Prophecy of Jesus' Birth

Introduction

Good morning, good to be back

Prophecy story (Paul Scott)

Today we are going to be talking about prophecy - but not just a silly college prophecy fulfilled by luck. But rather, the greatest prophecy there is made and fulfilled by the greatest being there is

Prayer

Scriptures

Genesis 3:14–15 CSB

So the Lord God said to the serpent: Because you have done this, you are cursed more than any livestock and more than any wild animal. You will move on your belly and eat dust all the days of your life. I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.

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Isaiah 7:14 CSB

Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: See, the virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel.

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Psalm 8:5–6 CSB

You made him little less than God and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet:

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Micah 5:2 CSB

Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are small among the clans of Judah; one will come from you to be ruler over Israel for me. His origin is from antiquity, from ancient times.

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Luke 1:26–33 CSB

In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you.” But she was deeply troubled by this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be. Then the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end.”

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Once man sinned, we see God prophesying His coming all throughout Scripture

Old Testament Law

Old Testament Poetry

Old Testament Major Prophets

Old Testament Minor Prophets

New Testament Gospels

Scholars say that there are over 300 recorded in Scripture - all fulfilled by Jesus - many of which are specifically about His coming, His birth

So what do we make about these prophecies? Well I have at least two important questions for us to answer

Why is the prophecy itself significant?

Why is the content of the prophecy significant?

Why is the prophecy itself significant?

Speaks to God’s character - at least 4 things

Omniscient

Omniscient means, “all-knowing”

Psalm 147:5 “Our Lord is great, vast in power; his understanding is infinite.”

1 John 3:20 “whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows all things.”

Psalm 139:4 “Before a word is on my tongue, you know all about it, Lord.”

Isaiah 40:28 “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the whole earth. He never becomes faint or weary; there is no limit to his understanding.”

The fact that God would use prophecy is His telling the original hearers and us - I know all!

Fish Bowl illustration

Omnipotent

Omnipotent means, “all-powerful”

Job 42:1-2 “Then Job replied to the Lord: I know that you can do anything and no plan of yours can be thwarted.”

Luke 1:37 “For nothing will be impossible with God.””

Hebrews 1:3 “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”

The fact that God would use prophecy is His tell the original hearers and us - I have the power to back up my words

Lou Gehrig/Babe Ruth home run illustration

Omnipresent

Omnipresent means, “all-places”

Jeremiah 23:24 “Can a person hide in secret places where I cannot see him?”—the Lord’s declaration. “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?”—the Lord’s declaration.”

Proverbs 15:3 “The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, observing the wicked and the good.”

Psalm 139:7-10 “Where can I go to escape your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. If I live at the eastern horizon or settle at the western limits, even there your hand will lead me; your right hand will hold on to me.”

The fact that God would use prophecy is His telling the original hearers that He is everywhere always!

So God - Omniscient, Omnipotent, and Omnipresent - all knowing, powerful, and present - only one who is all three could both make and fulfill the prophecies we see in Scripture

But wouldn’t God have still been these three things even if He didn’t prophecy? Well… yes? So why prophecy?

Personal

God isn’t just all knowing, powerful, and present - He is personal

The fact that God would communicate His plans to us - plans for hope, eternal prosperity, good, joy, painlessness, freedom, everlasting reward - He does this because He’s more than a iron fisted, domineering dictator

He sees us… cares for us… and guides us personally

Which leads us to our second question...

Why is the content of the prophecy significant?

It’s one thing to say words… what they mean is another thing

So far… we shown how God is able to function based on how He communicated to us - through prophecy. Which is essentially the same thing as showing how we are able to function by analyzing our ability to say words

The fact that I can say words means I have some level of cognitive function, some level of physical ability to move my tongue and mouth, and some level of desire to do so

Here’s why the distinction is important - just because you can speak doesn’t mean you speak good things

Just because God can prophecy - doesn’t mean it’s good prophecy (putting aside the fact that God is definitively good)

So we’ve looked at the mode of communication, we must now look at the content of communication which can be summed up in at least three parts:

God sees us (our affliction)

The collective content of God’s prophecies (remember, there are over 300) can be summed up this way - God sent Himself in the person of Jesus to enter into our broken and sinful world as fully man yet still fully God for the purpose of saving us from our sinful nature and sinful consequence by offering Himself as a sacrifice

The fact that God would prophecy this means He knows that we need Him!

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God cares for us (His salvation)

God doesn’t just see our sin, He offers the solution for our sin - which is why Jesus came

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God guides us (models purpose)

The way Jesus came to save us offers us a model for how He wants to use us to do the same

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Closing Thoughts

Holy Spirit led