Of all the biblical prophecies given, none are more important as those referring to the coming Promised Messiah. And, of all the prophecies about the Messiah, probably none is so controversial as His being born of a virgin. To those who object by saying, “Come on, that just isn’t possible,” we would agree. That’s why it’s called the “miracle” of the virgin birth, or, to be more precise, the miracle of the virgin conception. The prophecy was given by Isaiah seven hundred years before its fulfillment. It’s found in 7:14, “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bear a son, and she will call his name Emmanuel.” Virgins just do not have babies. There has to be a male donor, and, when that occurs, virginity is forfeited. Technically, a virgin can conceive today through modern technology called “invitro fertilization”, when a male sperm is injected into the uterus mechanically. But such procedures were not available two thousand years ago, or, for that matter, two hundred years ago. The only way a woman could receive male sperm in Mary’s day was the old-fashioned way. And Joseph, to whom Mary was engaged, knew he was not the donor. It really looked to him like Mary had been unfaithful to him, and he wanted out of the relationship. Only the intervention of an angel, Gabriel…in fact, who had also made that splendid announcement to Mary…could persuade Joseph that Mary had remained chaste and faithful, and that this whole thing was of God’s doing. “Go ahead and marry her,” was the angel’s encouragement, “for that which has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit, and she will bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins.” Did you get that? “Call Him Jesus,” or Yeshua, is the New Testament equivalent of Joshua, and it literally means “Savior.”
What other fitting name could He possibly have since saving will be His principle business? He will say, in Luke 19 regarding Himself, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” And, what was lost? The totality of humanity, that’s what was lost. Christ came as Savior to redeem the lost, including you and me. Had not Christ been conceived of a virgin, He would have been conceived as you and I were conceived, via a human male donor and contaminated with human sin, thus, disqualifying Him to save anyone. But that was not how it was. God Himself supplied that seed, supernatural seed imbued with very deity, and Mary provided His humanity through carrying and delivering Him. And, behind it all, that wonderful and amazing prophecy of Isaiah had come to pass.
CC-03-12
Published by