Have you ever wondered what the story of the Nativity really means? Unpack 19 incredible Bible verses about Jesus birth and find out.
Hundreds of years before Jesus birth, God's prophets, inspired by the Holy Spirit, began to talk about the birth of Jesus.
1.Isaiah 7:14: "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."
Some theologians count over 300 prophecies signalling where, when, and how Jesus would be born in incredible detail. Reading the gospel account of the Nativity story, we can see many of these prophecies being fulfilled. This really helps authenticate the story as true and accurate and anchors Jesus birth story in the perfect plan of God.
2. Micah 5:2: "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from old, from ancient times."
3. Matthew 1:21: "She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
In response to the problem of original sin, God sent His only Son as atonement for the sin of humanity. Jesus birth into poverty and simplicity is the beginning of an extraordinary life on earth. Its also a new chapter in the unfolding of God's great plan for the redemption of all creation.
Jesus would, ultimately, die a brutal death on a Roman cross. And in doing so, conquer the power of sin and death so that each of us could have eternal life. Christ breaks into the human story in the humblest of circumstances. He models sacrificial love and breaks down social and political divides. And He invites everyone to experience the good news of the gospel message.
Jesus birth is orchestrated to connect with outsiders and those who were overlooked in Jewish society at the time of His birth.
4. Luke 1:26-27: "In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary."
5. Luke 1:30–31:"But the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.'"
The town of Jesus birth, Bethelehem, was famous for being a nothing kind of place. The fact that Jesus was born without fanfare in an out of the way town to an "ordinary" couple speaks of God's commitment to connect with people from humble backgrounds. And this was to be a mark of Jesus ministry too.
Many people in society at the time looked down on shepherds. However, the angels chose them to announce the birth of the Savior. The birthplace was probably a cave or simple shelter where animals would have eaten and sheltered.
6. Luke 2:4-5:Â "So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child."
7. Luke 2:6-7:Â "While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them."
8. Luke 2:8–9: "And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified."
9.Luke 2:10-11:Â "But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David, a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.'"
The shepherds were the first responders to the Nativity scene and became the first evangelists too.
10. Luke 2:13-14: "Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.'" 11. Luke 2:15: "When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.'"
12.Luke 2:13-14: "Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.'"
13. Luke 2:15:"When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.'"
In addition to the shepherds visit, it is interesting to see that the visiting Magi (often represented as the Three Wise Men) were intrigued by some unusual activity in the sky. An unusually bright star had appeared, and likely being well educated in astrology and realising that this might have some significance, they decided to follow the star.
14. Matthew 2:1-2: "After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, 'Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.'"
15.Matthew 2:9-10: "After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed."
16. Matthew 2:11:Â "On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh."
Jesus birth didnt go unnoticed by the political elite at the time. Threatened by the arrival of another "king" on the scene, Herod, King of Judea, came up with murderous plan to kill Jesus. But, God had a greater one!
17. Matthew 2:13 -14: "When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. 'Get up,' he said, 'take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.' So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt."
18. Matthew 2:15: "He stayed there until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: 'Out of Egypt I called my son.'"
19. Matthew 2:16: "When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi."
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