READ: MATTHEW 1:18–2:6
What a fairy tale! Angels, a virgin birth, a manger, shepherds, magi…it’s a great story to make us all fuzzy and warm at Christmas. But can we seriously believe the story of Jesus’ birth is true?
God knew the Christmas story was going to be wildly unique. In fact, He made it that way on purpose. Why? So we could know that it really is truth.
How? He told us about it beforehand. The Old Testament prophecies aren’t just Christmas poetry; they’re solid, compelling evidence that the baby in the manger was God. Take a look!
“Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are small among the clans of Judah; one will come from you to be ruler over Israel for me. His origin is from antiquity, from ancient times.” That’s Micah 5:2. The Messiah would be from lowly Bethlehem…written about seven hundred years before Christ came!
“Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: See, the virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel.” This one is Isaiah 7:14, also about seven hundred years before Christmas. Immanuel, we know, means “God with us”; Isaiah is saying God will come to be with us, born of a virgin.
“Then a shoot will grow from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—a Spirit of wisdom and understanding…His delight will be in the fear of the Lord” (Isaiah 11:1-3). Jesse was King David’s father: Jesus’ direct ancestor. And Jesus—discussing theology with the religious leaders at age twelve and blessed by the Holy Spirit at his baptism—fits the prophecy entirely (Matthew 3:13-16; Luke 2:41-52).
Those three verses are just a tiny taste of the prophecies that the miracle called Christmas fulfilled. Truth stranger than fiction? Sometimes it’s meant to be, so that we know it’s no coincidence. “Jesus is Truth” is the only explanation (John 14:6). • Christiana Cudworth
• How does Jesus fulfill the promises of Scripture (Luke 24:27, 44; John 5:39; Acts 10:43; 2 Corinthians 1:20; 2 Timothy 3:15)?
He [Jesus] began by saying to them, “Today as you listen, this Scripture has been fulfilled.” Luke 4:21 (CSB)