The Virgin Shall Conceive
Waiting for Light to Come | Erik Reed
THEREFORE THE LORD HIMSELF WILL GIVE YOU A SIGN. BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL CONCEIVE AND BEAR A SON, AND SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL. ISAIAH 7:14 (ESV)
The prophet Isaiah spoke more than any other Old Testament prophet about the coming Messiah, which occurred nearly 700 years later. Though he never saw in person what he testified to, the LORD used him to prepare the people of Israel for their Redeemer. In Isaiah, we see the promised light of the nations (Isaiah 42), and the son to be given on whose shoulders the government will rest (Isaiah 9). It is through the prophet Isaiah that the LORD foretells of the coming Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53). This man will bear the iniquities of his people. His sacrifice will bring pardon and redemption to those who belong to him. The book of Isaiah is rich with portrayals of the coming Messiah.
None are truer than the beautiful promise and picture of our passage today. Isaiah prophesies about the coming of Immanuel, God with us. The sign that this child is no ordinary child is that he will be born of a virgin. For a woman who is a virgin to conceive means there was no man involved in her conception. This pregnancy would be a sign of the Lord’s work because—like today—virgins don’t get pregnant. They no more expected a virgin woman to conceive and have a child than they expected to jump and float into outer space.
For many throughout church history, and in the church today, they view the virgin birth as superfluous to His coming into the world. Most do not connect the significance and necessity of the virgin birth to Jesus’ ability to save sinners and redeem humanity. The virgin birth is not a miracle for the sake of miracles. God isn’t trying to increase our “wow ” factor. The virgin birth is necessary because if Jesus is born from the seed of man, He is born into the curse of sin. If Jesus begins in the womb like everyone else, then He possesses the sin nature of everyone else. He had to be born of the virgin. This is the fulfillment of God’s promise in Genesis 3:15 that the offspring of the woman would crush the Serpent.
Jesus’ conception in the womb of Mary by the Holy Spirit is miraculous. It is a wonder to behold. But it was necessary for Jesus to be born without the sin nature and guilt that plagues mankind. As the Apostle’s Creed states: He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. The God-Man was unlike any other.
As the child born of the virgin, Jesus is Immanuel. He is God with us, come to save us. His sinless nature allows for Him to obey God where humanity fell. His absence of guilt allows for Him to live truly righteous before God. And at the cross, bearing the wrath of God for the sins of man, He exchanged His righteousness for our guilt. When we come to Him by faith, we exchange our guilt for His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). Behold the child born of the virgin!
Questions for Reflection
This advent devotion, Waiting for Light to Come, was written by Erik Reed and borrowed with permission from Knowing Jesus Ministries. You can find the original publication and more information at https://www.knowingjesusministries.co
THEREFORE THE LORD HIMSELF WILL GIVE YOU A SIGN. BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL CONCEIVE AND BEAR A SON, AND SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL. ISAIAH 7:14 (ESV)
The prophet Isaiah spoke more than any other Old Testament prophet about the coming Messiah, which occurred nearly 700 years later. Though he never saw in person what he testified to, the LORD used him to prepare the people of Israel for their Redeemer. In Isaiah, we see the promised light of the nations (Isaiah 42), and the son to be given on whose shoulders the government will rest (Isaiah 9). It is through the prophet Isaiah that the LORD foretells of the coming Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53). This man will bear the iniquities of his people. His sacrifice will bring pardon and redemption to those who belong to him. The book of Isaiah is rich with portrayals of the coming Messiah.
None are truer than the beautiful promise and picture of our passage today. Isaiah prophesies about the coming of Immanuel, God with us. The sign that this child is no ordinary child is that he will be born of a virgin. For a woman who is a virgin to conceive means there was no man involved in her conception. This pregnancy would be a sign of the Lord’s work because—like today—virgins don’t get pregnant. They no more expected a virgin woman to conceive and have a child than they expected to jump and float into outer space.
For many throughout church history, and in the church today, they view the virgin birth as superfluous to His coming into the world. Most do not connect the significance and necessity of the virgin birth to Jesus’ ability to save sinners and redeem humanity. The virgin birth is not a miracle for the sake of miracles. God isn’t trying to increase our “wow ” factor. The virgin birth is necessary because if Jesus is born from the seed of man, He is born into the curse of sin. If Jesus begins in the womb like everyone else, then He possesses the sin nature of everyone else. He had to be born of the virgin. This is the fulfillment of God’s promise in Genesis 3:15 that the offspring of the woman would crush the Serpent.
Jesus’ conception in the womb of Mary by the Holy Spirit is miraculous. It is a wonder to behold. But it was necessary for Jesus to be born without the sin nature and guilt that plagues mankind. As the Apostle’s Creed states: He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. The God-Man was unlike any other.
As the child born of the virgin, Jesus is Immanuel. He is God with us, come to save us. His sinless nature allows for Him to obey God where humanity fell. His absence of guilt allows for Him to live truly righteous before God. And at the cross, bearing the wrath of God for the sins of man, He exchanged His righteousness for our guilt. When we come to Him by faith, we exchange our guilt for His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). Behold the child born of the virgin!
Questions for Reflection
- What is the importance of God giving signs to us?
- Why was it necessary that the Savior be born of a virgin? What is the practical reason? What comfort does it give you today that Jesus is Immanuel (God with us)?
- How does that encourage us in our daily lives?
This advent devotion, Waiting for Light to Come, was written by Erik Reed and borrowed with permission from Knowing Jesus Ministries. You can find the original publication and more information at https://www.knowingjesusministries.co
2 Comments
"And at the cross, bearing the wrath of God for man's sin, He exchanged His righteousness for our guilt and when we come to Him by faith,we exchange our guilt for His righteousness". Oh how wonderful and beautiful that is! He is Emmanuel and always with us!
As I read this message I kept thinking thinking about how to the unbeliever this whole account is just foolishness. I also thought about how, as a believer, it makes perfect sense. God's way are so amazingly wonderful. We serve an awesome God.