Goat silent night

[Phil-O-Rama]

This is pretty moving.



Phil

[DownUnder Gal]

Some of them sound like they're being tortured!

[Bob Jones]

When we got the goats we started a new tradition. Christmas eve we would pack up Millcreek Canyon and drop candles in the snow along the way. Hot drinks served around a campfire or a stove in the tipi wouldn't really warm anyone, but it's the thought that counted.

We would then share elements of Christmas from memory. When memories were exhausted, I would them share the hidden Christmas elements from various parts of the Bible.

-The mustard seed-
The parable is told something like this:
The kingdom starts off small and gets bigger and bigger. If you have faith like that you can do miracles (like move a mountain to the sea) that no one seems to be able to do. We wrestle over whether the birds who rest in its branches are angels demons or gentiles, and then wonder why he said it was the smallest seed when everyone else knows it's not. This is not proper Bible teaching.

-The seed of the woman-
Jesus was the seed of the woman in Genesis. He was the least of all the seed because he served us all on the cross. The seed of the woman had a bruised heel and the word in Greek for 'mustard' sounds like 'bruised by anger' in Hebrew. The seed of the woman is a veiled prophecy of the virgin birth. So the kingdom of heaven is like Christ.. the mustard seed, who gave of himself for us. The kingdom of heaven is made up of such love.

-The great herb-
We are told that he grass was given to the cattle (sheep, goats, cows) to eat and the herbs were given to man to eat. The greatest thng that men can eat is the body of Christ. He is the great herb. Eating is a metaphor for learning, so he became the great teacher.

-The tree and birds-
The tree is naturally the cross, and those who live in the spirit (fly in the air) rest in the cross.

-Moving a mountain-
Th word for waters in Hebrew has metaphors for the father and the son in it. The Father is Spirit and the Son is truth. Jesus told the woman at the well at Sychar that though she worshiped on the mountain, she would worship in Spirit and Truth. The mountain would be moved to the waters.

-Christmas-
There was a hint of the virgin birth in the seed of the woman, but consider the grass which was given to the cattle to eat. Baby Jesus was put in the feed trough for the cattle with the grass. We have the same symbol of eating his body given to us at the beginning of his life as we have at the end. Also "swaddling clothes"is better translated "strips of cloth". He was wrapped like a mummy, the same as at his death signifying that he was born to die.

Psalm 23:2,3a
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul:

The Hebrew word for green pastures is also the word for grass. Again Jesus was made to lie in the grass.
The Word of God is symbolized by Water. The still water is his death.
The restoration of his soul is his resurrection.

-Ge 38-
Judah (praised) met Tamar (the end of bitterness) before Timnath (appointment).
God met Mary (Their bitterness) before the appointed time of Christ.

Judah said he would send (sow) a goat.
God said "He will save his people from their sin."The words used of the scapegoat.

Tamar and Mary wanted an assurance of the promise, they each got three things:

Tamar received the rod.
Mary was told, The power of God will overshadow you.

Tamar received a signet ring.
Mary was told, He will be called the Son of the Most High.

Tamar received bracelets (doilies to keep empty vessels clean).
Mary was told it was a holy thing in her, she was not unclean.

They both were threatened when discovered to be pregnant.
They both were honored when the real father was discovered.

Tamar had twins.
Mary had the dual-natured God-man.

The names of the twins were 'Breaking forth' and 'rising sun'.
Jesus was called Dayspring.

The first son stuck out his arm and receives a red thread.
Jesus in the flesh bore our sins.

The second son was born first.
Jesus in resurrection is the usurping second son liek Isaac and Jacob. He is the second Adam who received the inheritance that he first lost.

Judah knew Tamar no more.
Jesus was the only begotten son of God.

All the details of the story correspond to Christ. Hidden for thousands of years just behind the scenes of the historical-lliteral.
The authors of the Old Testament could not have known the specific details of the birth of Christ. These are the fingerprints of God on his word.

As we related these things and others in the tipi, someone went outside to check on the goats. They were gathered just outside the tipi next to my voice.