THE BOOK OF MATTHEW – Chapter 3

The Preaching of John the Baptist, The Baptism of Jesus

The days and times of Jesus, as he grew from a child into adulthood, can be found in the Book of Luke. But the book of Matthew makes a leap from Jesus as a baby to Jesus as an adult.

If this were a theatrical play, an introductory act would be found in chapter 1 of Matthew; beginning with the serene and building in drama, scene two introduces the main character, Jesus, and is found in chapter 2 of Matthew; then, in chapter 3 of Matthew, the curtain rises in a dramatic fashion, and events begin to build and will conclude in a crescendo.

But this is not a play. There is no play that could present these events which have foretold the destiny of our world, and of your life – as has the coming Messiah. The One True Living God – arriving, in person, on a living world stage. Emmanuel.

The Preaching of John the Baptist

Matthew3:1, In those days [footnote ‘a’] John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the Wilderness of Judea [along the western side of the Dead Sea] and saying,

Verse 2. “[footnote ‘b’] Repent [change your inner self, your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s purpose for your life], for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

(Commentary Break: Repentance is a dynamic and recurring theme with Jesus and His teachings. So, it is interesting and telling that John, a forerunner for Jesus, is, giving us a look at the prerequisite for believing and following Jesus, “You must repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

This repentance may begin with the outer man, but the true repentance Jesus teaches, is of the spirit, (the heart), the soul, (the mind, will and emotions), and the body (the physical body and the cognition). It is at this point, as 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, you are truly a new creature.

Secondly, John is announcing that the kingdom of heaven is at hand, as Jesus presence is made known. (End Commentary Break).

Verse 3. This is the one who was mentioned by the prophet Isaiah when he said,

“THE VOICE OF ONE SHOUTING IN THE WILDERNESS,

‘PREPARE THE ROAD FOR THE LORD,

[footnote ‘c’] MAKE HIS HIGHWAYS STRAIGHT.’”

Verse 4. Now this same John had clothing made of camel’s hair and a leather [footnote d’]’ band around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. Verse 5. At that time Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan; verse 6, and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.

Verse 7. But when he saw many of the [footnote ‘e’] Pharisees and [footnote ‘f’] Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the [divine] wrath and judgment to come? Verse 8. So produce fruit that is consistent with repentance [demonstrating new behavior that proves a change of heart, and a conscious decision to turn away from sin]; verse 9, and do not presume to say to yourselves [as a defense], ‘We have Abraham for our father [so our inheritance assures us of salvation]’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children (as descendants) for Abraham. Verse 10. And already the axe [of God’s judgment] is [footnote g’]’ swinging toward the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

Verse 11. “As for me, I baptize you [footnote ‘h’] with water because of [your] repentance [that is, because you are willing to change your inner self, your old way of thinking, regret your sin and live a changed life], but He, (the Messiah) who is coming after me, is mightier, [more powerful, and more noble] than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to remove; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with [footnote ‘i’] fire.

(Commentary Break: Verse 10 tells us that “the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore, any tree that does not bear good fruit, is cut down.” The Olive Tree, specifically, comes to mind when talking about prophecy and about Israel.  It is mentioned frequently in the Bible with regard to fruitfulness, health, and blessings. It is one of the seven species with which the land was blessed.

Jewish people associate it with the concept of “putting down roots” in the Holy Land. As such, olive trees appear in the emblems of both the State of Israel, as well as the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). The olive tree has also been used as a motif in many works of art and in Jewish culture throughout history.

Here are some specific examples of ways the symbolism of the olive tree is represented in the Jewish faith:

Peace: The olive tree has become a consistent symbol of peace over the years, thanks to the story of Noah’s Ark and the dove that brings back an olive branch as a way to inform Noah that the rain had subsided. Olive branches even became used as a means of showing peace to other leaders/nations.

Love and celebration: Olive branches were used to make wreaths for the heads of young people on their wedding days, and at festivals in biblical times. The pilgrims who brought their first fruits to Jerusalem decorated the horns of the bull that led the procession with olive branches.

Life and vitality: Throughout the Bible, there are consistent references to olive trees as symbols of life and vitality. For example, the people of Israel are referred to as “a green olive tree, beautiful with goodly fruit” in the book of Jeremiah. When King Solomon dies, the trees of the garden mourn, shedding their leaves.

“The axe is already laid at the root of the trees”.  Verse 10 is saying judgment is now at hand.  The prophesied Messiah is here.  Your salvation is at hand.  You cannot depend on your traditions, rituals, good works, heritage or lineage to be saved from the coming wrath.  It is time to repent and bear fruit of Righteousness which is in Jesus the Christ, for your salvation, or you will perish.

f there was any doubt about the role and prophetic mission of John the Baptist, these verses should dispel all doubt. John has not met with, nor has he been discipled by Jesus. Yet John’s words, his remarks and his actions and obvious fulfillment of Isaiah 40 and are as if he had been carefully instructed by Jesus beforehand. Furthermore, read these remarks by Jesus:

Matthew 4:17. From that time, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

 Matthew 23:33, “You snakes, you offspring of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?:”

 Verse 11 ends with an end note of the Mission of Christ in just 11 words: “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire”. This is representative of being saved, sanctified and sent for the believer, or being sentenced to judgment and destruction! (End Commentary Break).

Verse 12. His [footnote ‘j’] winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear out His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat, (that is, His believers) into His barn, (which is His kingdom), but He will burn up the chaff (being the unrepentant) with unquenchable fire.”

(Commentary Break: Verses 11 and 12, can and should be viewed as the topic sentences for the rest of the New Testament.

Verse 12 picks up on the last sentence of verse 11, and stands out as perhaps the most brief and most concise description of the Jesus’ Mission through the End of The Age.

 The winnowing fork represents the separation of the wheat and the chaff from His threshing floor, representing the days of judgment of the Great Tribulation and The Wrath of The Lamb; repeating the proclamation and warning in verse 11, He will gather His wheat, His believers, into His barn, describing the rapture and the ascending of those who have died; and He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire, is clearly the description of the fate of the unbeliever and the eternal lake of fire, or Hell. This is also indicative of the End of the Age and the destruction of the heavens and the earth by intense, fervent heat.

 John clearly puts the world on notice, and in these few supremely prophetic words, puts events into motion such as the world has never seen and never will see again! (End Commentary Break).

The Baptism of Jesus

Verse 13. Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan [River], to be baptized by him. Verse 14. But John tried to prevent Him [vigorously protesting], saying, “It is I who need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” Verse 15. But Jesus replied to him, “Permit it just now; for this is the fitting way for us [footnote ‘k’] to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John permitted [it and baptized] Him. Verse 16. After Jesus was baptized, He came up immediately out of the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he (John) saw the [footnote ‘l’] Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him (Jesus), verse 17, and behold, a [footnote ‘m’] voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased and delighted!”

(Commentary Break: There is so much that can be said about verses 13 through 17, but suffice it to say, Act One, Scene Two are completed with the magnificence of the heavens being opened, the significance of which cannot be overstated; the Spirit of God descending and lighting upon Jesus, and the voice from heaven confirming, “This is My beloved Son”. The stage is now set. Let the end begin! (End Commentary Break).

Keep in mind that the Bible makes use of metaphors, similes, and hyperboles to explain what would otherwise be difficult if not impossible for the natural mind to understand. But all these parts of speech point to a reality. This is not a ‘play’ or a ‘story’. It is a living, prophetic, creative, causative, instructional truth, being manifest into the natural world, in order to complete God’s plan to perfect His creation in preparation for eternity with Him and with one another.

Hebrews 10:14-18

“For by One Offering, He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.”

“THIS IS THE COVENANT WHICH I WILL MAKE WITH THEM

AFTER THOSE DAYS, DECLARES THE LORD:

I WILL PUT MY LAWS UPON THEIR HEARTS,

AND WRITE THEM ON THEIR MIND,”

He then says,

“AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS

I WILL NO LONGER REMEMBER.”

“Now, where there is forgiveness of these things, an offering for sin is no longer required.”

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

NEXT:  THE BOOK OF MATTHEW – Chapter 4, The Temptation of Jesus, Jesus Begins His Ministry, The First Disciples, Galilee

PREVIOUS:  THE BOOK OF MATTHEW – Chapter 2 – The Magi, The Escape to Egypt, King Herod’s Slaughter of the Babies

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THE BOOK OF MATTHEW – Chapter 2

The Magi, The Escape to Egypt, King Herod’s Slaughter of the Babies

The Visit of the Magi

Matthew 2:1, Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of [footnote ‘a’] Herod the king, (or Herod the Great), [footnote ‘b’], [footnote ‘c’] magi, ( also known as wise men), from the east came to Jerusalem, asking, Verse 2. “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star [footnote ‘d’] in the east and have come to worship Him.” Verse 3. When Herod the king heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. Verse 4. So he called together all the chief priests and [footnote ‘e’] scribes of the people and [anxiously] asked them where the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One), was to be born. Verse 5. They replied to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is what has been written by the prophet [Micah]:

Verse 6. ‘AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, IN THE LAND OF JUDAH,

ARE NOT IN ANY WAY LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH;

FOR FROM YOU SHALL COME A RULER

WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE, ISRAEL.’”

Verse 7. Then Herod secretly sent for the magi and learned from them [footnote ‘f’] the [exact] time the star [had first] appeared. Verse 8. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.”

(Commentary Break: This text informs that King Herod and ‘all Jerusalem with him were disturbed’ by the news of the birth of Jesus. It was being assumed and Herod had been informed that a prophecy from the Old Testament book of Micah 5:2, foretells of a coming ruler for Israel. “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will come forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His times of coming forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.” This would have been a direct confrontation of Herod’s rule.

There is some discussion among theologians and Bible commenters, about the reference that ‘all Jerusalem was disturbed’ along with Herod, since many Jews were looking anxiously for the prophesied Messiah’s arrival. It is assumed that Herod was concerned or disturbed that the Jewish inhabitants of Nazareth and Galilee might rebel and follow this coming Ruler. So, it is conjectured ‘all Jerusalem’ most likely was referring to ruling authorities within Herod’s government.

 The rest of verses 1 though 8, are self-explanatory. (End Commentary Break).

Verse 9. After hearing the king, they went their way; and behold, the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them, [continually leading the way], until it came and stood over the place where the young Child was (located). Verse 10. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. Verse 11. And after entering the house, they saw the Child with Mary, His mother; and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then, after opening their treasure chests, they presented to Him gifts [fit for a king, gifts] of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Verse 12. And having been warned [by God] in a dream not to go back to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.

The Escape to Egypt

Verse 13. Now when they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod intends to search for the Child in order to destroy Him.”

Verse 14. So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. Verse 15. He remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet [Hosea]: “OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON.”

Herod Slaughters the Babies

Verse 16. Then Herod, when he realized that he had been tricked by the magi, was extremely angry, and he sent [soldiers] and put to death all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that area who were two years old and under, according to the date which he had learned from the magi. Verse 17. Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:

Verse 18. “A VOICE WAS HEARD IN [footnote ‘g’] RAMAH,

WEEPING AND GREAT MOURNING,

[footnote ‘h’] RACHEL WEEPING FOR HER CHILDREN;

SHE REFUSED TO BE COMFORTED,

BECAUSE THEY WERE NO MORE.”

Verse 19. But when [footnote ‘i’] Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said, Verse 20. “Get up! Take the Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child’s life are dead.” Verse 21. Then Joseph got up, and took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. Verse 22. But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea [footnote ‘j’] in place of his father Herod [the Great], he was afraid to go there. Then being warned by God in a dream, he left for the region of Galilee, verse 23, and went and settled in a city called Nazareth. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “He shall be called a [footnote ‘k’] Nazarene.”

(Commentary Break: Notice that with every evil intent and every evil deed, God shepherded Joseph, Mary and Jesus to safety. God spoke to Joseph, instructing and guiding him, and it was as if the trouble at hand was an ‘invisible shield’, repelling them away from harm’s way. This is important to recognize and remember, for a time may be coming when trouble will repel you from your current path and the voice of God, although it may be small, still and quiet, will speak to you, telling you to take another path. Do not let the attractions of this world, nor your appetites and passions, blind your eyes or deafen your ears to God.

Instead of remaining in Egypt or returning to Judea, Joseph and Mary fled to Nazareth in the region of Galilee. The northern province of Galilee was decisively distinct—in history, political status, and culture—from the southern province of Judea, which contained the holy city of Jerusalem. Even the name, Galilee, was descriptive of these differences, as it is translated as “Circle of Gentiles”.

 Even an impeccably Jewish Galilean in first-century Jerusalem was not among his own people; he was as much a foreigner as an Irishman in London or a Texan in New York. His accent would immediately mark him out as “not one of us,” and all the communal prejudice of the supposedly superior culture of the capital city would stand against his claim to be heard even as a prophet, let alone as the “Messiah,” a title which, as everyone knew, belonged to Judea. (text in purple is an excerpt from The Gospel Coalition web page.)

 Being true to His calling, Jesus has not been sent by God to the ‘healthy’ but to those who were ‘sick’. Mark 2 verses 15 through 17 tell us, “And it happened that Jesus was reclining at the table in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners were dining with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many of them, and they were following Him. When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that He was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they said to His disciples, “Why is He eating with tax collectors and sinners?” And hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

 Jesus may have been avoiding a conflict with the Pharisees at this point, or perhaps his words were full of sarcasm, because in Matthew chapter 23, He calls these same Pharisees and their scribes, hypocrites, blind guides, full of robbery and self-indulgence, whitewashed tombs full of dead men’s bones, outwardly appear righteous to people, but inwardly, full of hypocrisy and lawlessness (see Matthew 23). At any rate, Jesus is teaching and leading by example. We should watch, listen and learn. (End Commentary Break).

“What does it say; what does it mean; what does it mean to me?” In other words, what should I now do, with what I know? 2 Timothy 3, verses 16 and 17 tell us that “All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work.”

As Christians and disciples of Jesus, we are to imitate Jesus in our calling. We, too, should be going out into the ‘Galilee of our lives’, and not retreating to the religious pride and comfort of ‘our Judea’. We are to take the Good News to the world around us instead of preaching to one another in the confines of ‘our Nazareth’.

We are drawing ever closer to the amazing teaching of Jesus, which are not only beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness, but as you remain in Him, and His words remain in you, you may ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. (see John 15:7 ) This is so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work!

You really don’t want to miss this!

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

NEXT:  THE BOOK OF MATTHEW – Chapter 3, The Preaching of John the Baptist, The Baptism of Jesus.

PREVIOUS:  THE BOOK OF MATTHEW – Chapter 1 – The Genealogy, The Conception

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THE BOOK OF MATTHEW

The New Testament book of Matthew presents Jesus as the Jewish Messiah sent by God to fulfill Old Testament prophecy.

Overview

The Gospel of Matthew serves as a transition that connects the story of the Old Testament with the story of the New Testament, helping us understand how the life and teaching of Jesus built on what had come before. Although written to a Jewish audience and a Jewish-Christian readership, this Book has a universal outlook.

With these connections in mind, pay close attention as Matthew gives a clear picture and description of the reasons, mission and methods of Jesus.

We will hear Him as He Speaks The Word so the world may hear;

We will See His Works and the world may marvel at His Wonders; and

We will see Him send His Workers so the many will come’.

This Book gives us the blueprint to God’s method of perfecting His creation in preparation for the End of The Age; and it gives us His eternal plan by way of His Son; and points to the revelation of the mystery of Christ, Jesus.

Grouping: Gospels

Author: Matthew, also called Levi.

Timeline: Early church period after Christ’s resurrection; between AD 50 and 70.

Genre: Narrative

Original Language: Greek

Audience: Greek-speaking Jewish Christians.

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this study and commentary, first, is for us, as His disciples and followers, to learn to walk in the steps of Jesus. We, have been commissioned and sent into all the world, to make disciples. We are to tell people about Him. We are to teach them to obey His words, and to baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and  The Book of Matthew presents us with the model and methods of Jesus, which are to be our models and methods in order to accomplish our mission.

Secondly, the purpose of this study is to concurrently seek and find the prophetic words of Jesus, in order to pursue and apply them to our lives. This task and exercise will lead us to call on and to walk in the Holy Spirit with His guidance and power.

Finally, Jesus has told us we are to do the Works He has done and greater works than these, as He has gone to the Father,

If you are wondering about ‘these works’, you are not alone. The crowds that followed Jesus also asked, “What are we to do, so that we may habitually be doing the works of God?”  Jesus answered, “This is the Work of God: that you believe, [adhere to, trust in, rely on, and have faith] in the One whom He has sent.” (See John 6:28 & 29).

It is by this method – walking by faith, in the prophetic – that we are prepared and empowered to allow God to do His Works and even greater works – though our mortal bodies and through our lives.

(Please note: The entire book of Matthew is the Breathed Word of God, and all of it is important. That said,

*Chapters 1 – 3 establish the lineage of Jesus the Christ, the birth of Jesus, the announcement of Jesus, and the baptism of Jesus. (This may seem tedious at times, but is the vital groundwork, not to just know about Him, but to actually know Him).

**Chapters 4 through 28 give us the model, the mission, the purpose and the plan of God, through His Son, Jesus, as the Anointed One, to bring the Good News of Hope and the Way of Salvation to the world. (This is the exciting teachings and demonstration of the power of God).

***Chapters 4 though 28 also give us our mission, purpose and plan. We, the Body of Christ, must be obedient and available for Him to do His Works though us, until the end of the age. This is where we intentionally intersect with the Person and the Power of Jesus.(This is where you and I get personally involved, following Jesus).

Please read the chapters and the commentaries carefully, study them diligently and pray and meditate on them deeply. This is The Way!

THE BOOK OF MATTHEW – Chapter 1

The Genealogy, The Conception

(Amplified version of the Bible)

The Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah

Matthew1:1, The record of the genealogy of [footnote ‘a’] Jesus the [footnote ‘b’] Messiah, the son (and descendant) of [footnote ‘c’] David, the son (and descendant) of Abraham:

Verse 2. Abraham [footnote ‘d’] was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of [footnote ‘e’] Judah and his brothers [who became the twelve tribes of Israel]. Verse 3. Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez was the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram. Verse 4. Ram was the father of Aminadab, Aminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon. Verse 5. Salmon was the father of Boaz by [footnote ‘f’] Rahab, Boaz was the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse. Verse 6 Jesse was the father of [footnote ‘g’] David the king.

David was the father of Solomon by [footnote ‘h’] Bathsheba who had been the wife of Uriah. Verse 7. Solomon was the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa. Verse 8. Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah. Verse 9. Uzziah was the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah. Verse 10. Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, and Amon the father of Josiah. Verse 11. Josiah became the father of Jeconiah [also called Coniah and Jehoiachin] and his brothers, at the time of the deportation (into exile) to Babylon.

Verse 12. After the deportation to Babylon: Jeconiah became the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel. Verse 13. Zerubbabel was the father of Abihud, Abihud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor. Verse 14. Azor was the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud. Verse 15. Eliud was the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob. Verse 16. Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by [footnote ‘i’] whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah (the Christ).

Verse 17. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen; from David to the Babylonian deportation (into exile), fourteen generations; and from the Babylonian deportation to the Messiah, fourteen generations.

(Commentary Break: You might wonder about the significance of the lineage of Jesus? You can find hundreds of commentaries on this matter. Some of which go into such academic detail as to lose their meaning.

However, the lineage of Jesus is important, if not helpful, to know. Rather than answer here, and in order to help answer this important question, I will offer an interesting and entertaining video presentation produced by the Bible Project on The Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah. (click the foregoing link, then look on the left side of the web page and select #1, The Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah; play the video. (End Commentary Break).

Conception and Birth of Jesus

Verse 18. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been [footnote ‘j’] betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by [the power of] the Holy Spirit. Verse 19. And Joseph her [promised] husband, being a just and righteous man and not wanting to expose her publicly to shame, planned to send her away and divorce her quietly. Verse 20. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the Child who has been [footnote ‘k’] conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. Verse 21. She will give birth to a Son, and you shall name Him Jesus (meaning, The LORD is salvation), for He will [footnote ‘l’] save His people from their sins.” Verse 22. All this happened in order to fulfill what the Lord had spoken through the [footnote ‘m’] prophet [Isaiah]: Verse 23. “BEHOLD, THE [footnote ‘n’] VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND GIVE BIRTH TO A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL”, which, when translated, means, “GOD WITH US.” Verse 24. Then Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and he took Mary [to his home] as his wife, verse 25, but he kept her a virgin until she had given birth to a Son [her firstborn child]; and he named Him Jesus (meaning, The LORD is salvation).

(Commentary Break: The account of this remarkable event has been told and re-told innumerable times; repeated so many times that it has perhaps become rote in many minds. But this is the central and pivotal event in messianic prophetic scriptures, and it has come to pass.

Isaiah 7:14 was written around 2,750 years ago and prophesied the virgin birth of Jesus as the coming Messiah. This is the one seminal event of the 450 prophecies written about Him, that have come to pass!

The odds are 1 to 10 to the 157th power. Written out, that is the numerical one hundred, followed by fifty two sets of zeros: 100, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000.

These are the odds against – yes, AGAINST – Jesus Christ having fulfilled just 48 of the over 450 prophecies written about Him.

In order to give you some perspective, electrons are very small objects. They’re smaller than atoms. It would take 2.5 TIMES 10 to the 15th power of them, laid side by side, to make one inch. Even if we counted 250 of these electrons each minute, and counted day and night, it would still take 19 million years just to count a line of electrons one-inch long.  19 MILLION YEARS!

Read that again, please.  Why is that significant?

It is significant because it gives us evidence that the Bible is true and correct when it says that Christ Jesus came to earth and is the Savior of the world.

It gives YOU evidence, if you choose to pay attention, that your life can be eternal with the only LIFE source which gives eternal Peace, Safety, Security, Joy and fulfillment the universe has ever known or ever will know.

Just think about it: It is a scientific and a mathematical impossibility that HAS COME TO PASS! (And speaking of science.  

Scientific theory

A scientific theory is an explanation of an aspect of the natural world and universe that can be repeatedly tested and corroborated in accordance with the scientific method, using accepted protocols of observation, measurement, and evaluation of results. Where possible, some theories are tested under controlled conditions in an experiment. In circumstances not amenable to experimental testing, theories are evaluated through principles of abductive reasoning. Established scientific theories have withstood rigorous scrutiny and embody scientific knowledge. However, some scientific theories are untested and unprovable by the foregoing definition, such as the theory of  , to name just a few. Science and scientists have suspicion or ‘faith’ based on other observations that this ‘theory’ is valid or might be valid.

FAITH

According to Cambridge Dictionary, faith, as a noun is “great trust or confidence in something or someone”. This can be the type of faith as expressed by a scientist in a theory.

 The Bible defines faith in Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”  This kind of faith is observable and measurable in the millions of live changed for the better. This faith is measurable in the countless lives it has motivated to build schools, hospitals, churches, and any number of other projects and endeavors, too numerable to list, which have improved the lives of billions of people.

 Put more simply, the Biblical definition of faith is “trusting in something you cannot explicitly prove by mathematical formulae or by strict scientific standards.” However, it could safely be said that this is the type of faith employed by scientists when regarding theories of parallel universes, Dark Matter or Dark Energy.

Asking the obvious, “Why is this important”?

When it comes to this question, for the sake of time, space on this page, I will defer to an article on the Gospel Coalition we page, “Is Jesus Really the Virgin-Born Child in Isaiah 7:14?” (End Commentary Break).

Next, in chapter 2, we will look at the birth of Jesus and its immediate and dramatic effects as we work our way to His teachings about The Way, The Truth, the Life, and The End of The Age – and how we fit into His Plan and Purpose.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

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