Why It Had To Be Shepherd
December 21, 1964
We would like to dedicate the entire month of December to the study of the message "Why It Had To Be Shepherd". We will post two quizzes for this tape, a total of forty questions. We pray that the Lord’s presence will be with each and every one of you during this holiday season.
In a world where the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ has been perverted by stories of Santa Claus, shopping, and gifts, it may be hard to get a true account of the real gift of Christmas and how our Savior was born into this world. So often we get tied up in the joys and excitement of the holidays that we forget what it truly signifies for us as Christians. It is a time of the year for us to recognize and remember the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Today there are so many that know so little about the importance of the event that took place at the birth of Christ. The minds of children are filled with the thoughts of what Santa Claus might bring them rather than their Heavenly Father, who has the greatest gift of all. For a child it can be pretty confusing to see where the birth of Christ fits into the thrill of the Christmas holiday. What a blessing it is to know that God sent a messenger that has shown us the true meaning of Christmas.
Throughout the Scriptures, prophets foretold that God would send a Redeemer to the world. In the book of Isaiah, it was prophesied that a virgin shall conceive. Some seven-hundred years later the prophesy was fulfilled. God sent His Angels to give the greatest Message of all times to humble, unlearned shepherds; the Messiah had arrived.
The priest and great scholars of that day should have known how He would come into the world, but they were too learned in their ecclesiastical ways to see how God works in simplicity through common men. They formed their own ideas and doctrines instead of staying with the true Word of God. But all their education was laid to waste and bypassed to let God’s wisdom have control; to let it be known that God takes the nothings to make the somethings. God, through His infinite wisdom, brought His Message to poor, illiterate shepherds. Jesus Christ was born into the world, and the Highest Heavens hastened to bring it to earth’s most humble and unlearned.
This Christmas, don’t fail to see the only true meaning of this holiday. There is only one real gift of Christmas that God gave to the world, and that is the Lamb of God, the Atonement for sin. Brother Branham said:
“See, that's all there is to it, accept It. He... That's the only Christmas gift that I know of, is the gift of God that He gave to the world, His only begotten Son. And He's the same, yesterday, today, and forever, the Word.” 64-1221 – Why It Had To Be Shepherd
We have chosen the message, “Why It Had To Be Shepherd” for our holiday message of the month. It was preached by God’s prophet, Brother William Marrion Branham, in Tucson, Arizona December 21, 1964. This message gives the beautiful truth about the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, and why God chose to bring such a powerful and glorious Message to common herdsmen. We hope that the additional time this tape will be posted will allow you the opportunity to dig deep into the Word and receive a wonderful blessing from it. Have a wonderful Christmas!