Evidence for The Virgin birth of Jesus Christ

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Evidence for The Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ

During my training as a Lay Minister in the Church of England, one teacher asked the students if anyone believed in the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. I was the only one who said yes, and the teacher then said to me “Surely you don’t believe that, after all, it's only a couple of lines of scripture.”  

I was shocked by the teacher's comments because I didn’t think the brevity of a couple of lines of scripture would automatically mean you could ignore the scripture. Also, I was confident there was far more than just a couple of lines of scripture referring to the Virgin Birth.

So, here is the evidence for the Virgin birth of Jesus Christ.

The Gospel of Matthew, chapter 1:18-24 tells us about Jesus Christ and His mother Mary.

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this: After his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly. 20 But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take to yourself Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 She shall give birth to a son. You shall name him Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.”

22 Now all this has happened that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,

23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child,
 and shall give birth to a son.
They shall call his name Immanuel,”
 which is, being interpreted, “God with us.

24 Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself.

Those scriptures reveal that Mary is the Mother of Jesus, but she didn’t conceive by having sex with Joseph. She conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit working a miracle conception without any human father. The reason for this was that Jesus Christ was to live His life in obedience to God, free of any sin, free of breaking any commandment of God by thought, word or deed. This was important because at the end of Jesus life, his life was to be a sacrifice on the cross for the sins of the world. Also, It was God our Father in Heaven who surrendered His only begotten Son as a sacrifice for sin. No earthly father could do this, it had to be God who provided the sacrifice – according to the prophecy of God.

Prophecy #1.

For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son Jesus Christ, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16.

God sent the angel Gabriel to tell Joseph about the virgin birth, and this was the fulfilment of the prophecy of God, given 700 years earlier through Isaiah.

Prophecy #2.

14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin will conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Prophecy #3.

The angel also told Joseph that he was to name the child (a boy) Jesus (whose name in Hebrew means  “God saves” or “the Lord is Salvation”.

Luke’s Gospel gives more information, beginning with the announcement of a relative of Mary called Elizabeth, who will give birth to a son who will become known as John the Baptist, who will prepare the way for Jesus Christ when He begins his ministry as an adult.

1 Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled among us, 2 even as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus; 4 that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were instructed.

5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the priestly division of Abijah. He had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years.

8 Now while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his division 9 according to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 The whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.

11 An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him,

Prophecy #4.

“Don’t be afraid, Zacharias, because your request has been heard. Your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine nor strong drink. 

Prophecy #5.

He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16 He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 

Prophecy #6.

17 He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to prepare a people prepared for the Lord.”

18 Zacharias said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”

19 The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news

Prophecy #7.

20 Behold, you will be silent and not able to speak until the day that these things will happen, because you didn’t believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”

21 The people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marvelled that he delayed in the temple. 22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. They perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. He continued making signs to them, and remained mute. 23 When the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his house. 24 After these days Elizabeth his wife conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying, 25 “Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked at me, to take away my reproach among men.”

26 Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of David’s house. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 Having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, you highly favoured one! The Lord is with you.

Prophecy #8.

Blessed are you among women!”

29 But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be. 30 The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. 31 Behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and shall name him ‘Jesus.’ 

Prophecy #9.

32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. 

Prophecy #10.

The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 

Prophecy #11.

33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. 

Prophecy #12.

There will be no end to his Kingdom.”

34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?”

Prophecy #13.

35 The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God. 

Prophecy #14.

36 Behold, Elizabeth your relative also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing spoken by God is impossible.”

38 Mary said, “Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.”

Then the angel departed from her.

39 Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah, 40 and entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 She called out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 Why am I so favoured, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy!  45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfilment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!”

46 Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord.
47  My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,
48  for he has looked at the humble state of his servant.
For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed.
49  For he who is mighty has done great things for me.
 Holy is his name.
50  His mercy is for generations and generations on those who fear him.
51 He has shown strength with his arm.
 He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He has put down princes from their thrones,
 and has exalted the lowly.

53 He has filled the hungry with good things.
 He has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has given help to Israel, his servant, that he might remember mercy,
55  as he spoke to our fathers,
 to Abraham and his offspring forever.”

56 Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house.

57 Now the time that Elizabeth should give birth was fulfilled, and she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbours and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 On the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. 60 His mother answered, “Not so; but he will be called John.”

61 They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” 62 They made signs to his father, what he would have him called.

63 He asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, “His name is John.”

They all marvelled. 64 His mouth was opened immediately and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God. 65 Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, “What then will this child be?” The hand of the Lord was with him.

67 His father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,

Prophecy #15.

68 “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
 for he has visited and redeemed his people;
69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David
70  (as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets who have been from of old),

71  salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us;
72 to show mercy toward our fathers,
 to remember his holy covenant,
73 the oath which he swore to Abraham our father,
74  to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies,
 should serve him without fear,
75  in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.
76 And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
 for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways,
77  to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins,
78 because of the tender mercy of our God,
 by which the dawn from on high will visit us,
79  to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death;
 to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

80 The child was growing and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

God gave the following prophecy through Micah some 600 years before the birth of Jesus, that the Messiah, the Christ would be born in Bethlehem.

Prophecy #16.

2 But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
 being small among the clans of Judah,
 out of you one will come out to me that is to be ruler in Israel;
 whose goings out are from of old, from ancient times. Micha 5:2.

I mentioned the prophecy of Isaiah some 700 years before the birth of Jesus Christ. 

14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin will conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

A young lady, a virgin who has sex with a man and becomes pregnant is not a sign from God, there is one born every minute! God was not going to give a 700 year prophecy to be fulfilled in that way.

But a young lady, a virgin who has not had sex with any man, and then becomes pregnant. Now that is a sign from God, particularly if you consider all the other prophecies of God that surround it.

Also, Jesus' life and ministry were full of miracles of God, and even his death was a miracle because Jesus rose from the dead, and after proving himself alive ascended into heaven. It is not surprising then, that there should be something,  a supernatural miracle of God concerning Jesus' birth.

So, there are 16 prophecies of God concerning the Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ, and in rather more than a couple of lines of scripture!

Also, following Jesus Crucifixion, death, resurrection and appearing to His disciples, Jesus told them.

25 He said to them, “Foolish men, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Didn’t the Christ have to suffer these things and to enter into his glory?” 27 Beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.  Luke 24:25-26.

44 He said to them, “This is what I told you, while I was still with you, that all things which are written in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms, concerning me must be fulfilled.”

45 Then he opened their minds, that they might understand the Scriptures. 46 He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Luke 24:44-47.

Here Jesus told them about the Old Testament scriptures prophesied about Jesus Christ, His existence with God at the Creation, His Virgin birth, His ministry, crucifixion, death, resurrection and ascension into heaven. Also the prophecies that refer to Jesus’s return at the end of this present age.

In my book, I have listed 100 prophecies of God that not only prove God exists and that the Virgin Birth of Jesus is true. But also that since the beginning of creation, the history of humankind has been unfolding according to the predetermined plan and purpose of God.

You can read my 300-Page  Paperback Book at £15- But you can read my 300-page eBook  for FREE, because it is availalbe as a FREE DOWNLOAD from my website at www.EvidenceForGod.co.uk