Luke 1:1-17 …. Establishing Truth

1 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand* to set forth** in order a declaration*** of those things which are most surely believed among us,

• G2021 ἐπιχειρέω epicheireo (e-piy-chei-re’-ō) v. to put the hand upon, i.e. undertake.
• G392 ἀνατάσσομαι anatassomai (a-na-tas’-so-mai) v. to compose (in a very orderly manner).
• G1335 διήγεσις diegesis (d̮iy-ee’-ǰe-sis) n. a recital.

There is a group of men already making use of the life and actions of Yeshua for their own personal gain. No, Kenneth Copeland wasn’t the first to do this. The followers of Nicolas, a priest of the Byzantium Orders, are fully preaching a dispensational message in the first century.

The Nicolaitanes are the followers of that Nicolas who was one of the seven first ordained to the diaconate by the apostles. They lead lives of unrestrained indulgence. Nicolas deceived the Apostles to gain the “secret” of the power the Apostles displayed in healing and gaining a public following. Have you ever wondered where the cheesy fraud Benny Hinn got his inspiration? Look no further. This happened immediately after Shavuot, or Pentecost.

• Revelation 2:6 “But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.”
• Revelation 2:15 “So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.”

2 Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;

These people wanted the power and the public notoriety now, more than, they wanted the future that God has promised for us. Sound familiar? Joel Osteen tells us that God wants us to “Live your best Life Now.” What blasphemy!

3 It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,

• G1380 δοκέω dokeo (d̮o-ke’-ō) v. to consider, to be of reputation.
• G199 ἀκριβώς akribos (a-kriy-ɓōs’) adv. precisely, exactly.
• G3877 παρακολουθέω parakoloutheo (pa-ra-ko-lou-the’-ō) v. to follow near, fully know, have understanding.
• G2517 καθεξῆς kathexes (ka-the-xees’) adv. thereafter, i.e. consecutively.

Luke is telling Theophilus that he witnessed the entire thing and can provide the exact activities that took place. Something he could provide free of charge, which the side-show prophets would not do for free. Same actions would surface in the priesthood at the time Jesus walks the earth.

Nicolas and his followers would instantly create a religious system that mixed the Scriptures, the message of Jesus freeing people to live as they always have and that grace would cover future, or premeditated behaviors/actions, that would be classified as sinful. This carefree approach to salvation became very popular to humanity. The “stiff-necked” and “rebellious” titles assigned by God for mankind are well deserved.

In the Third Century Constantine’s Army trampled the world in the name of Mithra. Constantine recognized that each country he conquered had a vast array of gods that mirrored his own. The only separation was the title given to the god or goddess. Enki is Enlil, Enlil is Zeus, Zeus is Osiris, and so on. Constantine allowed people to worship their own gods with the caveat they also worshipped publicly his gods.

The creation of public “holy” days surrounded the deification of saints, deceased leaders of the dispensational and demonic religious orders, mixed with the conquered nations and their gods. When it came to Israel, the ever-bending Pharisees used this as an opportunity to expand their control by pitting the people between “church and state.”

During the creation of this religious protocol Constantine gathered men like Saint Nicholas of Myra (15 March 270 – 6 December 343), he is also known as Nicholas the Wonderworker. Working as an agent of his title, and his namesake, because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession. His reputation evolved among the pious, as was common for early Christian saints, and his legendary habit of secret gift-giving gave rise to the traditional model of Santa Claus (“Saint Nick”) through Sinterklaas.

While the world sits ‘idol’ on this obvious blasphemy, the world continues in a massive delusion, leading them to the worship of dead humans. This is Necromancy and necromancy is an abomination before God. St. Nicholas Day was originally celebrated in the Greek lands of December 19 while Saturnalia was celebrated on the 22^nd. Over the course of time, they were combined under Constantine with the date moving to the 25^th to exalt the remaining pantheon of leader deities.

The very next thing Luke details is the birth of Yeshua and timing of that birth according to the Scriptures. This is a direct refuting of the claims of Nicolas and hoard of profiteering prophets.

4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.

5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

Herod the Great, also known as Herod I, was a king of Judea from 36 BC to 1 BC. He was a client king under the Roman Empire and is famously known for his extensive building projects, including the expansion of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. His reign is important in the context of biblical history, as he was mentioned in the New Testament as the ruler who ordered the “Massacre of the Innocents” in an attempt to kill the infant Jesus.

Herod’s father was by descent an Edomite with a Jewish mother; his ancestors had converted to Judaism. Genesis 36:9 tells us “And these are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in mount Seir:”

The prohibition of Edomites (descendants of Esau) from entering the assembly of the Lord or participating in the temple service is mentioned in Deuteronomy 23:7-8 (ESV):

“You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother. You shall not abhor an Egyptian, because you were a sojourner in his land. Children born to them in the third generation may enter the assembly of the Lord.”

Additionally, the Ammonites and Moabites who were excluded forever (Deuteronomy 23:3). The reason for this prohibition was likely rooted in historical conflicts and rivalries between the Israelites (descendants of Jacob) and the Edomites (descendants of Esau), as well as concerns about potential influence and blasphemy within the religious community.

Why was Esau so hated by God?

• Malachi 1:3 “And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.”
• Romans 9:13 “As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.”

When Esau “sold his Birthright” it was not just the inheritance that the church today offers up. The thought of giving away millions for some porridge is asinine. Esau would have had servants at his beckoned call that would have fed him for free. This statement is an idiom of the Hebrew culture meaning Esau did not want to fulfil his responsibility as the next generation of teacher and leader of the people in the ways prescribed by God.

Esau wanted the ‘Best Life Now’ and he returned to the service of Nimrod and paganism. God did not want this mixing of the rule of the world (Satanism) and the rule of the religious community. Nothing changes with Satan and his minions. They want to “beguile” humanity with a false standard of behavior that looks Godly while in truth it is just god-like. He told Adam and Eve they could be god-like.

6 And they were both righteous* before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances** of the Lord blameless***.

This statement should immediately grab your attention. The modern world states that it is IMPOSSIBLE to live a life according to Torah.

* G1342 δίκαιος dikaios (d̮iy’-kai-os) adj. innocent.

** G4198 πορεύομαι poreuomai (po-rev’-o-mai) v. walk through life according to Torah.

*** G273 ἄμεμπτος amemptos (a’-memp-tos) adj. irreproachable.

7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken (advanced/old) in years.

8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course,

9 According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.

This passage indicates that Zachariah was serving as a priest in the temple when his division, the division of Abijah, was on duty. He was chosen by lot to enter the temple and perform the special task of burning incense before the Lord. This schedule was as precise as a Swiss time piece.

Zachariah’s service in the temple, and consequently the angelic announcement, occurred around the Jewish month of Sivan or Tammuz (late May to early July), which would place the birth of John the Baptist around the time of Passover (Nisan, or March on the Gregorian calendar), six months before the birth of Jesus. (or September on the Gregorian calendar)

• 1 Chronicles 24:7-19 “Now the first lot came forth to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah, The third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim, The fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin, The seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah, The ninth to Jeshuah, the tenth to Shecaniah, The eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim, The thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab, The fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer, The seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Aphses, The nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezekel, The one and twentieth to Jachin, the two and twentieth to Gamul, The three and twentieth to Delaiah, the four and twentieth to Maaziah. These were the orderings of them in their service to come into the house of the Lord, according to their manner, under Aaron their father, as the Lord God of Israel had commanded him.”

This critical time stamp solidifies the truth of the birth of Messiah, having occurred on the Biblical Feast of Tabernacles, not on the mythical Christmas like so many teach.

10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.

11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.

15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.

This gift of the Holy Spirit is well in advance of the life of Yeshua!

16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

• Isaiah 40:3 “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”
• Matthew 3:3 “For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”