Christmas in the Old Testament

Text: Is. 7:14 & 9:6-7

Introduction:

v Soon the tabloids will be out with their new year’s predictions

Ø Jean Dixon’s prediction rate.

Ø The best prognosticators will only be right less than 75% of the time

Ø This is in making predictions that are:

§ Only going to take place within in the next year

§ Often 50-50 to begin with (i.e. will Clinton be impeached?)

§ Predictions that are general in nature and foreseeable by an astute observer

v Compare that to OT prophecies of Christ’s birth

Ø They are numerous

Ø They are accurate

Ø They were predicted 100s of years in advance

v Listing of the major predictions

Ø Born of Woman (Gen. 3:15)

Ø Born of a virgin (Is. 7:14)

Ø He would come 483 years after 444 BC (Dan. 9:24f)

Ø Be of the seed of Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3)

Ø Tribe of Judah (Gen. 49:10)

Ø House of David (2 Sam. 7:12)

Ø Born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2)

Ø Anointed by the Holy Sprit (Is. 11:2)

Ø Preceded by a herald or messenger (Is. 40:3)

Ø Ministry of miracles (Is. 35:5)

Ø Cleanse the temple (Mal. 3:1)

Ø Rejected by the Jewish people (Ps. 118:22, Is. 53:3)

Ø Die a humiliating death (Ps. 22 & Is. 53)

Ø Silent before his accusers (Is. 53:7)

Ø Hands & feet pierced (Ps. 22:16)

Ø Crucified with thieves (Is. 53:12)

Ø Piercing his side (Zech. 12:10)

Ø Buried in a borrowed tomb (Is. 53:9)

Ø Cast lots for his garments (Ps. 22:18)

Ø Scourging and other marks of crucifixion (Ps. 22)

Ø Rise from the dead (Ps. 2:7)

Ø Ascension into heaven (Ps. 68:18)

Ø Sit at the right hand of God (Ps. 110:1)

Ø Betrayed for thirty pieces of silver (Zech. 11:12)

v So what?

Ø The probability of 1 in 16 to be true is 10⁴⁵

Ø The probability of 1 in 48 being true is 10¹⁵⁷.

v These OT predictions are part of a three-pronged proof that Jesus is God

Ø Fulfillment of prophecy

Ø Sinless and miraculous life

Ø Resurrection

Transition: Three truths about Jesus that are prominent in the OT predictions of His birth.

I. His Conception

A. Virgin birth

1. Declaration

a) Gen. 3:15 “seed” not “seeds”

b) Seed of woman, not of man!

c) Is. 7:14

2. Necessity

a) Necessary to prevent sin nature from being present

b) Necessary to have the God-man

B. Arguments against the virgin

1. Promoted by those who do not believe in miracles

2. Promoted by those who have a small view of God

3. God is either real or just a concept.

a) If He is real, then by definition He can do miracles

b) If He is not real, then He is only a concept that we create in our minds

4. “Almah” means “young woman, not virgin”

a) Outside of Scripture this is true. Almah is usually “young woman” while bethulah is “virgin.” However, it is reversed in Scripture, especially in Isaiah.

b) In Gen. 24:16 bethulah is qualified with the phrase, “neither had any man known her…”

c) 200 years before Christ, the LXX (Greek translation of the OT) translated almah with the Greek word parthenos which means virgin.

d) Matt. 1:23-24 considers it to be referring to a virgin, not a young maid

e) Luke 1:35 considers Mary to be a virgin “How shall this be seeing I know not a man?”

II. His Constitution

A. Humanity

1. Makes Him eligible to be a kinsman redeemer

2. Makes Him able to be touched with the feelings of our infirmities

3. Identifies Him with us

B. Deity

1. Declared in Is. 9:6-7

a) Mighty God

b) Everlasting Father

2. Assumed in the virgin birth

a) His Father was God

b) He was not of this world

III. His Coronation

A. The many prophecies of His first coming fulfilled literally

B. The many prophecies of His second coming will also be fulfilled literally

1. Return

2. Reign

3. Judgment

Conclusion:

v Choose your king: Christ or self.

v You will get for eternity what your king has to offer

Ø Self

§ Death

§ Whatever else you can provide for yourself

v Christ

Ø Life

§ Riches of His grace

§ Inheritance He has for you

§ Reward He has for you