The Birth of Jesus
It has always been a tradition in our family to celebrate the birth of Jesus in some way before we opened our gifts. We learned that Christmas was about giving and that the birth of Jesus was the greatest gift of all. One Christmas my parents gave me a gift to open, but before I opened it, they told me it was a “gift that keeps on giving.” I couldn’t imagine what it could be. When I opened the package, I discovered a cell phone. They called it the gift that keeps on giving because they intended to pay the bill each month to maintain the service on the phone.
The Greatest Gift Keeps on Giving
Christmas is a time for giving. Not all gifts keep on giving, but there is one gift that is for everyone that does keep on giving. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, as a gift to the World.
Luke 2:10-11
Most of us have probably heard the story of the birth of Jesus, but what some may not realize is that His birth, right down to the last detail, was a fulfillment of hundreds of Old Testament prophecies. These prophecies were written between 1450 BC and 430 BC. Manuscripts have been found to prove they were written at least 400 – 1000 years before He was born.
It would be difficult enough to predict something 5 years away let alone 4-15 centuries, especially with the degree of detail and 100% accuracy. It would also be impossible for someone to PLAN to fulfill all of the prophecies. (For some of them no one would WANT to plan for their own life.) The prophecies speak of so many details about the timing, bloodline, location, and circumstances of the birth of Jesus. Who but God alone could plan such things?
1. Genealogy – Prophecies Fulfilled in the Birth of Jesus
The genealogy of Jesus provided in Matthew not only helps us understand the bloodline of Jesus but also His identity and purpose. His genealogy is recorded in Matthew 1:1-6 and Luke 3:23-38. Matthew 1:1-6 This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham: 2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, 4 Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of King David.The Seed of Abraham (Promised Blessing)
Old Testament Prophecy: Genesis 3:2-3
God promised to make Abraham into a great nation through a son they would bear in their old age. He told Abraham that all would be blessed through him.
New Testament Fulfillment: Acts 3:25-26
About 2000 years later, Jesus was born of the seed of Abraham. He IS the promised blessing to all people.
The Seed of Isaac (Son of God – Savior)
Old Testament Prophecy: Genesis 17:19 Isaac was the son that God promised Abraham and Sarah would have in their old age. The promised blessing was to come through Isaac. (Genesis 26:4) When Isaac was young, God asked Abraham to present Isaac to Him as a sacrifice. (Genesis 22:2) Abraham was prepared to obey this request. He loaded up the wood for the sacrifice on Isaac’s back. He went to the place God showed him. He bound his son and raised his knife to slay him. But God stopped him after seeing that Abraham trusted God and held nothing back from Him… including his son whom he loved. God provided a ram to take Isaac’s place that day. (Genesis 22:12) Abraham called that place (Mount Moriah) “The Lord Will Provide.” It is said of that place, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.” (Genesis 22:14) New Testament Fulfillment: Romans 9:7 About 1500 years later, God provided His own son through the seed of Isaac, a savior to take the place of ALL who would call on Him for the forgiveness of sin. (John 1:29) In fact, Jesus was crucified on that same ridge! Jesus Himself IS the provision (Salvation) that Abraham spoke of some 1500 years prior to the crucifixion. That provision was indeed provided on that very mountain!Jacob (King of the Jews)
Old Testament Prophecy: Genesis 28:13-14 | Numbers 24:17,19
The promise continues through Isaac’s son Jacob. It actually should have been Esau, the firstborn son, but Jacob tricked Esau and his father into being blessed as the firstborn. We are not the only ones with a sometimes shady family tree. God can work through all of us despite our imperfections.
New Testament Fulfillment: Luke 1:31-33
Just before Jesus was born, an angel came to Mary. He spoke these words to her that day.
Old Testament Prophecy: Micah 5:2
Jacob’s (Israel) final words to his sons, he compares Judah to a lion and that the scepter will not depart from him or his descendants. His relatives (brothers) will bow to him. Genesis 49:9-10. The lion and scepter represent absolute authority. He concludes with the prophecy of one coming who is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah!
Genesis 49:9-10
New Testament Fulfillment: Revelation 5:5.
He alone has the victory, power, and authority.
Old Testament Prophecy: Isaiah 11:1
The promise continues through Jesse, the father of David. tells of a shoot that will come up from the root of Jesse. A root implies life…hope. There was one coming who would gather up the people of Isreal who had been scattered and exiled to Assyria, Egypt, and various other places.
New Testament Fulfillment: Acts 13:22-23
Old Testament Prophecy: 2 Samuel 7:16 | Jeremiah 23:5-6
God planned to establish HIS kingdom through David. Isreal is God’s chosen people. They, however, didn’t always choose God. The people of Israel cycle from victory to defeat… from promise to exile… from salvation to slavery. But God always saved a remnant. And one day, God WILL establish His kingdom forever with Jesus, the Son of David, as ruler and king for all time!
New Testament Fulfillment: Acts 13:22-23
Old Testament Prophecy: Micah 5:2
Bethlehem means “House of Bread.” Ephrathah, an older name for Bethlehem, means “Fruitfulness.”
Bethlehem was the location of the buriel of Jacob’s wife Rachel.
Bethlehem was also the place where Ruth relocated with her mother-in-law Naomi after their husbands had passed. It was there that Ruth married Boaz who became their kinsman redeamer (someone who redeemed what was lost).
Bethlehem was also the place where David’s men risked their life to bring David a drink from the well when he was very thirsty. He poured out the drink as an offering to God.
Rachel, Ruth and David are all in the bloodline of Jesus.
New Testament Fulfillment: Luke 2:4-7
Joseph and Mary lived in Nazareth. Jesus would have been born there, but Joseph and Mary had to make the journey to Bethlehem to be counted in the house of David… like a census. While they were there, the time came for Jesus to be born.
Out of Bethlehem came Jesus…
The Bread of Life – John 6:35
The Kinsman Redeamer – Titus 2:14
The Drink of Living Water – John 4:13-14
Old Testament Prophecy: Psalm 72:10-11 | Isaiah 60:6
New Testament Fulfillment: Matthew 2:1-6
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
Old Testament Prophecy: Jeremiah 31:15
New Testament Fulfillment: Matthew 2:16-18
Old Testament Prophecy: Genesis 3:15
In the Garden of Eden, God cursed the serpent. The seed of a woman that will crush his head IS Jesus.
New Testament Fulfillment:
Galatians 4:4
Philippians 2:6-7
Luke 2:7 (a baby)
5. Fully God – Prophecies fulfilled in the Birth of Jesus
**Born of a virgin
Old Testament Prophecy:
Isaiah 7:14
New Testament Fulfillment:
Matthew 1:18-21; Luke 1:34-35
John 1:1, 18
Matthew 1:18-21 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
Luke 1:34-35 34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[b] the Son of God.
John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.
“Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives” (Hebrews 2:14-15).
Jacob’s name is later changed to Israel. Jesus coming through him shows Him as King of the Jews.
Tribe of Judah (Victorious Ruler)
Root of Jesse (Messianic King – Eternal King)
David (King)
2. Location – Prophecies fulfilled in the Birth of Jesus
Born in Bethlehem
3. Events – Prophecies fulfilled in the Birth of Jesus
Kings would worship Him
Masacre of Children
4. Fully Man – Prophecies fulfilled in the Birth of Jesus
Born of a Woman/born a baby
13. He is the Son of God:
Old Testament Prophecy:
New Testament Fulfillment:
Psalm 2:7
“I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You.”
Luke 3:22
“And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, ‘You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.'”
(Matthew 3:17, Mark 1:11)