Christmas and the Clash of Two Kingdoms
By Doug Cox
 
Most people don’t think about Christmas as God’s big move in His slow but sure kingdom strategy to win against the kingdom of darkness. Instead, the focus is on buying gifts, decorating, parties, travel, family traditions and food. And yes, some wisely put Jesus at the center, but few reflect on the fact that the Holy One’s birth confirms the reality of two kingdoms clashing.
 
In our culture the tradition is to foster peace and joy. We sing the calming lyrics away in a manger, no crib, sweet sleep, cattle lowing but no baby crying. Then finish it off with a petition for Jesus to look down from the sky and bless us forever with His tender care. We sing silent night, Holy night, peace on earth, mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled. All are soothing and powerful songs. But few bring an awareness about the clash between kingdoms which is found in the very first Christmas prophecy in Genesis 3:15.
 
Right after Adam and Eve doomed the world to the curse of sin and death, God, thankfully, made a promise to man’s deadly foe, Satan, declaring, “…I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed. He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” Her seed is a reference to a coming Messiah. Believing what God said, Satan has down through the ages consistently tried to eliminate her Seed.
 
Motivated by hatred and hostility (enmity) Satan induced Cain to kill Abel. Satan inspired wickedness in men until “…every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Genisis 6:5) Grieved by this evil and violence controlling mankind, the Lord told Noah to build an ark, then destroyed the earth with a flood.
 
After that mankind started over and multiplied, but so did evil and wickedness. Undeterred, God committed to bringing forth the Promised Seed through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Jacob’s descendants ended up as slaves in Egypt, but after incubating there for 400 years they multiplied into a great nation, then were miraculously delivered by Moses.
 
To protect the Seed, God gave Israel Moses, the Law, Joshua and various judges, and prophets and kings. Their primary purpose was to protect and bring forth the Seed and keep Satan from destroying it. Then it happened, “…in the fullness of time God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law….” (Galatians 4:4) The fulness of time found Immanuel, the Seed of woman, nursing on Mary’s breast.
 
All seemed well. The couple were living in a house when the Magi came bearing gifts. After waving goodbye to the gift bearers Joseph and Mary must have went to bed feeling secure, only to have “…an angel of the Lord appear to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, …for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him. (Matthew 2:13) The angel was right. Herod murdered every male child two years old and younger around Bethlehem. And the clash of two kingdoms continues.
 
As we celebrate Christmas this year let’s remember the clash is real and God wants to “…deliver us from the power of darkness and convey us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.” (Colossians1:13) He wants to “open our eyes, and turn us from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that we may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Jesus.” (Acts 26:18) Merry Christmas!