26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Comment: There is a lot in this story which is not scientifically verifiable. That is NOT to say that it is scientifically proven wrong. I suspect that modern people would like to do DNA tests, have multiple enquiries, and go to extreme lengths to prove that it is false because they don’t like the bases which lie behind this truly extraordinary thing that God has done in the world’s history! 1, Some will ask why did God wait until Mary had been in a legal ceremony betrothed to Joseph? From a Biblical (God’s) perspective children need to be brought up in a family – so, who would have been prepared to marry Mary when she was discovered pregnant to ‘someone else? Joseph, the betrothed, had his difficulties as we saw the other day. 2. Is it possible for virgin births to occur sometimes at any rate? Yes, but the child would always be a female because in a mothers genetic make up there are no ‘Y’ chromosomes and they are the mark of male-ness! 3. Why did God need a second edition of ‘Adam’? The record doesn’t say that God had sex with Mary but that His Spirit, who enters every believer in the Biblical records, would overshadow her! The initially perfect original man, Adam, made in the image of God and given the ability to decide, caused in his rebellion against God’s simple instructions what the Bible indicates and theologians call “origin sin’. This has tainted every child ever born. God needed someone untainted who could choose for Himself if He would truly obey God! 4. Did Jesus have any of Mary’s DNA? He was divine as well as truly human! Could He have sinned? Certainly He was tempted in all points as we are. Temptation is not real if there is no decision to be made! We may be tempted to doubt the truth of this story – but temptation means a decision. I will affirm that I believe the story wholeheartedly!
Isaiah 9: 6 – For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Prayer: Lord I believe!
As I read it! 