About 700 years after Isaiah had received the Lord’s words about the Virgin bearing a son named Immanuel, a rather troubled young man laid himself down to sleep, and during the night “an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21)
And Matthew went on to say, “All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:22-23)
At last !! The PROMISED SEED had come !! Luke informs us of the circumstances. “The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favoured one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1:26-33)
Joseph and Mary were both from the Tribe of Judah, and Gabriel emphasised the fact that Jesus would be given the Throne of His father David. So the ancient prophecies were now being fulfilled to the letter. But Mary was but a young woman of about fourteen years, and she struggled with Gabriel’s word.
“Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. . . . . Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.” Luke 1:34-38)
What remarkable FAITH for a teenage girl !! The message she received was so unique, so individual, so remarkable, that to accept it would seem to fly in the face of all logic and common sense, even possibly pandering to pride. But none of these things troubled Mary’s mind. Her response to Gabriel was straightforward, simple, and believing. God had finally achieved what He set out to do, and the Saviour of mankind had arrived. The “Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” as a result of Adam and Eve’s transgression, was soon to be born, grow up, and begin His ministry, and die on the cross for the sins of the world. It had taken all of 4000 years for this come to fruition, and looking back with hindsight one was able to see that God had even written this into His word at the time of the Exodus. The lamb had to be chosen on the 10th day, and slain on the 14th day of the month. Hence a waiting period of FOUR DAYS, symbolic of the 4000 years from Adam to Christ. Who would have understood that before the days of the Son of Man?
By one deceived woman sin had entered the world. By one young woman’s faith the PROMISED SEED was born into the world, and through His FAITH the salvation of the world was accplished.
