There are things that occur in life that have no human explanation. That certainly is true of supernatural events that must be attributed to Divine acts. The prophet Isaiah announced an occurrence that defied science, human possibility, and understanding. Writing some seven hundred years prior to its fulfillment, the prophet spoke to the nation of Judah … “Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” (Isa 7:14 NIV).
This was a most unusual message, for this young woman would be pregnant while still in a state of virginity. Matthew, in his gospel, provides the details of this conception … “This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’ — which means, ‘God with us’” (Matt 1:18-23 NIV).
The exactness of Scripture cannot be denied when one reflects on the prophetic predictions and their accurate fulfillment. In fact, the test of a true prophet was determined as to whether his message became a reality or not.
Dr. Luke offers details regarding the birth of Jesus. “In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, ‘Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.’ Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end’” (LK 1:26-33 NIV).
Not surprisingly, Mary expressed a very normal thought … “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin” (Luke 1:34 NIV)? God would bypass the normal means of procreation so that this pregnancy would be free from the sin nature passed on to mankind through the male seed. Again, it was Luke who recorded God’s Divine process in bringing the Savior into the world. “The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God’” (Luke 1:35 NIV).
The Divine Plan of redemption, designed and sealed in the Eternal Councils of God prior to the creation of the worlds and man, was ready to be revealed in the Person of Christ. God would take on flesh and, in His humanity, come into the world … to seek and save what was lost” [you and I] (Luke 19:10 NIV). Never early or late, but at the right time in human history, God presented His marvelous gift of the Savior, born in Bethlehem.