Welcome my friends to another installment of the Life and Teachings of Jesus. Pull up a chair and enjoy this story, possibly the greatest one ever told. Enjoy the story!
Love: Zuma

BIRTH AND INFANCY OF JESUS

It will hardly be possible fully to explain the many reasons which led to the selection of Palestine as the land for Michael's bestowal, and especially as to just why the family of Joseph and Mary should have been chosen as the immediate setting for the appearance of this Son of God on this world.

After a study of the special report on the status of segregated worlds and in counsel with Gabriel, Michael finally chose this world as the planet whereon to enact his final bestowal. Subsequent to this decision Gabriel made a personal visit to This world, and, as a result of his study of human groups and his survey of the spiritual, intellectual, racial, and geographic features of the world and its peoples, he decided that the Hebrews possessed those relative advantages which warranted their selection as the bestowal race. Upon Michael's approval of this decision, Gabriel appointed and dispatched to this world the Family Commission of Twelve—selected from among the higher orders of universe personalities—which was intrusted with the task of making an investigation of Jewish family life. When this commission ended its labors, Gabriel was present on this world and received the report nominating three prospective unions as being, in the opinion of the commission, equally favorable as bestowal families for Michael's projected incarnation.

From the three couples nominated, Gabriel made the personal choice of Joseph and Mary, subsequently making his personal appearance to Mary, at which time he imparted to her the glad tidings that she had been selected to become the earth mother of the bestowal child.

JOSEPH AND MARY

Joseph, the human father of Jesus (Joshua ben Joseph), was a Hebrew of the Hebrews, albeit he carried many non-Jewish racial strains which had been added to his ancestral tree from time to time by the female lines of his progenitors. The ancestry of the father of Jesus went back to the days of Abraham and through this venerable patriarch to the earlier lines of inheritance leading to the Sumerians and Nodites and, through the southern tribes of the ancient blue man. David and Solomon were not in the direct line of Joseph's ancestry, neither did Joseph's lineage go directly back to Adam. Joseph's immediate ancestors were mechanics—builders, carpenters, masons, and smiths. Joseph himself was a carpenter and later a contractor. His family belonged to a long and illustrious line of the nobility of the common people, accentuated ever and anon by the appearance of unusual individuals who had distinguished themselves in connection with the evolution of religion on this world.

Mary, the earth mother of Jesus, was a descendant of a long line of unique ancestors embracing many of the most remarkable women in the racial history of this world. Although Mary was an average woman of her day and generation, possessing a fairly normal temperament, she reckoned among her ancestors such well-known women as Annon, Tamar, Ruth, Bathsheba, Ansie, Cloa, Eve, Enta, and Ratta. No Jewish woman of that day had a more illustrious lineage of common progenitors or one extending back to more auspicious beginnings. Mary's ancestry, like Joseph's, was characterized by the predominance of strong but average individuals, relieved now and then by numerous outstanding personalities in the march of civilization and the progressive evolution of religion. Racially considered, it is hardly proper to regard Mary as a Jewess. In culture and belief she was a Jew, but in hereditary endowment she was more a composite of Syrian, Hittite, Phoenician, Greek, and Egyptian stocks, her racial inheritance being more general than that of Joseph.
Of all couples living in Palestine at about the time of Michael's projected bestowal, Joseph and Mary possessed the most ideal combination of widespread racial connections and superior average of personality endowments. It was the plan of Michael to appear on earth as an average man, that the common people might understand him and receive him; wherefore Gabriel selected just such persons as Joseph and Mary to become the bestowal parents.

GABRIEL APPEARS TO ELIZABETH

Jesus' lifework on This world was really begun by John the Baptist. Zacharias, John's father, belonged to the Jewish priesthood, while his mother, Elizabeth, was a member of the more prosperous branch of the same large family group to which Mary the mother of Jesus also belonged. Zacharias and Elizabeth, though they had been married many years, were childless.

It was late in the month of June, 8 B.C., about three months after the marriage of Joseph and Mary, that Gabriel appeared to Elizabeth at noontide one day, just as he later made his presence known to Mary. Said Gabriel:

"While your husband, Zacharias, stands before the altar in Jerusalem, and while the assembled people pray for the coming of a deliverer, I, Gabriel, have come to announce that you will shortly bear a son who shall be the forerunner of this divine teacher, and you shall call your son John. He will grow up dedicated to the Lord your God, and when he has come to full years, he will gladden your heart because he will turn many souls to God, and he will also proclaim the coming of the soul-healer of your people and the spirit-liberator of all mankind. Your kinswoman Mary shall be the mother of this child of promise, and I will also appear to her."

This vision greatly frightened Elizabeth. After Gabriel's departure she turned this experience over in her mind, long pondering the sayings of the majestic visitor, but did not speak of the revelation to anyone save her husband until her subsequent visit with Mary in early February of the following year.

For five months, however, Elizabeth withheld her secret even from her husband. Upon her disclosure of the story of Gabriel's visit, Zacharias was very skeptical and for weeks doubted the entire experience, only consenting halfheartedly to believe in Gabriel's visit to his wife when he could no longer question that she was expectant with child. Zacharias was very much perplexed regarding the prospective motherhood of Elizabeth, but he did not doubt the integrity of his wife, notwithstanding his own advanced age. It was not until about six weeks before John's birth that Zacharias, as the result of an impressive dream, became fully convinced that Elizabeth was to become the mother of a son of destiny, one who was to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah.

Gabriel appeared to Mary about the middle of November, 8 B.C., while she was at work in her Nazareth home. Later on, after Mary knew without doubt that she was to become a mother, she persuaded Joseph to let her journey to the City of Judah, four miles west of Jerusalem, in the hills, to visit Elizabeth. Gabriel had informed each of these mothers-to-be of his appearance to the other. Naturally they were anxious to get together, compare experiences, and talk over the probable futures of their sons. Mary remained with her distant cousin for three weeks. Elizabeth did much to strengthen Mary's faith in the vision of Gabriel, so that she returned home more fully dedicated to the call to mother the child of destiny whom she was so soon to present to the world as a helpless babe, an average and normal infant of the realm.

John was born in the City of Judah, March 25, 7 B.C. Zacharias and Elizabeth rejoiced greatly in the realization that a son had come to them as Gabriel had promised, and when on the eighth day they presented the child for circumcision, they formally christened him John, as they had been directed aforetime. Already had a nephew of Zacharias departed for Nazareth, carrying the message of Elizabeth to Mary proclaiming that a son had been born to her and that his name was to be John.

From his earliest infancy John was judiciously impressed by his parents with the idea that he was to grow up to become a spiritual leader and religious teacher. And the soil of John's heart was ever responsive to the sowing of such suggestive seeds. Even as a child he was found frequently at the temple during the seasons of his father's service, and he was tremendously impressed with the significance of all that he saw.

quote:

BIRTH AND INFANCY OF JESUS

It will hardly be possible fully to explain the many reasons which led to the selection of Palestine as the land for Michael's bestowal, and especially as to just why the family of Joseph and Mary should have been chosen as the immediate setting for the appearance of this Son of God on this world.

After a study of the special report on the status of segregated worlds and in counsel with Gabriel, Michael finally chose this world as the planet whereon to enact his final bestowal. Subsequent to this decision Gabriel made a personal visit to This world, and, as a result of his study of human groups and his survey of the spiritual, intellectual, racial, and geographic features of the world and its peoples, he decided that the Hebrews possessed those relative advantages which warranted their selection as the bestowal race. Upon Michael's approval of this decision, Gabriel appointed and dispatched to this world the Family Commission of Twelve—selected from among the higher orders of universe personalities—which was intrusted with the task of making an investigation of Jewish family life. When this commission ended its labors, Gabriel was present on this world and received the report nominating three prospective unions as being, in the opinion of the commission, equally favorable as bestowal families for Michael's projected incarnation.

From the three couples nominated, Gabriel made the personal choice of Joseph and Mary, subsequently making his personal appearance to Mary, at which time he imparted to her the glad tidings that she had been selected to become the earth mother of the bestowal child.

What??? Where did you read that the angels got together on this decision? This is the first I've ever heard of such a thing. If it's in the Bible, I missed it. Please provide references.

Tom - She cut and pasted it from the Book of Urantia. It's the new agers version of our Bible. A belief that Christ is not the only way to heaven.

Hi all,

This person, ZumaGirl, is the posting alter ego of our Friend, Al Williams. Al began copy/pasting his Urantia Book New Age bible on the Religion Forum several months ago. But, when folks like Mr. Hoob and I began to stand in the doorway -- Al must have gotten discouraged. So, to make it appear that he had found disciples of his New Age religion; he apparently created this alter ego in feminine form to post his Urantia Book for him.

The Urantia Book organization is a New Age cult which, like the Jehovah's Witnesses, teach that Jesus Christ is a created being -- and that He really is Michael the Archangel. You will notice, in this copy/paste posting, several mentions of Michael. This is THEIR JESUS; certainly not Jesus Christ, Son of God, of the Bible -- and certainly not the Messiah.

Also, on their web sites, their clergy encourage their followers to attempt, by stealth or otherwise, to sneak their Urantia Book teachings into local Christian churches. This is what Al, their faithful follower, is attempting to do on the Religion Forum. And, as I said, he has created at least one alter ego, ZumaGirl, in this attempt.

This is New Age religion. This is a cult religion. And, it may be an offshoot or a first cousin to the Jehovah's Witnesses. Beware!

All Christian believers must stand in the doorway -- and keep this kind of teaching out of our churches, out of our fellowship, and away from new believers and new seekers who could be led astray by this false teaching.

God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,

Bill

Hoober and Bill,
Thanks for the info.

Anytime, Tom.

God Loves us All!

HI AL, YOUR SLIP IS SHOWING!

Thanks Bill!

SInce we're pasting pictures...

Hi Al,

No problem, glad you like it. However, I do question the New Age message on your graphic: Worship is intended to anticipate the better life ahead. . ."

Wrong, my Friend. Worship has one purpose: To worship and glorify God. There is no other purpose for worship -- and no other Person whom we should worship.

God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,

Bill

quote:

Originally posted by zippadeedoodah:
SInce we're pasting pictures...

Hi Zip,

Thanks for the graphic. In saving it, the only place I could see that it fit was in my Cartoon folder -- for it is truly funny.

Appreciate it.

God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,

Bill

One of my favorite expressions of irony.

Enjoy.