PROPHECY OF THE BIRTH OF CHRIST
OLD TESTAMENT
Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: Behold, the girl will be with child and she will give birth to a son, and she will name him Emmanuel (God with us)
Isaiah 9:6
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the dominion shall be upon his shoulder; He will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE BIRTH OF JESUS:
NEW TESTAMENT
THE APPEARANCE OF THE ANGEL TO MARY
LUKE 1:26-56
Six months later, God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a young girl betrothed to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. This young girl was called Marie.28 The angel came in to her and said to her, Rejoice, you who have been favored by God: the Lord is with you. 29 Mary was deeply troubled by these words; she wondered what this greeting meant.
30 Then the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, for God has favored you. 31 Behold: soon you will be with child and you will give birth to a son; you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great. He will be called “Son of the Most High,” and the Lord God will give him the throne of David, his ancestor. 33 He will reign over the people of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end.
34 Mary said to the angel, How can this be done, since I am a virgin?
35 The angel answered him, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High God will overshadow you. Therefore the holy child who will be born to you will be called the Son of God. 36 See, your relative Elizabeth is also expecting a son, despite her great age; it was said that she could not have children, and she is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God. 38 Then Mary answered, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May everything you have told me come true for me. And the angel left her.
THE BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST
THE APPEARANCE OF THE ANGEL TO JOSEPH
Matthew 1:18-24
MIRACULOUSLY PREGNANT:
A young girl named Mary was engaged to a man named Joseph and both were ready to get married. But something unusual happened before the wedding. The virgin miraculously becomes pregnant without having sexual intercourse. Which remains scientifically unprovable until today.
Matthew 1:18
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ happened. Mary, his mother, was engaged to Joseph; Now, before they lived together, she found herself pregnant by the action of the Holy Spirit.
WHAT THE LAW SAYS IN THESE CASES:
Jewish law calls this infidelity because she becomes pregnant but her future husband is not the biological father of that child. In this case, according to Jewish law, Joseph has the right to file for divorce or break off the relationship.
JOSEPH’S DECISION TO BREAK UP WITH MARY:
And Joseph being a good Jew who respected the laws, after thinking
he wanted to apply the law by breaking up with her, but because he was a good, respected and honest man, also out of love for his fiancée Mary whom she loves so much, the Bible says he planned to do it in secret , without anyone knowing about the affair. Also to spare Mary from death by stoning as provided for in the sentence of the Jewish court according to the law of Moses.
Matthew 1:19
Joseph, her fiancé, who was a just man and who did not want to expose her to dishonor, proposed to break up with her secretly.
THE APPEARANCE OF THE ANGEL TO JOSEPH:
While Joseph was pondering the situation and the decision of his heart, the Lord sent him an angelic message informing him that he should not hesitate to take Mary as his wife because the child she was carrying came from the power of the Holy Spirit. And it happened in a vision. The Bible clearly states that it was in a vision.
Matthew 1:20
As he was thinking about it, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said: “Joseph, descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child she is carrying comes from the Holy Spirit.
NB: Theologically, this is excellent evidence that visions and dreams are excellent channels through which God often uses to communicate His thoughts to us.
THE CONFIRMATION OF THE MESSIANITY OF THE CHILD JESUS;
Through this prophetic vision, the angel confirms the messianic nature of Jesus Christ as savior of his people and their sins.
Matthew 1:21-23
She will give birth to a son and you will give him the name Jesus because it is he who will save his people from their sins. 22 All this happened so that what the Lord had spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled: 23 The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and he will be called Emmanuel, which means “God with us.”
JOSEPH OBEYED GOD’S WILL:
When he awoke, as the Bible says, Joseph correctly applied the instructions given by God through his angel. He decided to marry Mary and continued to refrain from sleeping with his wife until the baby Jesus was born.
Matthew 1:24-25
When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took his wife into his home, 25 but he did not have marital relations with her until she had given birth to a son [ firstborn] to whom he gave the name Jesus.
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