Read: Isaiah 9:2–7
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet.
Matthew 1:22
Just before we look at the birth of Jesus, we need to briefly step back and look at some of the Old Testament prophecies about this event. This will help us appreciate the magnitude of what is about to take place.
Only a sovereign God could leave a gift like this—the gift of His Word, written over a period of more than a thousand years and by dozens of authors. Only He could ensure that these sacred Scriptures were compiled as they exist today in order to share His love and redemptive plan for all of His creation. In particular, we should notice the many prophecies about the Messiah, His Son, who will come to die and later return to rule.
I want to share with you just a few prophetic verses from different Old Testament books, compiled into a single paragraph (Genesis 49:10; Micah 5:2; Isaiah 7:14). This is to demonstrate the specific details surrounding the birth of Jesus foretold centuries before:
“The scepter will not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,
until he to whom it belongs shall come
and the obedience of the nations shall be his. . . .
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times. . . .
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign:
The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son,
and will call him Immanuel.”
To put it in plain English, Jesus will come from the tribe of Judah, be born in Bethlehem, be born of a virgin, and be called Immanuel, or “God with us.” The first two chapters of the Gospel of Matthew mention these prophecies and declare them fulfilled. Think of it: these prophecies just mentioned (and there are many others) were made between 700 and 1,400 years before Christ was born! Let me end today’s devotional with the prophecy quoted most often concerning the coming of Christ, which is also found in today’s passage, Isaiah 9:6:
“For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Indeed, the newborn Child is eternal and wonderful. He will grow up, minister, die, and rise again, and He will one day return in all His might to bring all governments under Himself and usher in peace. Until then, He will continue to guide us and provide us counsel through our Counselor, the Holy Spirit. Glory to God in the highest heaven!