The Announcement
of a Birth
In December, as Christmas celebrations take place in different parts of the world, many people recall the life journey of the One who divided history into before and after His birth.
His coming is said to have been foretold by various civilizations. Great minds, prophets, and priests from different peoples are believed to have predicted His birth.
In China, it is said that Confucius (500 B.C.) affirmed that a man of holy virtues would be born in the lands of the West. Ancient Indian literature, in turn, refers to the birth of a “Brahma,” in the home of shepherds, who would bring forth a world of justice and truth.
In ancient Persia around 3,000 years before Christ, Zoroaster is said to have announced the event by telling his disciples to follow the light of a star that would lead them to the birthplace of a great being:
“Worship Him and offer Him gifts, for He is the Word (…) that formed the heavens”
In Egypt, there are accounts that the coming of Jesus was recorded in hieroglyphs engraved in initiatic temples.
Plato, in Greece, is also said to have foretold the birth and life of Christ:
“Virtuous until death, He will be seen as unjust and wicked, and as such, will be scourged, tormented, and finally put on the cross.”
Sibyls, prophetesses of ancient Eastern peoples, are also said to have foretold the future coming of a great mind. Speaking in Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Chaldean, and Persian temples and sanctuaries, many of them predicted the birth of Jesus — such as the Sibyl of Cumae:
“In an age to come, the day will arise when the King of Kings will dwell among us.”
The biblical texts, in turn, also suggest that the birth of Jesus had been announced by prophets such as Isaiah, Daniel, and Malachi. In the book of Malachi, for example, there are passages about the future arrival of a messenger (interpreted as being John the Baptist), who would prepare the way ahead of the great Messenger of the Covenant.
From the ancient accounts that foretold His coming to the present day, the teachings left by the testimony of Jesus are renewed during the Christmas season, which invites us to remember His birth and reflect on His legacy and example of love.
Reference:
The Holy Bible
Armond, Edgard. Os Exilados da Capela. São Paulo: Editora Aliança, 3rd ed.
