Womeninthechurch27

Women in the Bible

Lesson Twenty-Seven: by turtle

Last week we talked about the forerunner of Christ and the women in John’s life that effect
Him directly. We only touched base on Elizabeth and so we will continue talking about
Elizabeth and also her cousin Mary, who is one of the most spoken about women in the Bible.
The virgin Mary was a devout Jew. No doubt she was humble and young woman of faith. Her
life would be changed by one conversation with an angel. Elizabeth life would be changed the
moment her husband came home and could not speak. Both of these women had God ordain
pregnancy. Only three other cases in the Bible can I recall of such events. For example, Isaac,
was a promised birth. Samuel was a wanted birth, but promised by God of conception. And
then there is Samson, who is conception also of divine intervention.

Elizabeth, Sarah, Hannah and Manoah’s wife and Mary all had visitation of some kind from an
angel of the Lord. Sarah though know actually verbal communication with the Lord or his
angels, Abraham spoke with God and was told of the birth of Isaac to come. Like Sarah,
Elizabeth husband was the one told of the coming birth. Hannah was told by the priest Eli, she
would conceive. Manoah’s wife who is Samson mother had a visit by an angel who spoke both
to her about having a child. Mary was visited by an angel with a particular name, Gabriel. Only
Elizabeth and Sarah were to old to have children. Elizabeth, Hannah, and Manoah’s wife all
would have children dedicated to the service of God. Sarah son would have a divine purpose as
well, for he would be a father of a great nation. He would carry on the promise of God to future
generations, just like Jacob his son. Jacob however would be the one to carry the name Israel.
Mary divine purpose to carry the Messiah that would be the Messiah not just to her people but
to all people.

The Messiah would be prophesied about from one generation to another, beginning with
Abraham.

Genesis 12:3 KJV
(3) And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all
families of the earth be blessed.

Acts 3:25 KJV
(25) Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers,
saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.

Eve would be the mother of all living in the since of all humankind, but Mary would be the
mother of the only begotten Son of God Who would save His people from their sins.

Genesis 3:16 KJV
(16) Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow
thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over
thee.

Luke 1:35 KJV
(35) And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the
power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born
of thee shall be called the Son of God.

Luke 1:28-35 KJV
(28) And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is
with thee: blessed art thou among women.
(29) And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner
of salutation this should be.
(30) And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
(31) And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his
name JESUS.
(32) He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give
unto him the throne of his father David:
(33) And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no
end.
(34) Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
(35) And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the
power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born
of thee shall be called the Son of God.

Matthew 1:18-25 KJV
(18) Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to
Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
(19) Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick
example, was minded to put her away privily.
(20) But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in
a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that
which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
(21) And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his
people from their sins.
(22) Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the
prophet, saying,
(23) Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his
name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
(24) Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and
took unto him his wife:
(25) And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name
JESUS.

Now knowing that Jesus would be the Messiah, the Son of God as well as the one prophesied
about. One needs to look Did Mary and her conception meet up with all the prophesy
concerning the Christ child. Lets start with the time and place of birth prophesy.

Daniel 9:25-26 KJV
(25) Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore
and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and
two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
(26) And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the
people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end
thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

538 B.C. Messiah coming was again prophesied about. Still this is many years before Christ
birth and yet the foretelling of Christ coming can be traced even to Genesis. What fascinating
about Bible prophecy is the accuracy of it. Often we think of Christ birth being at a time of
peace and safety. I think it is because He is the the Prince of Peace, but it is further from the
truth. Jerusalem was under Roman rule. There would be a rebuilding of the temple and also the
wall. Then Christ came, born in a manger. Thirty seven years after Christ death the Temple
would be destroyed in 70 AD. Some scholars debate the time in which the temple was actually
destroyed, but if you do some math 70 AD makes more since.

Now what the point of all this concerning the prophesy, so what it came to pass. It is the
accuracy in which it came ot pass. It means the truth was told. There is no way one would know
of Roman being in charge. This is where our hope begins, when one understands the truth of
God’s word and His accuracy to tell us things we need to know to build our faith, it brings a
blessing of joy and hope for future prophesy to come to pass. For example we know one day
Christ will return, yet we also know Christ told us the hour was unknown but to the our
Heavenly Father. Meaning we could not have that information. So those groups out there
predicting 2012AD beware you are not telling the truth. Christians we are to hold on the hope
of our salvation and Christ return with the knowledge in His coming we will see all He has
foretold us about. In the mean time we need to keep busy doing those things Christ has
commanded us to do.

What signs were given concerning these events specifically concerning the Christ child.

Isaiah 7:14 KJV
(14) Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear
a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

God some how always seems to give a sign for events that are going to unfold so that those who
believe might know when prophesy is going to be fulfilled. No doubt men and women of faith
understood that when the sign of a virgin who son would be called Immanuel that God was
fulfilling the promise He had spoken to the prophet about. Yet many knowing the scriptures
would deny who Jesus truly was and is. Luke and Matthew both speak of Emmanuel. The
reason for the difference in Isaiah, and the New Testament spelling is the Old Testament is
Hebrew spelling and the New Testament is the Greek spelling.

Next week we will continue discussing the prophesy and also Mary’s visit to Elizabeth as well as
the birth of Christ. There is a lot that can be discussed and looked at, but I think certain facts
are needed to be established first.