THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, 4 B.C.

'Twas the night before Christmas,
and all through the land;
    Conquerors ruled with an opressive hand.
The people of Judea were all deep in prayer
    With hopes that Messiah would soon be there.
"God's promised Deliverer," as it was heard,
    "Will save His people, according to His Word."

"We wait for Messiah," said dad to his son,
    "For He is God's anointed One."
Young Yokhanan, who was a brainy child,
    Thought this an idea that was way too wild.
Another, named Eliyah, a man of many years,
    Refused to give up and gave not into fears.

There were some others in that great plain;
    Menakhem, Shimon, and Yeshayah by name.
These five shepherds that historic night
    Lay down under the moon so bright.
They lay on the grass, ready to sleep
    After a long day of tending their sheep.

Then all of a sudden without any warning,
    A light shone around much brighter than morning;
The shepherds lay on the ground as if they were dead
    As a angel came to them and said,
"Be not afraid, for I have come
    With news of great joy for everyone!"

The angels then, with the loudest of voice
    Proclaimed in triumph with a great noise:
"Glory to God, for He has given
    a gift of love from highest Heaven!"
Shimon then said, "Shall we go see
    What this great miracle is to be?"
Eliyah, Menakhem, and Yeshayah said, "Yes,"
    And Yokhanan the boy said no less.

They ran down the hill to the Bethlehem town;
    Would there be any others around?
They found a cave which inside would be
    A small family, in number three;
Joseph Bar-Yaakov, Mary his wife,
    And a small Baby; a brand new life.
But they knew not before that with this little birth
    The Lord of Creation had come to the earth!

God spoke to the shepherds, and no longer had they
    Believed this was an ordinary Child in the hay.
The Babe was small, Yeshua by name,
    "YAHWEH is salvation" was the meaning it claimed.
Jesus was He, and all would be blessed:
    For this was the Almighty now come in the flesh.

The shepherds huddled around the newborn Child
    As the baby slept, so fair and so mild.
The old Eliyah had seen what he wished for;
    This was the One he now praised and adored.
Menakhem had done no different that him,
    For the truth was known to all of them.
Shimon fell prostrate on the cave floor,
    For the people would be in bondage no more.
Then Yeshayah knelt humbly to the ground,
    For the Anointed Christ had now been found.
And then Yokhanan no longer doubted the promise,
    Because he had seen Him come down upon us.

"Praise to the Lord, the almighty King,"
    The voices of the shepherds began to ring.
Mary the mother and Joseph the step-dad
    Were exceedingly joyous and exceedingly glad;
Because God the father had sent His Son,
    Who was now in Mary's arms as that newborn One.
No longer would death or sin reign on;
    Their destructive powers would now be gone.
Many times, the Christmas story is ended here,
    But in truth it goes on for many a year.

The Child grew up and became a man
    To continue on with God's great plan.
He healed the sick, made the dead to live,
    But this was not all that He was to give.
But all of His actions that came to be
    Angered the scribes and Pharisees.
The old order was falling: where could they run?
    Now they said, "This Jesus is done!"

One of His own friends sold Him to this viper's den;
    Money loud voice spoke even way back then!
The Lamb of God strode in all quiet
    as Pilate spoke to this frenzied riot.
Those who He had healed paid Him a fee:
    They shouted, "Nail this man to a tree!"
Yet Christ knew this must happen to Him,
    For He had planned this before time would begin.
He was stripped and beaten and nailed to a cross;
    To His disciples and family it seemed a great loss.

But death and Hell would not have their way;
    For Yeshua the Christ rose on the third day!
Now His people He would bless;
    He is the LORD our Righteousness.
He ascended to Heaven, to the Father's right hand
    Where all of this had first began.

But O good Christian, do not fear,
    Because the story ends not even here.
For the LORD our God shall come again;
    Then to be the judge of all men.
If an angel shout and a trumpet you hear,
    Lift up your heads, for your redemption is here!
Eternal life shall be the reward
    For us at the coming of the Lord.

Several names in this writing are used in the Hebrew or Aramaic form.  Here are the usual English transliterations.

Yokhanan  = John or Johanan
Eliyahu   = Elijah
Menakhem  = Menahem
Shimon    = Simon or Simeon
Yeshayahu = Isaiah
Bar-Yaakov= son of Jacob
Yeshua    = Jesus
YAHWEH    = the LORD

© 2003 Johnathan Tate