Tale of Two Kings -- 12/26/10

Sunday, December 26, 2010

THE TALE OF TWO KINGS

Matt. 2:1-15

Read Matt. 2:1-15…

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2. Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 3. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 6. And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. 7. Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. 8. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. 9. When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 10. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. 12. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. 13. And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. 14. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: 15. And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son."

There is a very key word in our text this morning. We might easily conclude that this is the most important word in this passage. It will give us our direction. What do you think it might be? It is used three times in the first three verses. Yes, it is the word “king.” It is used once again in verse 9, making a total of four appearances in this chapter. Three of the four times it refers to King Herod, but once it refers to another King.

Whether or not the word “king” caught your attention as we read this passage, I want to assure you that when Herod heard the wise men use the word “king,” his entire world came to a screeching halt. There was not room for two kings in Herod’s world. Ultimately, there will not be room for two kings in God’s world either. In our story this morning, one king is on his way out, while another king is on his way to the throne. When you take time to think about this passage, you will easily see that this is the tale of two kings.

I. A Brief Look at the Present King

So who was this “King Herod”? First of all, we should take note of the fact that Herod was not a Jew. His father was an Edomite. Edom was an area located south of Judea. His mother was a Nabatean. Insofar as the Jewish religion had been forced upon the Edomites, sometimes it was said that Herod practiced the Jewish religion, but that would be using the terminology very loosely.

So if Herod was not a Jew, how did he become the king of the Jews? Like his father Antipater, Herod was very crafty. A half century before the birth of Jesus, various individuals and groups were vying for power in Palestine. In the meantime, Herod’s father Antipater was able to persuade the Romans to appoint him procurator (governor) of Judea. In 47 B.C., Antipater appointed his son Herod as tetrarch (governor) of Galilee [remind people of the geography of New Testament Palestine]. Seven years later civil war broke out and Herod quickly made his way to Rome. Soon the Roman senate nominated him King of Judea and gave him an army to bring his kingdom into line. Although Herod encountered stiff opposition from the Jews of Judea, he finally triumphed in 37 B.C. Soon after that the Roman Emperor Augustus made Herod ruler of all Palestine. So we see that Herod had become “the king of the Jews.”

Not only was Herod able to devise military strategy, but he was even better at political diplomacy. He married a woman named Mariamne (along with nine other wives). She was a member of the Hasmonean family (descendants of the Macabees, who revolted against Roman rule) and Herod thought this would give him more legitimacy in the eyes of the Jews.

This Herod was technically Herod I, but has often been referred to as “Herod the Great” to distinguish him from others of the Herod family. In the New Testament we find the name “Herod” referring to three different rulers. Herod the Great, the Herod of whom we are reading here in Matthew 2, is not mentioned again in the New Testament. The Herod who is most often referred to in the gospels is Herod Antipas. Our Herod in Matthew 2 is designated Herod the Great because of his ability to maintain his power in Palestine and because of the fact that he was a great builder. It was Herod who began the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem in 19 B.C.

Not only was Herod crafty, but he was also very capable and extremely cruel. He used his extraordinary capability and ruthless cruelty to maintain his position as king of the Jews. This is where some knowledge of Herod helps us to understand his reaction when he heard the phrase “King of the Jews” from the magi. Herod knew very well that most of his subjects hated him and that they would much prefer to be governed by a Hasmonean. The Hasmoneans were the descendants of the Macabees, those who had led the Jews in revolting against foreign rule. Therefore Herod was always suspicious of any of the family of the Hasmoneans.

There are many, many examples of Herod’s cruelty. In every case, behind his evil actions was Herod’s desire to hang on to his position. It wouldn’t be too severe to accuse Herod of worshipping his own power. Surely that was his ultimate god. In pursuit of protecting his power and position, Herod murdered his wife’s brother, who had been appointed high priest and who was becoming very popular with the Jews. As a member of the Hasmonean family, he became a threat to Herod, and that was reason enough to kill him. Of course, Herod was too shrewd to let it appear that he was behind the murder. So he arranged a swimming part, where his appointed assassins arranged for an accidental drowning to this man who was a threat to Herod. That was only the beginning. When he was summoned by the Roman Emperor to give an account of the death of his brother-in-law, Herod left word with a trusted relative to kill his own wife Mariamne, if he should not return from Rome alive. Soon after that, he perceived that his wife’s aged grandfather might also be a threat, so Herod had him executed as well.

After a power struggle in Rome, Mark Antony committed suicide and Octavian became the Emperor. This is where we see the craftiness of Herod. He had the ability to take the side of whoever was in power. He had been a great supporter of Antony and the opponent of Octavian. But now that Octavian was the Emperor, Herod made a special trip to Rome to appeal to the new Emperor, confessing openly that he had supported Antony in their struggle for power, but now assuring Octavian that he would be as loyal to him as he had to Antony. It worked. But before he left for Rome, this time he left instructions to have both his wife Mariamne and her mother Alexandra killed, if he should not return home alive. (Are you beginning to see what a nice guy Herod was?) Herod did return home alive, but shortly afterward he accused his wife of adultery, staged a mock trial in which she was convicted, and then had her executed. The following year he also had her mother Alexandra executed. Twenty years later he had two of his own sons (by Mariamne) killed. Then five days before he died, he executed another son.

If you are getting the idea that Herod was willing to kill anyone who threatened his position, you are right. Of course, many of these whom he killed were not a true threat, but he thought they were. What Herod thought in his warped mind didn’t always resemble reality. He became more and more ruthless as the years went by. Most authorities believe that it was within a year of Herod’s death that the magi arrived with the news about the birth of one who was “King of the Jews.”

II. The Prophecy of the Coming King

So at this time in history, there is absolutely no question who ruled in Palestine. It was an iron-fisted Herod, who defied anyone to challenge him. The challenge that confronted Herod came from a very unexpected source. A group of wise men came riding in from the east. “Wise men” is the translation of the Greek word “Magi.” Many translations simply transliterate it from the Greek and render it “Magi” (NIV, NASV, for example).

Who were these travelers from the east? We know little for certain. From our present text, we can see that they had the wealth and knowledge to travel beyond their own region and to offer expensive gifts. We also learn that they had knowledge about the stars, for they said, “We have seen his star in the east” (2:2). The only other occurrence of this word is in Acts 13:6,8, where it is translated “sorcerer” (translated “magician” by the NASV). Historians tell us that the magi first appeared in the empire of the Medes in the 7^th century B.C. They may be among those to whom King Nebuchadnezzar appealed in Dan. 2:1-2, "And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him. 2. Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to show the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king." The magi have been described as a priestly caste which studied the stars and interpreted dreams.

Were they kings? There is no evidence from scripture that they were kings. Some have pointed to the fact that in the Parthian Empire the magi were responsible for electing the king. Therefore, some commentators have referred to them as “king makers.” The truth is that there is great mystery about these men who showed up in Jerusalem. And, of course, there is no biblical reason to conclude that there were three of them; that is simply a tradition.

What we do know about these magi, or wise men, is that they came from the east, spoke of a star, and asked a very pointed question: “Where is he who is born king of the Jews?” So they knew about a birth that was going to take place; they knew that a king was about to be born; they knew that he would be a Jew? How did they know all this? Ultimately, it was because God had shown them. How He showed them we don’t know. It is possible that they came from the area (which was to the east) where Daniel had served in the king’s court. Daniel and other Jews who were exiled by King Nebudhadnezzar certainly would have spread the news about the true God. Perhaps it was this influence that helped inform these magi.

Now turn from the magi back to Herod. When they asked, “Where is he who is born king of the Jews?” that question rocked Herod’s world. Herod was the king of the Jews, and he tolerated no rivals. Verse 3, “When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled…” The word means “to be stirred up, upset.” It is the same word that is used in Matt. 14:26, “And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, ‘It is a spirit;’ and they cried out for fear.” In short, Herod was in a sudden panic. Having looked at Herod in some depth, we can understand why a man like him would be deeply moved by the question, “Where is he who is born king of the Jews?”

Notice in verse 3 that all Jerusalem was troubled with him. Why? Were they worried about another man claiming to be the king of the Jews? Did they fear that someone would challenge Herod’s claim on the throne? There is no evidence in this passage that they paid much attention to the birth of Jesus. So why were they troubled with Herod? It was most likely because when Herod was troubled, it meant trouble for everyone around him. If Herod was agitated, he was sure to make it rough upon his subjects. His anger could never be confined to a small circle. As the ripples move out quickly from the splash of a rock in a pond, so the effects of Herod’s agitation were felt far and wide. It wasn’t the announcement of the birth of a new king that troubled them, but rather the response of the current king.

Now verse 4, "And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born." If there was a chance that a new king was coming on the scene, Herod had to know where to find him. Though he was not a godly man, he knew enough to understand that the Jews were expecting a Messiah and that the prophets had told about His birth. Herod figured that surely someone being hailed as king must be this Messiah. He also understood who it was that would know about those prophecies. Herod wasn’t disappointed. The chief priests and scribes readily answered, “In Bethlehem of Judea.”

And that brings us to the prophecy. There was no question about where the Messiah would be born, “For thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel” (2:5b). Again, we see that in quoting the words of these religious leaders, Matthew again uses a kind of set formula (“for thus it is written by the prophet”) to introduce the words of the Old Testament. This was a prophecy that was well-known. By the way, which prophet were they quoting? Yes, it was Micah. Specifically, they were quoting Micah 5:2, "But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting."

Isn’t this amazing! Micah, who was a contemporary of Isaiah, spoke these words 700 years before the wise men came to Jerusalem looking for the king of the Jews. The words he spoke were not ambiguous, but very specific. Though it would seem that Bethlehem was little and insignificant, out of this small town would come the one who was to be ruler in Israel. And this would be no ordinary king, because his “goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” What a description of the coming Messiah King. When the Lord led Micah to write these words, He was obligating Himself to have His Messiah born not only in Israel, but in the little town of Bethlehem. Nothing else would fulfill the prophecy.

While it is obvious that the words of Matt. 2:6 are taken from Micah 5:2, that isn’t the end of the story. By the way, that word “Governor” in the KJV translation of Matt. 2:6 can be translated “ruler” or “leader.” However, you will notice that the last words of verse 6 -- “that shall rule my people Israel” -- are not found in Micah 5:2. Please turn to II Samuel 5. Let me quickly give you the background of this passage. After Saul and his three oldest sons were killed in a battle against the Philistines, David finally took over as king. However, only the tribe of Judah followed him. The northern tribes followed Ishbosheth, the fourth son of Saul, and his strong commander Abner, who was the real power in the north. Abner had a falling out with Saul’s son Ishbosheth and vowed to deliver the allegiance of the northern tribes over to David. Before he could do so, he was murdered by David’s commander Joab, in retaliation for the death of Joab’s brother, whom Abner had killed in battle. After Abner’s death, Ishbosheth was murdered by two of his own men. Having lost their leaders, the northern tribes then came to David. David had reigned in Hebron over the tribe of Judah for seven and a half years, but now he would become king over all Israel. Let’s pick it up now in II Sam. 5:1-2, "Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh. 2. Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel."

Did you catch those last words, “Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel.” Compare them to the end of Matt. 2:6, “for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.” At first, we might think they are radically different, because we find the word “feed” in II Sam. and the word “rule” in Matt. 2:6. The KJV is the only major translation I can find which translates the Greek word (poimainw) by the word “rule” in Matt. 2:6. (Of 11 occurrences, the KJV translates 7 as “feed;” the other three renderings as “rule” are in Revelation). Like the Hebrew word of II Sam. 5:2, the Greek word means to feed sheep and other animals. Metaphorically, it came to speak of feeding or shepherding God’s people (as in Acts 20:28, "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood"). The noun form of the word is always translated “shepherd” or “pastor.” The Greek words “that shall rule my people Israel” of Matt. 2:6 are an exact quotation from the LXX (Septuagint) of II Sam. 5:2. Jesus will indeed be a ruler, but He will rule as the Shepherd-King.

Praise God for the wise men who came to Jerusalem in search of the king of the Jews. Their motive was pure, as they came specifically to worship him (Matt. 2:2). We could spend a lot of time discussing the nature of the “star” they followed, but there is little reason to do that. Scholars have speculated for centuries concerning whether it might have been a comet or something else. A lawyer named Frederick Larson produced a DVD in 2007 called The Star of Bethlehem, in which he claims that what the magi saw was the convergence of two planets, but others dispute his claim. While this and other theories are very interesting, I cannot buy into any of them. For me, it seems obvious that it wasn’t any normal star or planet, for such a heavenly body does not come and rest over a particular residence. Whatever it was, this “star” was a supernatural phenomenon that God used to point them to the place where Jesus was born. We do not have to find natural phenomenon to bolster the truth of the Bible, neither concerning the star of Bethlehem or the parting of the Red Sea.

Praise God for the star. Nevertheless, the occurrence and direction of the star is overshadowed by the specific prophetic reference that directed them to Bethlehem. While the “star,” whatever its nature, came and went, the sure word of prophecy remains with us to this day. We can read the original prophecies of Micah 5:2 and II Sam. 5:2, we can read the quotation of them by the scribes and chief priests, and we can read of their fulfillment here in Matthew 2. Praise God for His Word, which has endured for centuries and will endure forever.

III. God’s Provision for His Son, the Coming King

How wonderful it is to know that the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem was prophesied seven centuries earlier in the Word of God. However, its fulfillment raised a very difficult problem. Remember who it was that assembled the chief priests and scribes to identify the birthplace of the king of the Jews. It was Herod, and his motive in finding Jesus was very different from that of the magi. Though he claimed that he also wanted to go and worship Jesus, we know that he was not telling the truth. The rest of the passage makes it clear that Herod wanted to find Jesus in order to kill him and rid himself of a possible rival to the throne.

When the wise men left Herod, they headed for Bethlehem, which was only about five miles south of Jerusalem. You will notice that before they presented Jesus with gifts, they fell down and worshipped Him. Don’t take that lightly. They obviously had some knowledge of Judaism, because they were looking for the King of the Jews. Though their knowledge might have been limited, remember that they saw the child with his mother. Though we are not told specifically, it is most likely that Joseph was their too. Mary and Joseph were Jews of the most godly sort. They grew up on, “The Lord our God is one Lord” (Dt. 6:4). They knew only too well that it was blasphemy to worship a man. Yet they didn’t raise a hand to stop these men from bowing down to this little child. They had heard the message of the angels before His birth, and they knew who He was. Yes, He was God in the flesh.

The magi had done what they came to do. They had found the King of the Jews and had worshipped Him as king, giving Him gifts that were fit for a King. Now comes the question: What would they do with Herod’s command? He had specifically these men to send him word about where the child was, so that he could come and worship. The wise men received divine guidance at this point, as God warned them in a dream not to return to Herod. Instead of returning to the east through Jerusalem, they chose another route and went back home.

Even though the wise men did not reveal anything to Herod, that didn’t solve the problem. King Herod knew that the birth took place in Bethlehem, and he was not going to let it lie. Bethlehem was only five miles from Jerusalem, and it shouldn’t be difficult for him to find Jesus. But before Herod could act, the Lord Himself took action. In a dream an angel of the Lord warned Joseph. You will notice in verse 13 that the angel’s message was very specific, as he told Joseph that Herod was about to look for the child, so that he could destroy him. Not only did he tell Joseph what Herod was up to, but he also directed him where to go -- to Egypt. In simple obedience, Joseph took Jesus and Mary and departed for Egypt. We aren’t told why they left during the night. Perhaps it was so they wouldn’t be detected. However, since this was happening before Herod made his move, it is more likely that they left at night because that is when Joseph was warned in the dream. There was no time to waste.

And that brings us to the next fulfillment of prophecy, as recorded by Matthew. “…That it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son” (2:15b). Immediately, you might think, “They weren’t coming out of Egypt, they were going there.” It seems that Matthew is viewing the whole trip. He is looking ahead to the time when this family who went to Egypt would be returning from Egypt. It is clear that the Lord did not intend them to stay in Egypt, for the angel had told Joseph to remain there until he received word.

We know this is quoted from the Old Testament, because Matthew again says, “that it might be fulfilled.” That is his way of alerting us that one of the prophets is about to be quoted. So which prophet was it? If you have good cross references, you can check it out right there in your margin or at the bottom of the page. Yes, these words are taken from Hosea 11:1, "When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt."

Now we can see that it is this last portion of Hos. 11:1 that Matthew quotes, “Out of Egypt have I called my son.” However, when New Testament writers quoted from the Old Testament, the portion they quoted brought to mind the larger context. We must understand that the Jewish people were very familiar with the words of scripture. Since there were no printing presses, they memorized large portions of God’s Word and they retained a working knowledge of its contents. Because they weren’t able to grab a Bible and read it whenever they wanted to do so, they paid close attention when it was read and then rehearsed it to themselves and to one another.

Do you remember the story of Hosea? Hosea was another contemporary of Isaiah and Micah, writing some 700 years before Jesus was born. Please allow me to read one author’s summary of Hosea’s story…

We are told that the prophet had married a certain woman by the name of Gomer. But his wife was not true to him She became a “wife of whoredoms.” She went after other lovers and conceived children in adultery… Hosea, instead of completely rejecting his unfaithful wife, slips away to the haunt of shame, buys Gomer back… and mercifully restores her to her former position of honor.

In the prophecy of Hosea the main ideas of the Hosea-Gomer story are applied to Israel. Just as Hosea had married Gomer, so Jehovah had become Israel’s Husband. Just as Gomer had become untrue to Hosea, so Israel had become untrue to Jehovah. Just as Gomer had been enslaved by her lovers, so the Israelites would be enslaved by those very nations in which it was putting its trust. Just as in his tender love Hosea restored Gomer, so Jehovah would restore Israel’s remnant. (Matthew, William Hendricksen)

Now come back to Hosea 11:1, "When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt." Hosea was trying to demonstrate to the people of Israel how God had loved them. So he reminds them that even when the nation was young and in slavery to Egypt, He loved them and called them forth from Egypt as His son. In the context of this Egyptian slavery, God spoke these words to Moses: “And thou shalt say to Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn” (Ex. 4:22). Though Israel was a rebellious son, God treated His son with love and called him out of bondage in Egypt.

Matthew takes this prophecy of Hosea and applies it to Jesus, the Messiah. Obviously, Matthew sees Israel as a type of Christ. Like Israel, Jesus is also God’s Son. Notice the parallel. That wicked Pharaoh had tried to destroy God’s son Israel in Egypt. Now another wicked king, Herod, was trying to destroy Jesus. Pharaoh was not able to carry out His evil design, because God protected His people as they went to Egypt, while they were there, and when they came out. In the same way, the Lord protected His Son Jesus as He was taken to Egypt, while He was there, and when left Egypt.

In reality, the Messiah Jesus was more than the fulfillment of a type. While Israel was a type of the Messiah, the relationship is even closer than that. It was out of Israel that Jesus came. He was an Israelite. Let’s read again Paul’s reminder to his fellow-Israelites, whom he loved so dearly. Rom. 9:4-5, "Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 5. Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen." Jesus was son of Abraham and son of David.

Do you see it? Matthew was perfectly accurate to apply this prophecy to Jesus. When he quotes from Hosea and says, “Out of Egypt have I called my son,” he is speaking two great truths. When Israel came up out of Egypt, Jesus came out of Egypt, for He was in the loins of Israel (to use the language of Heb. 7:10). And now we see the ultimate fulfillment when Jesus Himself came out of Egypt with Joseph and Mary. No, Hosea didn’t realize all of this when he first penned the words, but the Spirit of God knew, and it was the same Spirit who directed Matthew to skillfully tell us that Jesus’ trip to Egypt was the fulfillment of this prophecy.

Conclusion

So here we have the tale of two kings. The story isn’t over yet, but we know the outcome. We know that king Herod was on his way out, while King Jesus was headed for the throne. Perhaps we will look at the rest of the story in the near future. If not, maybe a year from now when we contemplate the incarnation. As you look ahead, you will find that there are two more prophecies fulfilled in Matthew 2. As we have been looking at these prophecies today, as well as the one we saw earlier about the virgin birth, I trust that we are developing an even deeper appreciation for the accuracy, the depth, and the wonder of God’s Word. We will never exhaust it.

Yes, 700 years before Jesus was born, Micah predicted that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem and that He would a leader, the one who would shepherd His people. And yes, Jesus would also fulfill that prophecy from Hosea, “Out of Egypt have I called my Son.” Praise God that the story doesn’t end there. It is in that same Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, that God calls a multitude of sinners out of spiritually slavery. Just as Israel was in slavery in Egypt, so every person born into this world is a slave to sin and Satan. Through His Son, God calls His people out of the slavery of sin. The first promise in the New Testament reads like this: “And she shall bring forth a son, and you shall call his name Jesus; for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). I love the words in the third verse of that old hymn “There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood…”

Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood

Shall never lose its power

Till allthe ransomed Church of God

Be saved to sin no more.

Those of us who are in Christ have been freed from the penalty of sin; we are being freed from the power of sin; and some day we will be freed from the very presence of sin. If you don’t know that freedom, look to Jesus. In Matthew 1, He is the baby Jesus, who is Savior. In chapter 2 He is the child Jesus, who will be ruler and King. In the present He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, sitting at the right hand of God. But He didn’t travel an easy road to get there. On the way was the cross, where God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (II Cor. 5:21). Yes, this is the Jesus whom God sent to be the propitiation for our sins (I John 4:10). He was born into this world in Bethlehem, but five miles to the north He would leave this world from the cross that was on the hill of Golgotha. But don’t feel sorry for Jesus. It was at the cross where He won the victory. It was from the cross that He cried aloud, “It is finished.” What was finished? The work which His Father sent Him to do. The spotless Lamb of God was offered as the atoning and sufficient sacrifice for our sins. Three days later His Father said “Amen” by raising Him from the grave, never to die again. Jesus is Lord!

I urge you to kneel down before Him today, before it is too late. He is worthy of everything you have and everything you are.

Born of a Virgin -- 12/5/10

Sunday, December 5, 2010

BORN OF A VIRGIN

Matthew 1:18-25; Isaiah 7:14

Jesus of Nazareth was born some 2,000 years ago. But whose son was He? As we read earlier, that is the basic question that Jesus asked the Pharisees about the Messiah. “What do you think of the Christ? Whose son is He?” (Matt. 22:42). Although the Pharisees didn’t recognize Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah, we know that He was. So Jesus was speaking about Himself. Whose son is Jesus, the Messiah? That is the question I am asking you this morning.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God” (John 1:1-2). If there is any question about the identify of “the Word,” that question is removed by verse 14, “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us…” The Word of God, who had existed for all eternity, actually became a man. What a sudden thing! No, not really. It was the divine plan from before the foundation of the world. Furthermore, it was not like there was no preparation for the birth of God’s Word into this world. The Old Testament writers had foreseen it centuries before.

We sometimes talk about the Old Testament prophecies that point to Jesus. Isaiah 53 speaks clearly of His death and Psalm 16 of His resurrection. But what about Jesus’ birth and the time shortly after? Does the Old Testament have anything to say about the birth of our Lord? Indeed, it does. We are not going to try to look at all those prophecies and how Jesus fulfilled them, but we are going to examine those that we find in Matthew’s account of the gospel story.

Matthew is loaded with scriptural quotations. There are at least 40 direct quotations, and many more allusions to Old Testament passages. The direct quotations are introduced with specific formulas which alert us to the fact that Matthew is going to quote directly from the Old Testament. We are going to look at the four which occur in the first two chapters.

This morning we are going to focus on Matt. 1:18-25 and in that passage we will find one of the Old Testament prophecies about Jesus’ birth. Let’s read Matt. 1:18-25…

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. 19. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. 20. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. 22. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23. Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. 24. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: 25. And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

In order to help us get a handle on this passage and what we are discussing this morning, we will arrange our study like this. We will begin with the background leading up to the quotation of this prophecy. Then we will look at the prophecy itself. And finally we will consider the fulfillment of the prophecy and its significance.

I. The Background Leading up to the Prophecy

Notice how Matthew begins his account of the gospel. Matt. 1:1, "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham." Matthew tells us that he is about to give us the genealogy of Jesus, and that genealogy will go through David and through Abraham. We won’t read verses 2-15, but they simply give us a list of Jesus’ ancestors down through Abraham. Now let’s pick it up in verses 16-17, "And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. 17. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations." Matthew divides the genealogy neatly into three sections to help his readers remember.

Genealogies are not very important to most of us, but they were very important to the Jewish people. Their interest in genealogies was not just a passing fancy, but that interest was based upon biblical principles. For example, if a priest could not demonstrate his ancestry, he could not be a priest. Even more important is the truth that the Messiah would be a descendant of David, as prophesied in 2 Sam 7:12-13, "And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. 13. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever." The Jews were rightly expecting their Messiah to be a descendant of David. That is exactly what this genealogy establishes. As a son of Abraham, the Messiah would be a Jew and fulfill the promises to Abraham, and as a son of David, He would fulfill the prophecy we just read from II Sam. 7.

If we were to stop there, that would be impressive enough. Through the prophets, God said that His Messiah would be a Jew descended from Abraham and furthermore a descendant of David. There were many nations in the world, but the Christ would be a Jew. Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, had twelve sons, but the Messiah would come through the one named Judah. But even that wasn’t specific enough. No, the Messiah would come through the line of King David. Most would-be-Messiahs have been disqualified already, because they could not claim David as their forefather.

But this is only the beginning. Matthew is about to tell us that the Messiah will not only be the son of David, but he will be the son of someone else as well. That is where we pick up the story in verse 18.

Let’s look again at verse 18, "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost." This verse is loaded with important information. We are introduced to Mary and Joseph. Look at closely at what is said about each of them. We are told that Mary is the mother of Jesus. She is espoused to Joseph. Though Mary is identified as the mother, Joseph is not identified as the father. Furthermore, we are told that Mary was found with child by the Holy Spirit.

We need to look for a moment at his concept of espousal. The NASV said that Mary had been “betrothed” to Joseph, while the NIV in very simple language says that she was “pledged to marry” Joseph. At first glance, we might be tempted to equate betrothal with engagement, but that would be a great mistake. While engagement carries no legal binding significance, that was not the case with betrothal. There is a sense in which the betrothal was a binding commitment to marriage. It was marriage in the legal sense, but not in the physical sense. Mary and Joseph were betrothed to one another, but they had not yet come to live together as husband and wife. They did not live in the same house, nor did they experience a physical relationship. As a matter of fact, they did not have a great deal of contact with one another during this extended period, which often lasted a year.

Now verse 19, "Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privately." Joseph’s dilemma is more understandable when we recognize that betrothal was so binding that it required a divorce to break it. The word translated “put away” was the common way of speaking of divorce. Notice that Joseph is referred to as Mary’s husband, and then in verse 20 Mary is referred to as Joseph’s wife. That is because betrothal was such a binding commitment.

You will also notice that Matthew says Joseph was a just man, a righteous man. That means that he carefully followed the Word of God. The same thing was said of Zachariah and Elisabeth, the parents of John the Baptist. We read it in Luke 1:6, "And they were both righteous [“just” and “righteous” represent the same Greek word dikaioV] before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless." As a man who was righteous before God, he did not think it appropriate to marry a woman who was unfaithful not only to him, but to the God he loved. How could he begin his adult life with an immoral woman?

That brings us back to the note in verse 18 that “Mary was found with child by the Holy Spirit.” What does that mean? When we find a woman who is pregnant, we know that she is pregnant by a man, though we may not know the identity of that man. That is exactly what Joseph knew, or thought he knew. When he found out Mary was pregnant, what was he supposed to think? He knew the child was not his. It didn’t matter who the father was; it wasn’t him, the man to whom Mary had pledged herself. Joseph was wrong, but you would have been wrong too, if you had been in his situation.

What about Mary? Did she know how and why she was pregnant? We read it earlier this morning in Luke 1. The angel Gabriel was sent to Mary and told her that she would conceive in her womb, bear a son, and call His name “Jesus.” After she heard the angel go on to say how great this child would become, Mary had a very straightforward and appropriate question, “How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” (Luke 1:34). Mary didn’t say, “This can’t be.” Rather, she said, “How can this be?” Mary had no intentions of being unfaithful to Joseph, nor did she plan to have relations with him before the betrothal period had ended. So she wanted to know how it was that she would bear this special son. She seems to understand the angel to be saying that this event will not take place by and by, but that it is going happen now. Gabriel’s answer was simple and to the point, “And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God” (1:35). From the time Mary became pregnant, she knew the cause. She knew perfectly well that this would be an absolutely supernatural birth without the help of any man.

Just because Mary knew what was happening, that did make it easy for her. What lady can tell another human being that she is pregnant by the Holy Spirit of God? Did she try to explain it to Joseph? We are not told, but I rather doubt it. Why should she make him think that she is also a liar?

Now come back to Joseph. Here is his dilemma. He doesn’t think it right to marry her because he believes that she is an immoral woman who has not been faithful to her vows. On the other hand, he loves her deeply and does not want to make her a public example. In that day, if he wasn’t going to marry her, he had two options. He could take her into court and reveal her immorality. The law said that she should be stoned to death as a consequence of her action, but by this time the Jews were not following that law (perhaps because the Romans would not hear of it). Nevertheless, her supposed sin would be revealed and she would be subjected to great shame. Joseph didn’t want to do that to Mary, so he chose the other option. He could quietly divorce her. No one would have to know the details of why. He would spare Mary the shame and divorce her privately.

Joseph was mulling this over in his mind, when an angel appeared to him in a dream. Though we don’t know all the details of how this took place, let us be clear that this was not a fuzzy dream in the night. Rather, this angel clearly appeared to Joseph and spoke to him in audible words that he could understand. His message to Joseph was clear and direct: “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take unto yourself Mary your wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she shall bring forth a son, and you shall call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:20-21).

There is a sense in which Joseph’s dilemma was ended. Now he understood what had happened. What a relief it must have been. But I want you to notice something. Many people think that because God is good and loving that He will not allow His children to hurt and be despised by others. Not only did He allow this to happen, but God caused it to happen. Can you imagine the disgrace that Joseph and Mary experienced? That did absolutely nothing to cause it; God alone caused it. It was totally His doing. The loving God brought great shame and humiliation upon Mary and Joseph. We see hints of that in the New Testament. For example, the Jewish leaders said to Jesus in John 8:41, “We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.”

Now verse 21, "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." We could spend all of our time on this verse, but we have looked at it many times before. The angel said that Joseph would call his name Jesus, and Joseph did exactly that. The angel spoke on behalf of God, and what God says always comes to pass. The name “Jesus” means “The Lord saves” or “Savior.” Jesus does indeed save His people from their sins. Yes, He forgives of sin, but He also rescues His people out of their sins. In Paul’s terms, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (II Cor. 5:17).

And that brings us to the text we are going to focus on this morning...

II. The Prediction and the Prophecy

I refer to this as the prediction and the prophecy. The angel has made the prediction that Mary will bring forth a son and His name will call Jesus, but there is an Old Testament prophecy that stands behind that prediction. Let’s read it in Matt. 1:22-23, "Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23. Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." The angel predicted it, but it would happen in order to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet.

You will notice that this is a very direct quotation. And which prophet was it that made this statement quoted by Matthew. Yes, it was Isaiah, who spoke these words some 700 years before Jesus was born. Let’s turn back to Isaiah 7 and read exactly what the prophet said: "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." The Greek of Matthew’s text is almost identical to the Greek of the LXX, differing only in the form of “call,” but it is also an accurate rendering of the Hebrew. Matthew simply reminds his readers of what the prophet Isaiah had predicted hundreds of years before.

Down through the years there has been a great debate over the Hebrew word ‘almah, which is translated “virgin” in this verse. Many have maintained that the Hebrew word simply means “woman of marriageable age” and does not mean “virgin.” Martin Luther long ago challenged anyone to produce a scripture where ‘almah refers to a married woman. While the meaning of the Hebrew word may be debatable, there can be no debate over the Greek word Matthew uses to translate it (parqenoV). It always means “virgin,” a woman who has had no sexual relations with a man. Regardless of what anyone does with the Hebrew word in Isaiah 7:14, there can be no question that the New Testament clearly teaches that Jesus was born of a virgin. Not only does the Greek word have no other meaning, but the entire passages can be nothing but a lie, if Jesus wasn’t born of a virgin.

So how exactly does Matthew 1:23 relate to Isaiah 7:14? Yes, it is certainly a direct quotation; there can be no question about that. But how is Matthew able to take a verse out of Isaiah and apply it directly to Jesus? If Isaiah was writing this about the Messiah, did he know that? If Isaiah 7:14 is speaking of Jesus, did the words have any meaning to the one to whom Isaiah spoke in his own day?

In order to deal with those questions, let’s take a moment to look at the context of Isaiah 7:14. The setting is Judah, the southern kingdom. You remember that from the time of Rehoboam God’s people were split into two nations -- Judah in the south and Israel in the north. In Isaiah 7, we find Ahaz, the king of Judah, being threatened by Israel and Syria. That’s right, the ten northern tribes were coming against the two southern tribes, and they had enlisted Syria to help them. The kings are named -- Pekah ruling Israel and Rezin ruling Syria. King Azah was scared. How would he be able to stand up to this confederacy to the north?

During this time in history there were two great super powers -- Egypt in the south and Assyria in the north. Don’t confuse Syria with Assyria. Israel was a small nation just north of Judah. Syria was another small nation just north of Israel. Assyria was a large and powerful empire located still farther to the north. Though we may not be told directly in scripture, it seems most likely that Syria and Israel were putting pressure on Ahaz in Judah to join them in their fight against powerful Assyria. That was par for the course in those days. No individual nation could stand up to Assyria, so several nations would join together for protection. Ahaz, on the other hand, was not interested in standing up to Assyria. As time would tell, Ahaz was willing to submit to Assyria and call upon it to resist other nations around him.

Though we are not old exactly where Isaiah 7 fits into the historical picture, it seems likely thatiIt was at this point that the Lord told Isaiah the prophet to go and speak to King Ahaz. Let’s pick it up there and read Isaiah 7:4-9…

And say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah. 5. Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel against thee, saying, 6. Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tabeal: 7. Thus saith the Lord GOD, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass. 8. For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people. 9. And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah's son. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established.

Through Isaiah, the Lord assures King Ahaz that he has no reason to fear Israel and Syria. To give a specific example, He tells Ahaz that within 65 years Israel (identified by its capital Samaria) will not even be a nation. The only thing the Lord tells Ahaz to do is believe. If he will not believe, he will not be established.

Let me remind you of a bit more history. Ahaz was the son of Jotham, who was the son of Uzziah (also called Azariah). Uzziah reigned 52 years in Judah and his son Jotham ruled another 16 years. We are told that both Uzziah and Jotham were good kings. They were not as godly as David or Hezekiah or Josiah, but they were good kings. In general, they did what was right in the sight of the Lord. Ahaz was a different story. Here is how Ahaz is introduced to us in 2 Kings 16:1-4…

In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah Ahaz the son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign. 2. Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem, and did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD his God, like David his father. 3. But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel. 4. And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.

We see that Ahaz was an evil king from the start. He did not trust the God whom his father and grandfather had served. Now in the time of crisis, the Lord is giving him the opportunity to trust Him. Read it again in Is. 7:9, “…If you will not believe, surely ye shall be established.” But if he would have believed, he would have been established. Ahaz should have known the truth of Is. 26:3, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." This was the chance for Ahaz to put his unbelief behind him and turn to the Lord, who was so graciously willing to come to his aid.

Now let’s continue in Is. 7:10-14…

Moreover the LORD spake again unto Ahaz, saying, 11. Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above. 12. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the LORD. 13. And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also? 14. Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Ahaz was facing two kings, who were about to sweep down upon him. In order to encourage Ahaz and assure him that he could trust the Lord to do what He said, the Lord tells Ahaz to ask Him for a sign. God puts no limit on his request. “Ahaz, if you want an earthquake in the depth, just ask for it. Or if you want a violent thunderstorm in the heavens, just say the word, and I will do it for you.” Instead, Ahaz said, “I will not ask, neither will I tempt the Lord.” On the surface, that sounds pretty spiritual, doesn’t it? Jesus Himself will later quote from Deuteronomy, “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” However, what we must realize is that this is God Himself telling Ahaz to ask for a sign. Ahaz rebukes the Lord. We know this is the case by Isaiah’s reply to Ahaz in verse 13, “Hear now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also?”

It is at this point that we encounter the marvelous message of verse 14, “Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign: Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Though Ahaz stubbornly refused to ask for a sign, God will graciously give a sign, a miraculous sign indeed. A virgin shall conceive and bear a son. That son will be called Immanuel.

III. The Fulfillment of the Prophecy and Its Significance

Down through the years people have debated their theories as to how this prophecy was fulfilled. All Bible-believing Christians believe that it was ultimately fulfilled in the birth of Jesus our Lord, but the debate concerns whether or not it also had an immediate fulfillment in the days of Isaiah. We don’t have time to get into all that, but I caution you against assuming that there was an immediately fulfillment in the birth of a son to Isaiah the prophet. While it is true that the Hebrew word here may be translated “maiden,” remember that there is no Old Testament passage in which it can be shown that this word refers to a married woman. Isaiah’s wife was married to Isaiah. It is rather difficult to understand what would be miraculous about Isaiah’s wife having a son. Remember also that God had told Ahaz to ask for a miraculous sign, whether in the depths or in the heavens. Surely the sign He then predicts will be of a miraculous character. Furthermore, we know that the meaning of “Immanuel” is “God with us,” hardly a name that fits anyone but Jesus, who was with God and who was God.

Why can’t we believe that the God of miracles was able to put on the lips of Isaiah a prophecy that reached 700 years into the future? Perhaps since Ahaz refused to ask for a great miraculous sign in the depths or in the heavens, God chose to give an even more miraculous sign greater than that.

While many would dismiss this idea because it doesn’t seem to have anything to say to Ahaz, I remind you that as a King of Judah, Ahaz was a descendant of David. All we have to do is read the history in Chronicles to see that Ahaz is David’s descendant. God had made great promises to David. It was God’s power that preserved his lineage in the kingdom of Judah. God’s people knew well that the Messiah would be a descendant of David, according to the great promises of II Samuel 7. Ahaz knew that. He had no reason to worry about Israel and Syria coming in and placing another king on the throne, because God had assured the continuation of the Davidic dynasty, if those descendants would obey the Lord. Ahaz has the opportunity to do just that. If he will only believe the Lord, he will be established. Sadly, this king did not trust the Lord.

Now through Isaiah God gives the ultimate prophecy concerning the fulfillment of the promises. “Ahaz, long after you are dead and gone, a virgin will conceive and bear a son and His name will be called Immanuel.” Later in chapter 9, we read that this one will sit upon the throne of David and His kingdom will endure forever. This prophecy was a sign for Ahaz. No, he would never see the fulfillment, but that didn’t change the fact that it was a sign from God. Notice in 7:13 that the message is not only for Ahaz, but for the house of David. The ultimate King of David’s line will not only be the Messiah, but He will be born of a virgin and will indeed be “God with us.”

What a claim. By the way, the Septuagint (LXX), Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, was completed in the second century B.C. and was widely used by Greek-speaking Jews. It translated the Hebrew word ‘almah with the Greek parqenoV. It always means “virgin,” and it is the same word that is used in Matt. 1:23. So God has obligated Himself to cause a virgin to conceive. For just a minute, forget that this must be in the line of David and all that. What are the chances that any virgin will conceive and bear a son? But God has said it.

Did it happen? Let’s read it in Matt. 1:24-25, "Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: 25. And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS." The woman who had conceived by the Holy Spirit gave birth to her firstborn son. By the way, you will notice that the babe is not referred to as Joseph’s son, but only as the son of Mary. Let there be no mistake about this virgin birth. Mary and Joseph had no relations until after Jesus was born. She who knew no man gave birth to Jesus. Praise God! He kept His Word. A period of some 700 years intervened, but the Lord did just what He said He would. He always does.

Let’s close by considering this question: “Is there any great significance to the virgin birth?” Indeed, there is. Many so-called Bible scholars will tell us that it really doesn’t matter whether Jesus was born of a virgin. Don’t believe it. God has purpose, design, and beauty in all He does, and this is no exception. Please allow me to mention just a couple of things that are extremely important about the virgin birth of Jesus.

First of all, how can we believe that Jesus was both God and man, if he had both a human mother and father? Yes, He was a man. He walked on two legs, as we do. He ate real solid food. He felt pain in His body. Nevertheless, though He was born to Mary, Jesus had no sin. When you and I were born, we were sinners in Adam. Adam and Eve sinned and that sin nature was passed along to their children, and ultimately that line of sinful descent reached us. We must say with David, “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me” (Ps. 51:5). But if Jesus was born of human parents just like us, how could He not have the same sin nature? That’s the point -- He wasn’t bon of two human parents. Born to a human mother, He was conceived as a man. Conceived of the Holy Spirit, He was God. Only a sinless man could be the Savior and become our substitute.

Now let me mention something from a different angle. We don’t have time to check out all the scriptures for what I am going to say, but I would be happy to help you check it out. Notice the promise God gives to David in 2 Sam. 7:12-13, "And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. 13. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever." This is an unconditional promise to David that his kingdom will be established forever through his descendants. However, when God renews this promise to the descendants of David, it is upon the condition that they obey the Lord by keeping His commandments.

That brings us to a king of Judah who was named Jeconiah (also referred to as Jehoiachin and Coniah). He was the next to last king of Judah and was followed by Zedekiah, who was actually Jeconiah’s uncle (a son of Josiah). Jeconiah was a wicked king. His wickedness was so great that God put a curse upon him. Let’s read it in Jer. 22:24-30…

As I live, saith the LORD, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence; 25. And I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy life, and into the hand of them whose face thou fearest, even into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of the Chaldeans. 26. And I will cast thee out, and thy mother that bare thee, into another country, where ye were not born; and there shall ye die. 27. But to the land whereunto they desire to return, thither shall they not return. 28. Is this man Coniah a despised broken idol? is he a vessel wherein is no pleasure? wherefore are they cast out, he and his seed, and are cast into a land which they know not? 29. O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD. 30. Thus saith the LORD, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah.

The Lord says that Jeconiah will have children, as “his seed” are mentioned in verse 28 and again in verse 30, but He also says that no descendant of Jeconiah will sit upon the throne of David and rule in Judah. And so it was. Zedekiah, who had no children, would take over from Jeconiah and would be the last king of Judah. So we would have to conclude that the dynasty of David has ceased, that no more kings can come through this ancestry which includes Jeconiah.

Now come back to Matthew 1. Look at the ancestry of David. You will notice that beginning in verse 6 it is a list of the kings of Judah -- David, Solomon, Rehoboam, Abijah, Asa, and so on. That is because when one king died, his son would take his place. These are the descendants of David. But now come to verse 12. Notice the name Jeconiah. Yes, this is the same Jeconiah we just read about. Do you see how this causes a problem? How can Jesus sit on the throne of David, when He comes through the lineage of Jechoniah? God said that no descendant of Jechoniah could sit upon David’s throne. Just so we get the full impact, look again at the words of the angel Gabriel to Mary in Luke 1:32, "He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David." It seems that if Jesus assumes the throne of David, then that will violate what God said of Jechoniah.

Now look at Matt. 1:16, "And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ." Look at those words carefully. Joseph is the husband of Mary, but he is not the biological father of Jesus. Notice that Jesus is born of Mary. So is Jesus the son of David or not? Yes, He is. He is not a physical descendant of David through Jechoniah, but He is in the legal descent. He is the legal son of Joseph, but not the true Son of God. All those names from Jechoniah to Joseph could not have ruled upon the throne of David, because they were descendants of Jechoniah, but that was no true of Jesus, because Joseph was not His grandfather. It is the virgin birth that preserves the faithfulness of God’s Word. Matthew clearly reveals that Jesus is the Son of David, but He is also the Son of God.

So here we have the clear presentation of the virgin birth. Praise God for the way Mary responded to that revelation. Let’s read again from Luke 1, this time including the angel’s encouragement and Mary’s response. Luke 1:35-38…

And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. 36. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. 37. For with God nothing shall be impossible. 38. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

Nothing shall be impossible with God. If God can enable Mary to bear a son without a man can He not give the new spiritual birth to you? You are discouraged, can He not restore unto you the joy of His salvation? You think your such a failure that there is no use trying any more, but can’t the God of the impossible pick you up and do the impossible in and through you for His glory! Indeed, He can; He will! Praise His name!