The phrase in the book of Isaiah must be a misprint or a mistranslation. Virgins don’t have babies. Of course, as we head into the Christmas season and read this passage we think of that moment when the angel Gabriel appeared to the virgin Mary and told her she would conceive a son. Not in the ordinary way with a man, but through the power of the Holy Spirit.
This seems impossible. And yet, the biblical record has hinted at this since time immemorial. You see, this concept of the Messiah being born of a virgin is a deeply held concept in the Hebrew scriptures. In fact, the very first messianic prophecy, uttered by God Himself, predicted the virgin birth of the Messiah.
Genesis 3:15 records that there will come a ‘seed of the woman who will crush the serpent’s head.’ What this says also contains what it doesn’t say. The text tells us that the serpent bruiser will come through a woman only, not a man and a woman. Not the traditional way a baby is made hinting that the woman is a virgin. As a result, Satan’s plans would be crushed, and God’s purposes would prevail.
In Luke 1, Gabriel comes to declare that this promised one would be born of Mary. She will be the virgin who gives birth to the Messiah.
Gabriel said, ‘And of His kingdom there will be no end’. Because in His unshakable obedience to God, even unto death, Jesus, our Messiah, provided the way in which we could enter His eternal kingdom. A kingdom in which there will be no end. This is our ultimate hope.
Written by Bob Mendelsohn
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