MESSIAH WILL BE BORN TO A VIRGIN

December 13, 2023

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.

Isaiah 7:14 (BSB)

So the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus . . . “How can this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

Luke 1:30-31, 34

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged in marriage to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel” (which means, “God with us”). When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and embraced Mary as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a Son. And he gave Him the name Jesus.

Matthew 1:18, 22-25

7:14 virgin. The Hebrew word occurs seven times in the Old Testament. It means a young woman of marriageable age, normally a virgin (Gen. 24:43). The Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament made about 150 b.c.) translated with a word more specifically meaning “virgin.” The New Testament understands Isaiah to be designating the Virgin Mary (Matt. 1:23).

Sproul, R. C. ESV Reformation Study Bible, note on Isaiah 7:14.

Many biblical prophecies have both an imminent fulfillment and a distant future fulfillment. This may be the case with Isaiah 7:14. Several commentaries discussed the distinction between the Hebrew word used in Isaiah and another more specific Hebrew word for virgin. Since the word Isaiah used could be interpreted “young woman of marriageable age” or “virgin,” it makes since that the immediate fulfillment would be a young woman would give birth to a son named “God with Us” as a sign and encouragement to King Ahaz. Matthew and Luke both interpret Isaiah 7:14 as being fulfilled in their time by the virgin birth of Jesus, the Messiah. Matthew’s target audience was primarily Jewish. Therefore, he often points out the prophecies fulfilled by Jesus to prove Him as Messiah. Susie dated a boy of Jewish heritage who had converted to Christianity. His mother had also received Christ and was so excited to read all the ways Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah. She was one of the most “on fire” Christians Susie knew at that time. She shared Jesus with every person God put in her path.

Our hope is that seeing the Old Testament prophecies paired with their New Testament fulfillments will strengthen your faith in Jesus as the Messiah—Christ or Anointed One. Share with us the awe of God’s hand orchestrating His plan throughout history (HISstory)!

Father, we thank You for taking us on this journey through the Messianic prophecies!

Worship with Michael Card singing “Immanuel”: