The Christmas Story: What Really Happened

by Chuck Missler

Dr. Chuck Missler, a widely recognized Biblical authority, updates his classic study of Christmas for 2007. He explores the background, and myths, surrounding our favorite holiday.

What really happened in Bethlehem two thousand years ago?
Who were the "Magi?"
Why a virgin birth?
What does a Christmas Tree have to do with it?

Each year at Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

After the New Year, we struggle to remember to add a year as we date our checks, which should remind us that the entire Western World reckons its calendar from the birth of the One who changed the world more than any other before or since.

It is disturbing to discover that much of what we have been taught about the Christmas season seems to be more tradition than truth. Santa Claus isn't the only myth or legend that has arisen out of this season.

On what "loophole" does the Messianic hope rest? Who were the Maji? And why a "virgin birth?" What does a Christmas Tree have to do with it?

This study contains 2 hours of teachings

Genres: Christian, Christmas

127 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 1994

About the author

Charles "Chuck" Missler was an author, evangelical Christian, and Bible teacher, and former businessman and Air Force officer. He is the founder of the Koinonia House ministry based in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Chuck Missler, an honors graduate of the United States Naval Academy, earned his Master of Science in Engineering from UCLA.[1] In 1999, Missler received a Ph.D. in biblical studies from the unaccredited Louisiana Baptist University in Shreveport,[2] an institution founded by the late minister Jimmy G. Tharpe.

Reviews

[Louisa aka the bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a Fantastic Study on the Christmas Story!

This is an in-depth study of the Bible passages and the traditions thar we have about the Birth of Christ. Absolutely recommend this if you want to know more about Christmas.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a beautiful picture of Christ…Chuck’s descriptions are so humbling that they bring the fear of God in an overwhelming way that has to be true Godly fear

[Erynn McKelvy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was VERY insightful and interesting. You’ll just have to read it for yourself and find out why. Highly recommend. 'Twas a great way to end the year. :)

[Lori Roberts miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend this book

Dr. Missler has written a wonderful book to encourage Christians and those seeking to learn about Christ to read the Holy Scriptures of God daily digging into God’s Word to find all the messages God has for us.

[Lauren Holmes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Basically just a book explaining myths about Christmas, how all the fairy tail stuff came about and how Jesus' birth was predicted.

To be honest I didn't really like this book. It required a lot of prior knowledge about different stories in the Bible which I don't have. I can't take a lot of knowledge from this because I don't think it was explained well unless you have the Bible open in front of you and you take pauses to read between both.

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eye opening

This is my second reading of this book. All I can say is that we are in need of it and more like it.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 4-star rating is based on the actual lecture, not the Kindle "book," which is basically just a fleshed-out version of the lecture notes. Anyway, Missler does a great job with this material, and I felt like a learned a lot about the origins of many Christmas traditions. His exploration of the Magi and their origins was fascinating, as was the context he gave regarding their meeting with King Herod, as recorded in the Gospels. He also makes a very interesting case that some specifics of Christ's pre-pubescent childhood can be inferred from Psalms 69. I'm a little skeptical of some of his claims regarding hidden Biblical codes, but I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt until I know otherwise. I'm also unsure as to why Missler took this occasion to conduct a whirlwind discussion on the Ark of the Covenant (specifically, Graham Hancock and Robert Cornuke's theory that it now resides in Ethiopia). Talk about going off topic!

[Cary · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of repeated concepts here from other Chuck Missler stuff. When he sticks to actual bible content, rather than topical studies, he's right on target.