According to God’s Word

The Coming Kingdom: Matthew 1.18-25 (3)

Pray Psalm 132.8-10.
Arise, O LORD, to Your resting place,
You and the ark of Your strength.
Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness,
And let Your saints shout for joy.
For Your servant David’s sake,
Do not turn away the face of Your Anointed.

Sing Psalm 132.8-10.
(Finlandia: Be Still, My Soul)
Arise, O LORD, come to Your resting place; 
Your holy Presence meet with us in might. 
Clothe us with righteousness in Jesus’ grace, 
and we will shout to Your divine delight!
For David’s sake, turn not away Your face, 
but look upon us in Your holy light.

Read Matthew 1.18-25; meditate on verses 22, 23.
What “all this” does Matthew have in mind?

Prepare.
1. Why was “all this done”?

2. What kind of Child was to be born to Mary?

Meditate.
The birth of Jesus was foretold hundreds of years before the events recorded in Matthew 1 and 2. Isaiah was not the only one who told of the coming of the Messiah. Dozens of prophecies and types of Jesus are scattered throughout the Old Testament. Faithful Israelites could only glimpse the future, and hope that it might be soon, as they waited for the promised Shiloh/Immanuel/Messiah. 

God’s promises can take a long time to be fulfilled, but we must never lose hope, nor ever consider that His Word might not be true. In Jesus, Immanuel has come at last, and we say “Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!”

Matthew teaches us how to read this passage, which, in its original context, is a word to the king of Judah (Is. 7.14). In that setting, the Hebrew word for virgin is “young woman”. But the Septuagint (the Greek version of the Old Testament), uses the Greek word for virgin (παρθένος, parthenos), which shows how Jewish scholars before Christ understood this term; and this is the source of Matthew’s quotation.

The Child to be born is Immanuel—“God with us.” God is coming in flesh. How that can be will forever remain a mystery. That it actually came to pass, though, is history, plain and simple. In Jesus Christ God took on flesh to come among us, to embody and proclaim His Kingdom and to renew the ancient promises to all who believed in Him.

God’s Word cannot fail. What He has spoken, He will bring to pass, according to His Word.

Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: 
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and 
shall call His Name Immanuel (God-With-Us)” (Is. 7.14).

Hundreds of years before the appearance of God on earth, this Good News was spoken.

“So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His Name Immanuel, 
which is translated, God with us” (Matt. 1.22, 23).

Mary, knowing the facts of life, declared herself to be a virgin, as she sweetly questioned the angel:
“How can this be, since I do not know a man?” (Lk. 1.34). 
So, whether it is translated “young woman” or “virgin” is inconsequential. 
She knew what the angel was saying. 
She had, no doubt, heard the prophecies of The One Who was to come; 
and so now was merely trying to understand how all this was going to happen. 

We do not hear her saying: 
“What are you talking about? Wait, what? Who? Start over, Mr. Gabriel. What are we talking about here?”

She knew full well what he was talking about, but was just trying to process her involvement in this majestic moment, and the logistics of it. Not what, or Who, but how? And for this she is greatly justified.
When she understood? “Let it be to me according to your word” (Lk. 1.38).

“Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; 
let such as love Your salvation say continually,
‘The LORD be magnified!’” (Ps. 40.16).

Indeed. 

“My soul magnifies the Lord, 
and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. 
For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; 
for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. 
For He Who is mighty has done great things for me, 
and holy is His Name. 
And His mercy is on those who fear Him 
from generation to generation” (Lk. 1.46-50).

All according to God’s Word.

Reflect.
1. Mary had a specific calling from the Lord. How would you describe your calling?

2. Matthew frequently points back to the Old Testament. How does his doing this affect your view of the Old Testament? How should we read it?

3. How do you experience Christ as “Immanuel” each day?

The mystery of Christ’s becoming man is to be adored, not curiously inquired into. It was so ordered that Christ should partake of our nature, yet that he should be pure from the defilement of original sin, which has been communicated to all the race of Adam. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Matthew 1.18-25

Pray Psalm 132.11-18.
Praise and thank the Lord that He remembers—constantly attends to and fulfills—all His Word. Lay hold on the promise of Jesus being with you throughout this day. Call on Him to strengthen you for your work.

Sing Psalm 132.11-18.
(Finlandia: Be Still, My Soul)
Remember, LORD, the oath You swore to David; 
do not turn back, do not deny Your Word:
“One of your sons, with your throne I will favor, 
if he shall keep My cov’nant evermore, 
and walk within My testimonies ever, 
thus he shall ever rule as Israel’s LORD.”

God dwells among us, and He will forever, 
to meet our needs and clothe us with His grace.
He has to us sent Jesus Christ, our Savior—
Beloved, etenal light and resting place.
His foes are banished from His Presence ever, 
but we shall reign with Him before His face.

T. M. and Susie Moore

If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).

Other columns of interest: This week: The Read Moore podcast pushes on through our readings from Joy to Your World!. Our Crosfigell teaching letter continues its brief series on the early 6^th-century Irish saint, Coemgen. The ReVision column finishes the study of Kingdom values and turns to consider how to grow the divine economy. Check out our other excellent writers. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.