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Christmas Symbolism

It’s Christmas time, and nothing about the Christmas story, I want you to know, is accidental or haphazard. Every part of that beautifully simple story is a story in and of itself, and all of it bears witness of the living reality of our Savior.

For example: During the Savior’s ministry, He was called the ‘Bread of Life.’ Bread is now, as it was then, the ‘staff of life.’ It’s the mainstay of our diet. Jesus, the ‘Bread of Life,’ was born in Bethlehem. Bethlehem means ‘House of Bread.’

Jesus is the ‘Good Shepherd.’ And who was it that was privileged first to see Him and proclaim His birth? – Shepherds, those who tended the flocks.

Many scriptures refer to Jesus as the ‘Lamb of God,’ He who was to die for our sins. Well, those flocks that were on the hills around Bethlehem that night? – More than likely they were Temple Lambs destined for sacrifice for the sins of the people on the altars of the Temple.

And how fitting it is that He who was called by John the ‘Bright and Morning Star’ should have what as His sign? – A new star, brighter than any other in the heavens.

And again, laid in a manger, a symbol of His lowliness, the Savior’s beginnings were as humble and as lowly as any child that has ever been born. And how appropriate that is when later He commanded us to become as children – meek, lowly, and humble.

And what of the children whose blood satiated Herod’s soldiers? They died in holy innocence that He might live. And years later, He died in holy innocence, and rose that they might live.

And again, what about the angel who proclaimed the birth of our Savior, Gabriel? That same Gabriel, as Noah centuries earlier, was the Savior of the human family from the waters of the flood.

And also in the Christmas story, there are repeated references to David, that the Christ-child would be born David’s son in David’s city, and receive David’s throne. Well, what of this David? – In the Old Testament, David was called a ‘man after the Lord’s own heart.’ He was Israel’s mightiest king. It was he who in power and glory freed Israel from political and spiritual bondage, united her tribes, and gave her the greatest prosperity and freedom that she has ever enjoyed.

And just think about this for a moment: He whose birth brought a moment of peace will return again to this earth to bring a millennium of peace.

Well, there’s more, much more within this story to tell. But I close with this:

The wise men from the east followed a comparatively small light from a star, and they found Him. Now today, if we will follow that small gentle light from within, the light of the Holy Ghost, we will find Him, who is the light and the life of the world, even the Son of God.