Long before the birth of Jesus, it was prophesied of by the Lord God Himself to the king of that time, that it would be of a virgin. The king being Ahaz, of which lived in the time of Isaiah around 700BC. This prophecy like others is really remarkable, but of course it was since it came from the mouth of the living God. All things spoken through Him are more than predictions, but actual events that will take place in the future. So without further ado, we will now read this prophecy in detail. Starting in verse 10, in Isaiah 7 it reads, 1“moreover the Lord spake again unto Ahaz, saying, Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the Lord. And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings.” (Isaiah 7:10-16)
In Isaiah, chapter 7, we learned that a baby would be born of a virgin, of which His Name would be called Immanuel. We also learned a little about His life, what He would eat and His righteous choices. The next chapter also helps us know who this person is, for it defines Immanuel as God with us. This is in Isaiah, chapter 8, starting with verse 7. It reads, 2“now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks: And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel. Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.” (Isaiah 8:7-10) And so we learn that this man is God, who will be with His chosen people for a time. We are to give ear to Him, for He extends His arms out wide to receive those that believe.
This prophecy is fulfilled in Jesus’s birth. We learn this by reading in Matthew, chapter 1, starting with verse 18. It reads, 3“now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus.” (Matthew 1:18-25)
Isn’t it amazing how God’s prophesies come to pass like they are supposed to? Seriously, the chances of this prophecy happening exactly as it was written are very slim when it comes to worldly predictions. However, God’s standards are higher than ours, so we can always know that when He says something, we should be expecting it, if not now, then in the future. Now, as it is spoken to Joseph by the angel of the Lord, Jesus did come and was conceived by a virgin, who is called Mary. Also, just as He said, the Lord Jesus did save His people and all the world from their sins, by paying the penalty for them on the cross. Surely, God was with the people and shined bright for all to see, however, only His elect saw it. Others didn’t even know of His coming until He died and was resurrected. Many did follow Jesus for a time, while His true believers stuck with Him until the end. And these believers and their decedents are until now. The King James Bible has been preserved, along with Jesus’s teachings, for He is Lord of all. He is the greatest person to have ever lived on this earth. No person is worthy of praise more than Jesus Christ, our Lord. Therefore, give Him glory and honor, starting today.
Let us pray:
Oh Lord, I am so grateful to know You and to think of You during the year and this special season. Your birth is so important to me and to Christians alike, and to honor You at this time is a great honor and privilege that we have. Because You came down to earth and paid the price for our sins, we are forgiven. You have ushered into this world salvation, because of Your grace and mercy. We may be unworthy at the time that we come unto You, but You hear our confessions and cleanse us from within. And though we may not have been able to walk and think differently about things before, You have now given us a clear mind and new eyes to see. Even temptation is not such an issue as in the past, for Your presence is with us always. We are not alone, for You give us armor to defeat the enemy in his tracts. He may try us and trick us into thinking that things are good on the other side, but I know that it is only wickedness, which never brings happiness in the end. Surely, if we want joy in this life, it can only be found in You, Jesus. You are our God, who brings good things in our lives. Even when we are down and affected by trials, sickness, and sadness, Your peace changes the atmosphere, that we may be able to bear the situation we are in. There will always be hardships in this life, but You make everything better. Thank You, Lord. I love You. I give You the glory and praise this day and forever. Amen.
Let us read the Bible:
Note: Any Numbered References, found above, are listed below.