Celebrating Christmas Through Prophecy

A. INTRODUCTION: GOD CAREFULLY PRE-PLANNED THE EVENT

1. Prophecy is God’s birth announcement. Not of months in advance, but thousands of years in advance.

2. Fulfilled prophecy is one of the greatest proofs for the spiritual authority of scriptures.

3. The Dead Sea Scrolls are the greatest guarantee that God predicted the birth of His Son.

B. VIRGIN BIRTH

1. Definite implication. God told satan, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your heel, and you shall bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15).

2. Man has seed and a woman has an egg, a woman will give birth without a man.

3. The heel blow by satan, agony of the cross.

4. The head blow, the judgment of satan (John 12:31; 16:11).

5. Obvious statement. “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Emmanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). God with us.

6. A sign points to a miraculous work of God.

7. The RSV called ALLMA a young woman, i.e., a liberal bias. But the Septuagint calls her a virgin, as well as Matthew 1:22-23. Also, a non-virgin having a son is not a miraculous sign.

Miraculous Birth

Adam – without man or woman

Eve – with help only from a man

Isaac – too old to have children

Jesus – without a man

8. Arguments for the virgin birth in Matthew.

a. “Before they came together” (v. 18) Abstain.

b. “Joseph ... willing to put her away privately” (v. 19).

c. “The child is conceived of the Holy Spirit” (v. 18, 20, TLB).

d. “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). Calling Mary a virgin (v. 23).

e. “He knew her not” (v. 25). No sex.

f. “Her first born son” (v. 25). Not Joseph’s.

g. Joseph is listed as husband of Mary, not the father of Jesus in the genealogy (v. 16).

C. THE PLACE

1. The home of kings. “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2).

2. Messiah would be born in "O Little Town of Bethlehem."

3. Messiah would be eternal, “from everlasting.”

4. Messiah would be ruler of Israel.

D. THE STAR

1. “I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; a star shall come out of Jacob; a scepter shall rise out of Israel” (Numbers 24:17).

2. The star was actually Christ (1 Peter 1:19).

3. The star was a sign of His advent. “His star” (Matthew 2:2).

4. “The scepter” a reference to His rule.

5. “Not now … not near.” A long time off, i.e., over 1300 years.

E. A CHILD

1. The gift-child. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulders. And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

2. “The child is born.” A virgin birth as Son of David.

3. “A Son is given.” Incarnation as Son of God.

4. A dispensational gap between “given” and “government.”

5. Fourfold name, why so many names?

a. He does so much

b. He is so much

6. Wonderful Counselor. The word “wonder” is a miracle. He will give supernatural instruction.

7. Mighty God, the child will be God Himself.

8. Everlasting Father, the reference to “Father” is not to the heavenly Father, but he will be the “source” of everlasting life to us.

9. Prince of Peace. A warring monarch who will finally give peace. He is the embodiment of peace.

If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:

Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.

Dr. Towns’ email is eltowns@liberty.edu.

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