Luke 02.01-07 | The Birth of Jesus (The Prophecies of Jesus) part01

Luke 02.01-07

We see this morning in The Birth of Jesus (The Prophecies of Jesus)… 01. The Virgin Birth from the Tribe of Judah; 02. Eight Old Testament Prophecies Quoted in the Gospels; and 03. Mathematical Probabilities of Fulfilled Prophecies.

01. The Virgin Birth from the Tribe of Judah

The prophecies of Jesus began in the beginning. In Genesis 01.01-03.24, we see that God created everything, including Adam and Eve. One day Satan takes the form of a serpent and deceives Eve to eat of the fruit of the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. So after this happens, God places a curse on the serpent, on Satan on Eve and on Adam.

In Genesis 03.15 we read the curse that God placed on Satan. The word for “enmity” in the original Hebrew is (H342. hbya ’eybah ay-baw’) and it means to have hostility and hatred. What God is saying here is that there will be hatred and hostility between Satan and the seed of Eve. We then see that there is going to be a Saviour who is going to be born who will destroy Satan (1John 03.08-10).

But Genesis 03.15 tells us more about the Saviour that is going to be born who will destroy Satan. Look again at Genesis 03.15 and notice that it says “…and her seed…” now we all learned many years ago that women have eggs and men have seed. Notice that it doesn’t say “Your seed and Adams…” here in Genesis 03.15? Remember that God said this after Adam and Eve had sinned, allowing death to enter all of creation. Though they were sentenced to die (Genesis 02.15) God in His mercy gave a promise of redemption through the One who would be born of a virgin. He then sacrificed an animal to cover Adam and Eve’s sin (and nakedness-Genesis 03.21).

About 600 years before Jesus, Jeremiah the prophet prophesied the virgin birth as well in Jeremiah 31.22. Isaiah would further elaborate on the virgin birth of the coming Messiah about 700 years before Jesus came in Isaiah 07.14. Isaiah tells us that the name of the coming Messiah is going to be “Immanuel”, which is important because if He had not been Immanuel (God with us), He could not have been Jesus the Saviour!

There are those critics who state that the word for “virgin” in Isaiah 07.14 just means a “young woman”, so it doesn’t necessarily mean she was a virgin. The word for “virgin” in Isaiah 07.14 is the Hebrew word (H5959. Hmle) ‘almah (al-maw’). It is true that one of the meanings of this word is for a young woman. But if you look in the Greek Septuagint (the Old Testament written in Greek in Egypt in about 284bc by 70 scholars. The name Septuagint means 70 [LXX]), the Greek word used in Isaiah 07.14 is the same Greek word used in Matthew 01.23 and Luke 01.26-28 for “virgin”. The Greek word for “virgin” that is used in Matthew 01.23 and Luke 01.26-28, as well as in Isaiah 07.14 is (G3933. paryenov) parthenos (par-then’-os) and it literally means “an unmarried daughter, a virgin. This Greek word for “virgin” refers to a person who never had sexual relations and it would never be used to describe a woman who was married. This Greek word paryenov parthenos was used by the Greeks for the Parthenon, the Greek temple to the goddess Athena, which the Greeks characterized as being a virgin.

If you look at history, you will see through the Bible and secular history, it was from this very moment in Genesis 03.15 that Satan was awaiting this virgin birth in order to kill this virgin born Babe. Satan was constantly attacking the descendants of Adam and Eve, specifically the children of Israel…using the Pharaoh while the children of Israel were in Egypt, to the Amalekites and Edomites, Haman, etc. Of course Satan didn’t succeed, but he tried hard to prevent the virgin from bearing a child.

Jesus fulfilled this prophecy in that He was the only person in history not conceived through the seed of a man (Matthew 01.23; Matthew 01.25; Luke 01.27; Luke 01.34). The Jews all would know that a virgin giving birth was in fulfillment of Isaiah 07.14 and Jeremiah 31.22, and that it was a sign that the Messiah was now here! The fact that the Messiah would be virgin born was a sign that He was the Son of God, for a virgin giving birth is impossible unless it’s Divine!

Another important prophecy is what tribe the Messiah would come from. In Genesis 49.01-33, Jacob knows that he is about to die, and he calls all of his sons together. They probably were all lined up in birth order. What Jacob says on his deathbed is prophetic. We pick up the prophecy in Genesis 49.08-12 where he is addressing his son Judah.

Genesis 49.08 The name Judah means, “praise”. The last part of this verse is indicating that the descendants of Judah will be the kings of Israel.

Genesis 49.09 “whelp” =cub, the symbol of the tribe of Judah later became a Lion.

Genesis 49.10 “scepter” =Ruling. “Shiloh” =rest, another name for the Messiah (HaMashiach).

In Revelation 05.05, John tells us about “…the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.” Lion of the tribe of Judah is a term of royalty and the scepter is a symbol of authority. We now see that the Messiah is coming from the tribe of Judah, but there is more to this verse!

Around 12ad we know from Josephus (The Jewish War 02.08.01) and history that the Romans took away capital punishment from the Jews. In the mind of the Jews, this took away the foundation of their government, which is to be able to put to death those who deserved it. On this day when Rome took capital punishment away from the Jews, we know that the Jewish people went out and wept because they believed that the Messiah (HaMashiach) had not come and they could not understand how God can do this.

Look again at what Jacob prophesied in Genesis 49.10. Shiloh (rest) another name of Jesus! We know that at this time, Jesus the Messiah (Yeshua HaMashiach) was already alive and they did not recognize Him as a boy, and of course, even as a man!

Here are just two prophecies that we have studied now that came into fulfillment when Jesus was born, and there are many more!

02. Old Testament Prophecies Quoted in the Gospels

OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES OF CHRIST QUOTED IN THE GOSPELS

PROPHECY	OLD TESTAMENT	GOSPEL FULFILLMENT
He would be born of a virgin	Genesis 03.15; Isaiah 07.14; Jeremiah 31.22	Matthew 01.23; Matthew 01.25; Luke 01.27; Luke 01.31-35
Must be born in Bethlehem	Micah 05.02	Matthew 02.01-07; Luke 02.04-07; John 07.42
Must be from the tribe of Judah	Genesis 49.09-10	Matthew 01.21; Luke 01.32-33
He was to be of David’s family	2Samuel 07.12-16; Psalm 89.03-04; Psalm 110.01, Psalm 132.11; Isaiah 09.06-07; Isaiah 11.01	Matthew 01.06-16: Matthew 22.42-44; Luke 01.31-33; Luke 01.69; Luke 03.23-38; Luke 20.41-44; John 07.42
He would spend time in Egypt	Hosea 11.01	Matthew 02.15
Birth would occasion massacre of Bethlehem’s children	Jeremiah 31.15	Matthew 02.16-18
He would live in the Galilee	Isaiah 09.01-02	Matthew 04.15; Luke 02.39
He would live in the city of Nazareth	Isaiah 11.01	Matthew 02.23; Matthew 21.11; Matthew 26.71; Mark 01.09; Mark 01.24; Luke 01.26; Luke 02.04; Luke 02.51; Luke 04.34; Luke 18.37; John 01.45-46;
To be announced by an Elijah-like herald	Isaiah 40.03-05; Malachi 03.01; Malachi 04.05-06	Matthew 03.01-03; Matthew 11.10-14; Mark 01.02-05; Luke 01.16-17, Luke 01.76-77; Luke 03.02-06; Luke 07.27; John 01.23
He would proclaim the favor of the LORD to the world	Isaiah 58.06; Isaiah 61.01	Matthew 11.05; Luke 04.18-19; Luke 07.22
His mission would include the Gentiles	Isaiah 42.01-07; Isaiah 49.06; Isaiah 51.04-05	Matthew 12.17-21; Luke 02.32
His ministry would be one of healing	Isaiah 53.04	Matthew 08.17; Matthew 11.04-06
He would demonstrate a miracle filled life	Isaiah 35.04-06	Matthew 09.20-22; Mark 08.22-26; Luke 17.11-19; John 02.01-11 (Miracles throughout Gospels)
He would teach by parables	Psalm 78.02; Isaiah 06.09-10	Matthew 13.14-15; Matthew 13.35
He would be disbelieved and rejected by the Rulers	Psalm 69.04; Psalm 118.22; Isaiah 06.10; Isaiah 29.13; Isaiah 53.01	Matthew 15.07-09; Matthew 21.42; Mark 07.06-07; Mark 12.10-11; Luke 20.17; John 12.38-40; John 15.25
He would make a triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a donkey	Psalm 118.26; Isaiah 62.11; Daniel 09.24-26; Zechariah 09.09	Matthew 21.04-11; Mark 11.09-10; Luke 19.28-44; John 12.13-15
He would be betrayed by a friend for 30 pieces of silver	Psalm 41.09; Psalm 55.12-14; Zechariah 11.12-13	Matthew 10.04; Matthew 26.14-56; Matthew 27.09-10; Mark 14.10-52; Luke 22.03-06; Luke 22.47-53; John 13.18-21; John 18.01-12
He would be like a stricken shepherd and the disciples will forsake Him and flee	Psalm 38.11; Isaiah 63.03; Zechariah 13.07	Matthew 26.31; Matthew 26.56; Mark 14.27; Mark 14.50
Must die for the sins of the world	Isaiah 53.05-06; Isaiah 53.10	Matthew 26.63; Matthew 27.12-54; Mark 14.61; Mark 15.01-41; Luke 23.01-49; John 19.01-30
They would cast lots for His garments	Psalm 22.18	Matthew 27.35; Mark 15.24; Luke 23.34; John 19.23-24
His hands, feet and side would be pierced	Psalm 22.16; Isaiah 53.01-12; Zechariah 12.10	Matthew 27.35; Mark 15.24; Luke 23.33; John 19.23; John 19.37; John 20.25; John 20.27
He would be given vinegar and gall on the cross	Psalm 69.21	Matthew 27.34; Matthew 27.48; Mark 15.23; Mark 15.36; Luke 23.36; John 19.29-30
Not a bone of His would be broken	Exodus 12.46; Numbers 09.12; Psalm 34.20	John 19.33; John 19.36
His dying words were foretold	Psalm 22.01; Psalm 31.05	Matthew 27.46; Mark 15.34; Luke 23.46
He would die among criminals	Psalm 22.16; Isaiah 53.09; Isaiah 53.12	Matthew 27.38; Mark 15.27-28; Luke 22.37; Luke 23.39-43
He would be buried in a rich man’s tomb	Isaiah 53.09	Matthew 27.57-60; Mark 15.43-46; Luke 23.50-53; John 19.38-42
He would raise from the dead on the third day	Genesis 22.04; Psalm 16.10-11; Hosea 06.02; Jonah 01.17	Matthew 12.40; Luke 24.46

Lets look at just eight of the above prophecies that are in the Old Testament and quoted in the Gospels as the Messiah fulfilling them.

01. Messiah is to be born in Bethlehem Micah 05.02

This Bethlehem is about five miles South of Jerusalem, and its elevated is about 2,460 feet above sea level.

There is another Bethlehem, also known as Bethlehem of Zebulun (up by the Sea of Galilee), and mentioned in Joshua 19.15. Bethlehem of Zebulun was closer to where Mary was living in Nazareth.

New Testament fulfillment: Luke 02.04-07

02. Messiah is to be preceded by a Messenger Isaiah 40.03-05

New Testament fulfillment: Luke 03.04-06

03. Messiah is to enter Jerusalem on a donkey Zechariah 09.09

New Testament fulfillment: Luke 19.35-38

04. Messiah is to be betrayed by a friend Psalm 41.09 and Psalm 55.12-14

New Testament fulfillment: Matthew 26.49-50 and Luke 22.47-48

05. Messiah is to be sold for 30 pieces of silver Zechariah 11.12

New Testament fulfillment: Luke 22.03-06

06. The money for which Messiah is sold is to be thrown “to the potter” in God’s house Zechariah 11.13

New Testament fulfillment: Matthew 27.05-07

07. Messiah is to be silent before His accusers Isaiah 53.07

New Testament fulfillment: Luke 23.09

08. Messiah would die with criminals Psalm 22.16 and Isaiah 53.12

New Testament fulfillment: Luke 23.32-33

03. Mathematical Probabilities of Fulfilled Prophecies

Now if you take the eight prophecies that we just looked at in the previous point, you will see how remarkable and amazing it is that Jesus fulfilled all these prophesies and more!

Peter Stoner in his book Science Speaks says that by applying the modern science of probability to just these eight prophecies, “… We find that the chance that any man might have lived down to the present time and fulfilled all eight prophecies is 1 in 10¹⁷.” That would be one in 100,000,000,000,000,000.

In order for us to be able to comprehend this staggering probability, Stoner illustrates it by supposing that: “… we take 10¹⁷ silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas. They will cover all of the state two feet deep. Now mark one of these silver dollars and stir the whole mass thoroughly, all over the state. Blindfold a man and tell him that he can travel as far as he wishes, but he must pick up one silver dollar and say that this is the right one. What chance would he have of getting the right one? Just the same chance that the prophets would have had of writing these eight prophecies and having them all come true in any one man, from their day to the present time, providing they wrote in their own wisdom. “Now these prophecies were either given by inspiration of God or the prophets just wrote them as they thought they should be. In such a case the prophets had just one chance in 10¹⁷ of having them come true in any man, but they all came true in Christ [Mashiach]. “This means that the fulfillment of these eight prophecies alone proves that God inspired the writing of those [eight] prophecies to a definiteness which lacks only one chance in 10¹⁷ of being absolute.” [Stoner, Peter W. Science Speaks. Chicago: Moody Press, 1963, pp 100-107.]

Stoner considers 48 prophecies and says, “… We find the chance that any one man fulfilled all 48 prophecies to be 1 in 10¹⁵⁷. “This is a really large number and it represents an extremely small chance. Let us try to visualize it. The silver dollar, which we have been using, is entirely too large. We must select a smaller object. The electron is about as small an object as we know of. It is so small that it will take 2.5 times 10¹⁵ of them laid side by side to make a line, single file, one inch long. If we were going to count the electrons in this line one inch long, and counted 250 each minute, and if we counted day and night, it would take us 19,000,000 years to count just the one-inch line of electrons. If we had a cubic inch of these electrons and we tried to count them it would take us, counting steadily 250 each minute, 19,000,000 times 19,000,000 times 19,000,000 [nineteen million times nineteen million times nineteen million] or 6.9 times 10²¹ years. “With that introduction, let us go back to our chance of 1 in 10¹⁵⁷. Let us suppose that we are taking this number of electrons, marking one, and thoroughly stirring it into the whole mass, then blindfolding a man and letting him try to find the right one. What chance has he of finding the right one? What kind of a pile will this number of electrons make? They make an inconceivably large volume.” [ibid., pp 109,110]

The chances of finding the correct electron out of the pile of electrons that Stoner uses for this last illustration is something on the order of picking one single correct electron out of all of the electrons in all the known mass of the entire known universe.

Such is the chance of any one man fulfilling any 48 prophecies. Yet Yeshua Ha’Natseret (Jesus of Nazereth) fulfilled not just 48 prophecies, not just 61 prophecies, but more than 324 individual prophecies that the Prophets wrote concerning the coming Mashiach (Messiah).

When God says that something will happen, we can rest assure that it will happen (Psalm 33.11; Isaiah 46.08-10)!