared war on the womb. He saw menace in the manger.
 
The Message of the Manger
We no longer worship a babe in a cradle. He is the Son of God who died on the Cross. The day will come when He will return to this earth wearing the Crown of the Sovereign Lord of the universe. We will all stand before His throne and have to give an account of our lives. Unless we have turned to God in Faith and Repented of our sins, we will be eternally condemned.
When the Bible speaks of 'the Government', it is always talking about God's Sovereign Rule. We are unbiblical when we attribute sovereign powers to civil authorities. Civil governments are "God's servant, and agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer" Romans 13:4. Governors are "sent by Him to punish those who do wrong." 1 Peter 2:14. As Jesus declared to the Roman governor Pilate; "You would have no authority over me unless it had been given you from above." John 19:11

This is the Message of the Manger: Jesus Christ is Lord! He is Lord over all and over all aspects of life: King of kings and Lord of lords!
 
Magnificent Messiah
"And He will be called Wonderful counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." 

Wonderful counsellor: He is all-knowing. He embodies absolute wisdom. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He hears our prayers. He guides His people. 
Mighty God: He is all-powerful. He is God Himself. Jesus Christ is the Incarnation of God. He is fully God and fully man. 
Everlasting Father: He is Eternal. From everlasting to everlasting. As a Father He is compassionate. He cares. He provides, and He protects. 
Prince of Peace: There is no peace without the Prince of Peace. Those politicians who think that they can achieve peace without Jesus Christ are deluded. Only in Christ will we as individuals, families, or nations, find true and lasting peace, with justice.
 
"Of the increase of His Government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever." The ultimate victory and triumph of Christ's Kingdom is inevitable. 

"In the time of those kings, the God of Heaven will set up a Kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever." Daniel 2:44 

This is what the Great Commission calls us to: "All authority in Heaven and on earth has been given to Me, therefore go and make disciples of all the nations… teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you…" Matthew 28:18-19 

There is no authority that is not under Christ. This is what it means to pray The Lord's Prayer: "Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven." Matthew 6:10 
As Isaiah 11:9 declares: "The earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." "Every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord" (Philippians 2:10-11).
 
Crib, Cross and Crown
This is the message of Christmas - not only of the crib, but of the Cross. Not only the cross, but also the Crown. 

You rejoice that a child has been born? 
Do you recognise that He is Immanuel - God with us? 
Do you submit to His Government? 
Do you obey Him as Lord of your life? 
Is He your Wonderful Counsellor? 
Is He your Mighty God? 
Is He your Everlasting Father? 
Is He the Prince of Peace in your life?
 
If so, rejoice! His Government will never end. His Kingdom will endure forever. Of the increase of His Government and peace there will be no end. "The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this."
 
Dr. Peter Hammond 
Frontline Fellowship
P.O. Box 74 Newlands 7725
Cape Town South Africa
Tel: 021-689-4480

There is no doubt that Jesus Christ remains the greatest person who ever lived because He made the greatest sacrifice to fill the greatest need for the greatest number of people.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
We need forgiveness for sin and freedom from sin. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23
We need life, love and light. “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10
We were dead in our trespasses and sins, and Jesus Christ came that we may have life and life in all its abundance. Jesus Christ gives us our spiritual life, eternal life and abundant life.
We need grace – undeserved favour – and it is in Jesus Christ that we find the mercy we so desperately need. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
We are lost, and He is the Good Shepherd that shows us the way.
We are often deceived and confused, but He is the Truth.
We were dead in our trespasses and sins but He is the Life and through Him we receive spiritual life, abundant life and eternal life.
“And you shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free.” John 8:32
“Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” John 8:36
“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” Romans 8:32
A gift, by definition, is something that we did not earn, but which we receive from someone else’s generosity. A gift is appreciated either because of the giver that you have received it from, or because of the value attached to the gift.
If you received a gift from the Queen of England, I’m sure that you would greatly appreciate that prize. If any Head of State were to award you something, you would probably talk to others about it, and display the item most prominently.
Consider if you were in a court of law, and required to pay a fine that is way beyond a lifetime’s earnings. Imagine if somebody else’s sacrifice paid your fine and set you free. Would you be grateful?
How might you express your gratitude?
If that person asked you to do something, would you not willingly and eagerly do it?
Jesus said: “If anyone loves Me, he will obey My teaching…” John 14:23
God our Creator has poured out His gifts upon you. Your very life. Your talents and abilities. Every moment of every day, every breath you breathe and every ray of sunshine is a gift from the hand of our Creator. The beauty of His Earth. The splendours of His Creation. Wonderful wildlife. Our pets. Our friends and family relationships. Have you thanked your Creator for all the gifts of life and health?
Have you always loved God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength?
Have you loved your neighbour as yourself?
Have you always obeyed God’s Commandments?
Have you ever told a lie?
Have you ever taken something that didn’t belong to you?
Have you ever failed to return something that you have borrowed from others?
Have you ever committed adultery? (The Lord Jesus Christ said that if you have looked with lust, then you are guilty of committing adultery in your heart.)
Have you ever killed anyone? (Our Lord Jesus Christ taught in the Sermon on the Mount that if we hate our neighbour, we have committed murder in our heart.)
Have you ever gossiped and slandered, bearing false witness against your neighbour?
Have you ever coveted, been envious, or jealous, of something else’s possessions, or abilities?
Have you always been respectful to your parents?
Have you worshipped God alone?
Have you ever taken God’s Name in vain?
Have you ever made an idol of your possessions, sports or politics?
The more we look at the Ten Commandments, the more we realise that we have broken the Law of our Holy God.
If God was to judge you on the basis of His Ten Commandments, would you be innocent or guilty?
If you were to die today, would you go to Heaven or hell?
“It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the Judgement.” Hebrews 9:27
Almighty God has come to earth in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. He not only showed us the way, told us the Truth and offered us life; He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Jesus said to him: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6
John the Baptist pointed to Jesus and declared: “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!” John 1:29
Jesus Christ lived the perfect life that you and I should have lived; He died the sinless death we deserved to die. He has paid the punishment for our sins. Not only has He won for us eternal salvation, but He offers us adoption into His family as sons and daughters of the King of kings and Lord of lords.
“Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him and He shall bring it to pass.” Psalm 37:3-5
Jesus Christ came into this world to reach those who feel that nobody cares. The Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in Him. The Lord Jesus Christ does care, and He is reaching the lonely and the desperate, the confused and the hurt, the depressed and the disillusioned. Jesus Christ, Himself is reaching out to you.
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
As we turn away from our sin and turn to Christ we find forgiveness and freedom.
Jesus Christ is a friend to the friendless, a helper to the helpless.
He gives freedom to the addicts.
He loves the unloved.
He accepts the outcasts.
He changes the unchangeable.
He forgives the unforgivable.
He accomplishes the impossible.
He saves sinners.
He seeks the lost.
He gives direction to the aimless.
He gives hope to the disillusioned.
He gives Truth to the confused.
He gives joy to the depressed.
He gives purpose to the purposeless.
He gives hope to the hopeless.
He redeems and He renews.
He touches and transforms.
He answers prayer.
He works miracles before our eyes.
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; all things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
God gives the very best to those who leave the choice to Him.
Have you surrendered your life to Christ? Pray to God, and give Him all the bad things in your life: your hurts, disappointments, fears, failures and sins. Give them to Him, and leave them with Him. Let Jesus Christ heal you inside, and forgive you and clean you. He will change you, and turn your sorrows into joys, your fears into peace of heart, and mind. Submit to Him and He will give you a new direction in life.
“Repent and…be baptised in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38
Jesus Christ gives us a new start in life and a new life to start. We must not only surrender to Him all our sins and failures, but all the good things that He has entrusted to us as well: your talents and your abilities, your plans and your opportunities, your energy and your time, as well as your love.
Give everything to Jesus Christ and determine: no longer will I do with them just what I want to do, or what other people tell me to do. From now on I’m going to use my talents, time and treasure as God wants me to.
I will ask: what would Jesus do in my place?
I will no longer live just for fame and fortune, for popularity and prestige, no longer will it be just for me, myself and I, anymore. From now on I must live for Jesus Christ, no matter what the cost, to help and to love and to reach this world for Him.
His Great Commission will be my supreme ambition. His last command will be my first concern. My highest priority will be to love God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength and to love my neighbour as myself.
We only have one life – it will soon be passed; only what’s done for Christ will last.
The will of God will never lead us – where the Grace of God cannot keep us.
God’s servant is God’s responsibility. Where God guides – He provides. God’s work, done God’s way, will never lack God’s supply.
Our priority must be to seek first God’s Kingdom and His righteousness, then all these things will be added unto us (Matthew 6:33). When we delight ourselves in the Lord, He gives us the desires of our heart (Psalm 37:4).
The Word of the Lord promises us: “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” Isaiah 26:3
Do you know that peace that passes all understanding? Does the peace of Christ guide you? Is your mind steadfast? Are you trusting wholeheartedly in Christ alone?
“For He Himself has said: ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’”Hebrews 13:5-6
If you want to revive your devotional life turn to the Psalms. The Psalms are the middle book of the Bible, the biggest book in the Bible, the Prayer book and Hymn book of the Bible. If you don’t know what to pray. If you don’t even want to pray – turn to the Psalms and begin to read and pray through them. There are 150 Psalms. If you pray through just one Psalm a day it will guide your prayers for 5 months. Make the Psalms the prayer of your heart and you will experience a revival in your devotional life.
This is God’s Word for you: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit…and we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose…who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?…Yet, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:1, 28, 35-39
Have you come to God through our Lord Jesus Christ?
Have you repented of your sins?
Have you confessed where you have broken God’s Holy Law?
Have you asked for His forgiveness and accepted the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord?
Have you thanked Him for this gift?
Are you living in joyful gratitude for all His mercy and undeserved favour?
Are you introducing other people to the greatest gift of all?
To whom much is given, much is required. Freely you have received. Freely give. Make this Christmas your best Christmas ever by accepting God’s gift of adoption into His family and inviting others to receive the greatest gift of all.
“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” 2 Corinthians 9:15
Dr. Peter Hammond
Livingstone Fellowship 
P.O. Box 74 
Newlands, 7725 
Cape Town, South Africa 
Tel:  (021) 689-4480       
Fax: (021) 685-5884 
Email:  info@ReformationSA.org
Website: www.ReformationSA.org

​What is the Source?
According to this widely circulated email: "from 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of the church. Each element in the carol is a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember."

Bloody Mary
The problem with this theory is that it's premise is false. Roman Catholics were not persecuted for their faith. They were not forbidden to practice their faith openly. The dates chosen are most interesting. 1558, is the year when Bloody Mary died and the Catholic persecution of Protestants in England came to an end. Mary Tudor was well called "Bloody Mary" because she repudiated the religious freedoms which her brother, King Edward VI, had instituted. Mary passed laws providing for Protestant "heretics" to be tried in church courts and handed over to civilian authorities for execution.

Martyred for the Faith
Hundreds of church leaders, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, and the most prominent Protestant bishops, such as Hugh Latimer and Nicolas Ridley, were torturously burned at the stake. Bible translators like John Rogers, and hundreds of other Protestants, were condemned to be burned at the stake by the Catholic inquisitors. Mary even had her sixteen-year-old cousin, Protestant Lady Jane Grey, beheaded for refusing to renounce her Protestant Faith.

A Legacy of Liberty
The fact of history is that religious persecution in England did not begin in 1558. It ended with the death of Bloody Mary in that year. When Mary Tudor died 17 November, 1558, and her half sister, the Protestant Elizabeth I, came to the throne, religious freedom was established.

Inverting Reality
The legend being circulated through the Internet declaring that there was no religious freedom for Roman Catholics in England between 1558 and 1829, is ludicrous. The underlying meaning of the Twelve Days of Christmas is no doubt true. However the reason suggested in this email is false. There is nothing in the underlying meaning of the Twelve Days of Christmas that Protestants do not accept and which Roman Catholics could not openly celebrate during Christmas, or any time of the year, in England.

The Message of the Twelve Days of Christmas
Protestants in England also worshipped Jesus Christ, believed in the Old and New Testaments, held to faith, hope and love, believed in the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the five books of the Law, the six days of Creation, the seven-fold gifts of the Holy Spirit, the eight Beatitudes, the nine Fruit of the Holy Spirit, The Ten Commandments, the eleven faithful Disciples, and the twelve points of The Apostles Creed. There was nothing distinctly Roman Catholic about those beliefs and there is nothing which Protestants would disagree with in the message of the Twelve Days of Christmas.

Dangerous Deception
A half-truth is more dangerous than a lie. "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!" Isaiah 6:20

Hypocrisy
For those who banned the Bible, burned Bible translators, persecuted Protestants and suppressed religious freedom, to dare to accuse the Protestants who introduced religious freedom of the kind of intolerance which they themselves practiced is abhorrent.

Bearing False Witness
To further suggest that Protestant Christians reject the Bible for which they were willing to give their lives, and the teachings which they faithfully sought to apply to everyday life, is bearing false witness against one’s neighbour.

Responding to Disinformation
Please pass on this response to anyone who forwards you the disinformation about Roman Catholics in England "not being permitted to practice their faith openly between 1558 and 1829."

A Season of Generosity
It is appropriate that the greatest holiday on calendars worldwide celebrates the birth of the greatest Person who ever lived. All charities and Missions report that this is the best time of the year for donations. It is quite appropriate that so many good acts of charity, good neighbourliness, friendship and generosity are expressed during the Christmas season to family, friends, to neighbours and to strangers.

The Reason for the Season
​The official birthday of the King of kings and the Lord of lords is a good reason to celebrate. It is time to put Christ back into xmas. Jesus is the reason for the season. Wise men still seek Him.

Dr. Peter Hammond
Frontline Fellowship
P.O. Box 74 Newlands 7725
Cape Town South Africa
Tel: 021-689-4480
Email:  mission@frontline.org.za
​
​For inspiring true stories of what actually happened in the Reformation, obtain The Greatest Century of Reformation book and the Reformation audio MP3. Visit www.ReformationSA.org website for a treasury of historical articles and PowerPoint presentations on Slideshare