The foundation laid in a child’s early years play a critical role in their future development. What is most important is that they obtain teaching and learning instrumental in developing positive values, moral, and attitudes.
However, I’m certain that for most of us, if not all of us, our childhoods were less than ideal.
We are concluding our examination of the Life of Christ and others from the perspective of Living in a Crucible.
It is my hope that you now understand that symbolically that a crucible is the fiery trials we experience as we grow and develop.
And though Crucibles are painful, although they are uncomfortable, and they do hurt, they are beneficial in developing our character.
From the Sabbath School Adult Bible Study Guide 2022 Quarter 3: Sabbath.School
See also Hope Sabbath School and 3ABN Sabbath School
Inviting the Holy Spirit’s Presence
Holy Father, whatever our experiences in early childhood, we understand that they were for the development of our character. May our experiences bad or good be instrumental in bring us into a closer relationship with you.
In Jesus Name Amen.
Jesus came to this world as a baby and lived as a child. The Bible gives us little information about Jesus’ childhood. A few verses, however, tell us something about how life was when Jesus came to this earth to live with humans.
The following scriptures tell us something about the conditions Jesus had to live under while here on this earth.
Luke 2:7 tells us that Jesus was born in a stable
7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:7)
Luke 2:22-24 lets us know He was presented to the Lord in Jerusalem according to the law of Moses.
22 And when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord
23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “every firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”),
24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” (Luke 2:22-24)
Read Leviticus 12:6-8 to better understand what the law of Moses required as an offering for the birth of a son or daughter.
Matthew 2:1–18 provide us with the most information. It tells us about the political and environmental conditions Jesus had to live under.
Matthew 2:1-18
1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
2 “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”
3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.
5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet:
6 ‘and you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; for out of you shall come forth a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.'”
7 Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.”
9 After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.
11 After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.
13 Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him.”
14 So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt.
15 He remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “out of Egypt I called my son.”
16 Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi.
17 Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:
18 “A voice was heard in ramah, weeping and great mourning, rachel weeping for her children; and she refused to be comforted, because they were no more.” (Matthew 2:1-18)
These scriptures tell us that Jesus life as a child was not easy.
From where Jesus was born (in a stable) and the offering offered by his parent for his birth, we learn that Jesus was born poor.
We also discover that People wanted to kill Jesus even when He was a baby. The Bible helps us understand the unique problems Jesus had to face starting from his early childhood.
Moreover, John 1:46 let us know he was raised in the hood, Nazareth. Having come from Nazareth he faced prejudice and ostracism because he came from a poor and rough neighborhood.
46 Nathanael said to him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” (John 1:46)
Being God, most would expect that He would have been born into a royal family and live as a prince. But not so,
It says in the Book Fundamental of Christian Education that: After Christ had condescended to leave His high command, step down from an infinite height and assume humanity, He could have taken upon Him any condition of humanity He might choose. But greatness and rank were nothing to Him, and He selected the lowest and most humble walk of life. The place of His birth was Bethlehem, and on one side His parentage was poor, but God, the Owner of the world, was His Father. No trace of luxury, ease, selfish gratification, or indulgence was brought into His life, which was a continual round of self-denial and self-sacrifice. In accordance with His humble birth, He had apparently no greatness or riches, in order that the humblest believer need not say that Christ never knew the stress of pinching poverty. Had He possessed the semblance of outward show, of riches, of grandeur, the poorest class of humanity would have shunned His society; therefore He chose the lowly condition of the far greater number of the people. The truth of heavenly origin was to be His theme: He was to sow the earth with truth; and He came in such a way as to be accessible to all, that the truth alone might make an impression upon human hearts.
Christ’s contentment in any position provoked His brethren. They could not explain the reason of His peace and serenity; and no persuasion of theirs could lead Him to enter into any plans or arrangements which bore the impression of commonness or of guilt. On every occasion He would turn from them, plainly stating that they would mislead others, and were unworthy of the sons of Abraham. He must set such an example that little children, the younger members of the Lord’s family, would see nothing in His life or character to justify any evil deed. You are altogether too particular and peculiar, said the members of his own family. Why not be as other children? But this could not be; for Christ was to be a sign and a wonder from His youth, as far as strict obedience and integrity were concerned.—Fundamentals of Christian Education, p. 401.
Thus, with the exceptions of Adam and Eve before the Fall, Jesus was the only person who ever lived on the earth who never sinned. But He lived among sinners.
Based on what we know about the condition of the society in which Jesus lived, He was immersed in a world of sin. But he never sinned.
Jesus must have suffered deeply as a child to have live perfect yet be in constant contact with sinners and surrounded by sin. It had to be difficult as a child to be in an environment filled with evil.
In contrast, we are far from perfect. We are sinners. Yet, at the same time, there are some things we will not do. There are somethings we find repulsive, and we make every effort not to be exposed to them. As a matter of fact, we don’t want to hear about anyone who does them. And when we do, we feel angry or sadden by it. From this standpoint, can you imagine how Jesus, who never sinned, felt when He saw sin? He must have felt a lot of sadness, pain and hurt, distress more so, for the people around him. Moreover, because of his purity of heart he most likely experienced a lot of rejection.
It is says in Steps to Christ that our sinful acts, our neglect, our rejection of Jesus causes us harm.
“every act of transgression, every neglect or rejection of the grace of Christ, cause us harm; it toughening the heart, corrupts the will, numbs the understanding, and it not only makes us less inclined to yield to God, but we become less capable of yielding, to the tender pleading of God’s Holy Spirit. . . .
Even one wrong trait of character, one sinful desire, that we persistently cherished, will eventually neutralize all the powers designed to save us. Every act of sinful indulgence strengthens our soul’s dislike for God. The person who manifests a toughness, or indifference to divine truth, faces the consequence of their own actions.
In all the Bible there is not a more fearful warning against entertaining evil than the words of the wise man who says that the sinner “shall be holden with the cords of his sins.” Proverbs 5:22.—Steps to Christ, pp. 33, 34. Adapted
“How sensitive are you to the sins that exist all around us? Ask yourself: “Do the sins all around me bother me? Or don’t I care?” If we find that we are not bothered by sin, it could be because of the things we read, watch, or do? Think about it!
Growing up have you ever felt rejected. Though loving and kind, Jesus was despised and rejected. How did Jesus respond to rejection. Find out in Day 3: Despised and Rejected of Men.
