Every person on earth has some kind of record of birth, a birth certificate – certificate of live birth. Documentation that they are legitimately, physically, a person alive and separate from their mother’s womb.
Taken literally we should add 9 months to the child’s life, as life begins at conception; and the baby is alive in the mother’s womb here on the earth. So in actual fact, an individual is not 0 years at birth but 9 months more or less, depending on the exact time of exiting the womb. Doesn’t it seem strange to count 0 at birth??
The certificate or documentation or record usually details the time in hours and minutes, recording the weight, the place/location, country; the day, month and year as well as the names of the parents. It’s very precise because the birth was precise and evident to any one present. The leaving of one environment – the womb, into another – the world, is undeniable. We celebrate the date of the birth and every year after on that same day.
The baby has no clue until told at an age they can understand, why the date is remembered and so it is for everyone else. Every year for the rest of our lives. Why do we do this? It’s a strange custom.
Did Messiah Jesus, His disciples and followers do this? Is it scriptural/biblical? Is there a reaction in heaven?
The only noted reaction in heaven is the angels rejoicing over one soul that is saved one sinner who repents.
I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. Luke 15:10 & Luke 15:7 I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.
Not when they are born in the natural, but born again from above by the Holy Spirit. Messiah Jesus/Yeshua was born from above from heaven by the Fathers Holy Spirit – He was already born again so to speak.
There is no one who has gone up to Heaven, except One who has come down from Heaven, the Son of Man whose home is in Heaven. No one has ascended into heaven, but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven. John 3:13
Jesus/Yeshuas’ natural birth was the only one celebrated by angels! Luke 2:8-20
This is a mystery revealed to Nicodemus and Messiah states clearly that in verse 3, unless you are born again from above you cannot see the Kingdom of God. So it is of critical importance and essential for being a citizen of Gods’ Kingdom; just as in whatever location we are born physically, it’s automatically determined that you are a citizen of that country, and have a legal right to all that entire nation offers.
The point is, if we are so certain of our physical birthdate and yet were obviously too young to remember it or know it, and yet we hold it so dear; and we not only know our own birthdate, (which is tied to everything we do in the worlds system); we also know those of our siblings, parents, spouse, families and friends.
The critical question is:
When exactly was your born again from above spiritual birth day? We should ask ourselves, isn’t that more important and significant than the one that entitles us to the worlds’ resources and benefits? The world and riches/benefits that Messiah refused when it was offered to Him? Matthew 4:9; Luke 4:7.
Isn’t the fact that being born again from above essential to seeing the kingdom of heaven; and knowing not only we are forgiven, but eligible for all the future privileges and gifts of the infinite, eternal Kingdom of the living God and His Messiah?
And furthermore, that our sins are removed and we have become His child, born into a new realm by His Spirit.
Which is the most important birthday?
And why don’t we celebrate this one – the one that promises eternal life with the Father who has provided this future for us.
We are written in His book of Life our names are recorded spiritually.
“But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are writtenintheLamb‘sbookoflife.” Revelation 3:5.
We don’t need a paper certificate because our life should spiritually reflect our new birth and new allegiance, new ownership – new parent as we emerge from the womb of the earth/world. The world which offers only eternal death. We are born into eternal life, not death, death is separation from our Heavenly Father.
The challenge is, if we can’t pinpoint our spiritual birthdate to the same accuracy as the information and details on our physical birth certificate, why cant we??
Wasn’t it as important and as wonderful, as the natural birth? The re-birth that we should not only be cognizant of, but consciously consenting to – repenting, understanding what we were doing and what was happening to us?
The writer remembers exactly, to the minute, when this spiritual, born from above by His Spirit of Holiness experience occurred, and thanks be to our Heavenly Father and His Son, life/chaim was changed for ever. The knowing of its’ significance and consequences are so important that it will never ever be forgotten or diminished. Family, friends, do you remember your born from above moment too? If you can’t, we must ask ourselves the critical question – why not? Why can’t we remember? It’s a more sure and eternal event than our natural birth.
Ask our Father to show you, to remind you and if there is any tiny shadow of doubt as to the date maybe we should take the opportunity to ensure we are truly born again by His Spirit. Today is the day of salvation seek Him while He may be found. There is still time and it’s not too late….what have you got to lose?… Everything if you are not born again from above!
Don’t just think you are saved – KNOW that you are for a certainty.
And if you are wavering, then recommit yourself right now…record the date, the moment for yourself, then you can remind the enemy when he challenges us.
If you know your earthly, worldly, physical birthday, shouldn’t we know our spiritual birthday even more, and shouldn’t we be celebrating our spiritual birthday every year too? The natural ones will end eventually; the spiritual ones will never cease.
Let’s help each other celebrate eternal life, counting every year on our spiritual birthdates as well. The natural ones focus on the person, the spiritual focuses on the person of Messiah – the One through Whom we are alive to our Heavenly Father.
Nakdimon – Nicodemus had some questions too.
Why was he seemingly ignorant?
In John 3:34Yeshua says to him:
unless a man be born again from above
he cannot see the kingdom of God.
He cannot see the kingdom unless his spiritual eyes are opened. Nicodemus responds with
can a man be born when he is old?
He was speaking of himself. He had come to Yeshua/Jesus seeking understanding; he had questions like we all do. He seemed like he didn’t know anything, but is that really the case?
He seemed confused as to how a man could be born again when he had reached the age of a senior citizen and had already met the Pharisee requirements to be born again!
He wasn’t saying that it wasn’t possible
he simply wanted to know HOW!
Here we must look at the background to his position. Being born again was NOT a new concept in Yeshua/Jesus’ day! There were 6 ways that one could be born again in Pharisaic Judaism. Nicodemus was already qualified in 4 of these ways and the other 2 would have been impossible for him to fulfill. (the one was that a gentile was said to be born again if he converted to Judaism or was born again if he crowned as a king.
The 4 ways in which Nicodemus did meet the criteria were
One, when a Jewish/Israelite boy becomes bar mitzvah at age 13 he is said to be born again. He had obviously already experienced his bar mitzvah and was therefore born again in that manner.
A second way was by marriage. When a Jewish/Israelite man married he was said to be born again. A member of the Sanhedrin must be married, so Nicodemus could not be born again – again, in this way, since he was already a member of the Sanhedrin.
Thirdly, a Jew/Israelite could be born again when ordained as a Rabbi, (Rabbi means teacher), so Nicodemus could not be re-ordained.
The fourth way to be born again was to become the head of a Rabbinical school. In John 3:10 Jesus answered and said to him, “You are the teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? Yeshua/Jesus was commenting that Nicodemus held the office of Rabbi/Teacher of Israel, which meant he was already head of a Rabbinical school.
Nicodemus had gone through every process available in Judaism to being born again as he understood it.
The only other option that he could be born again at his age and qualifications, was in his mind to re-enter his mothers womb and start the process all over again; which was both absurd and confusing to Nicodemus, so was he asking the question in the form of a completely ridiculous suggestion? Or, was He asking if Jesus/Yeshua was indeed the Messiah and if so, then was there some way that this was a miraculous possibility?? Whatever his thinking was, the discussion gave Messiah the opportunity to explain some spiritual truths to this already born again teacher of Israel, primarily that he still needed to be spiritually born again.
John introduces Nicodemus as one of the Pharisees, a ruler of the Jews, but one who recognizes power when he sees it and also one who comes to Yeshua/Jesus under cover of the night, so as not to be seen by his colleagues John 3:1.
As already noted, Nicodemus held the office of a teacher in Israel. He is called a ruler and is thus a rabbi, a member of the
Sanhedrin – סנהדרין
the Jewish religious court and he is mentioned in other Jewish literature e.g. Talmud.
Eventually Nicodemus was born again from above v. 3-8coming to trust in Yeshua.
The Greek: gennethe anothen,
is sometimes rendered:
born again or born from above,
which reflects that both aspects are relevant. The concept itself is Jewish! Rabbi Shimon Ben Lakish states: A proselyte is like a newborn infant. Likewise Rabbi Yosi reminds us that in born again the idea resembles that of a new creation as also seen in2Corinthians 5:17 and Genesis 39:11.
2Corinthians 3:5. Born from water/natural and the spirit/supernatural. In Judaism, immersion in water is directly linked to ritual cleansing of the body; while the spirit enables people to repent/turn from sin and live a holy life/separated unto the Lord. Born from water in its grammatical construction refers to the Spirit of Holiness /Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit. Ezekiel 36:25-7. There is no necessary reference to the Mikveh (ritual cleansing bath) here. Rather the grammatical construction (hendiadys) indicates that water is a reference to the Spirit as in Ezekiel 36:25-7.
InJohn 3:10 you hold the office of teacher in Israel.
Literally you are The Teacher of Israel.
The definite article implies that Nicodemus’s position was uniquely important although it is difficult to reconstruct precisely what it was.
Transliteration: Nikodémos Phonetic Spelling: (nik-od’-ay-mos) Definition: Nicodemus, an Israelite Usage: Nicodemus, a member of the Sanhedrin.
The name Nicodemus might meanVictory Of The People From (1) the noun νικα (nike), victory, and (2) the noun δημος (demos), [common] people.
Nicodemus was not an ignorant man and his question was very valid in light of his position. He was
seeking truth and he
found Messiah and the key to eternal life!
As we continue to seek truth let’s make certain once and for all, without any shadow of a doubt whatsoever, that we are born again by the Holy Spirit of the One True Living God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob; and that we know
both our birthdates!
This year let’s make a resolution to celebrate both of them,
rejoicing that we are our Fathers’ child forever.
So how old are you.. spiritually? And when was your spiritual birthday?
Have you been
????
With all our knowledge and understanding,
with all our studies ….
Nothing is more important than this message so,
please don’t leave here without that absolute knowledge and assurance….
Shalom, shalom mishpachah/family
and cheverim/friends!
It’s all about Life and Relationship,
NOT Religion.
You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.
NOT SURE?
YOU CAN BE..
SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…
Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.
I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and came in the flesh, that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your Word is Truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again from above by Your Holy Spirit and I am believing by faith that I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into Your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name. Amen.
