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Bible Question: What
was God [Jesus] doing between the ages of 9 and 33?
Bible Answer:
The
life of Jesus Christ is like many of our lives. There are official
records of our births and many pictures of us around the times
of our births, but often as we grow older, the pictures decrease.
Jesus' Birth. The same is true of Jesus.
From the gospels of Matthew and Luke in the Bible, we are told
that Jesus' father was Joseph and His mother was Mary (Matt.
1:18-25). His birth was unusual because His mother was a virgin.
He was actually born supernaturally by the Holy Spirit (Matt.
1:20; Luke 1:35).
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. . . behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in
a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not
be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for that which
has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And
she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus,
for it is He who will save His people from their sins.”
(NASB) Matt. 1:20-21
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We are told that on the day he was born, angels announced
His birth to some shepherds and
one or two years later some magi from the east honored Him with gifts.
Circumcision and Dedication. When He was about eight
days old, He was circumcised according to the Law of Moses (Luke
2:21) because He was a Jew. Some months later His parents went
to the temple in Jerusalem to have Jesus dedicated (Luke 2:22-35).
When they arrived, a righteous man named Simeon took the infant
Jesus in his arms and said this,
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For
my eyes have seen Thy salvation, Which Thou hast prepared
in the presence of all peoples, A LIGHT OF REVELATION
TO THE GENTILES, And the glory of Thy people Israel.”
(NASB) Luke 2:30-32
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Also, a prophetess named Anna thanked God for Him (Luke 2:36-38).
Jesus was a wonderful infant!
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And
the Child continued to grow and become strong, increasing
in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him. (NASB)
Luke 2:40
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Dedication-to-Twelve Years. The next glimpse
of Jesus Christ comes at the time He is twelve years old. His
parents had taken Jesus to Jerusalem every year for the Passover.
This was more than just a trip. It was like a festival. But
this year was different because Jesus stayed after the Passover
was over to ask questions of and listen to the teachers in the
temple.
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And
His parents used to go to Jerusalem every year at the
Feast of the Passover. And when He became twelve, they
went up there according to the custom of the Feast .
. . And it came about that after three days they found
Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers,
both listening to them, and asking them questions. And
all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and
His answers. (NASB) Luke 2:41-42, 46-47
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Jesus was a very unusual child. |
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