700-year prophesy still affects lives 2000+ years later

Photo by Michael Woodward

Photo by Michael Woodward

Some 700 years before the birth of Jesus, the biblical prophet Isaiah was predicting the coming of a great deliverer, a mighty leader who would be the direct result of God's intervention to save the people of Israel, God's own chosen, from the Assyrians and Babylonians.

In chapter 9, verses 6-7, Isaiah speaks plainly:

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

"Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this."

- Isaiah 9:6-7, New International Version

The New Testament gospel of Matthew, written some 50-70 years after Christ's death and resurrection, references Isaiah's prediction when first it recounts the genealogy of Jesus Christ from Abraham through 14 generations to King David, another 14 generations to the Israelite's exile to Babylon (we know it today as Iraq) and yet another 14 generations from the exile to the birth of Jesus.

"All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:

'The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel - which means God with us.'" - <B>Matthew 1:22-23, NIV</B>

Even the wise men, the Magi from the east, knew of Isaiah's prophesies. They told King Herod that the Christ would be born in Bethlehem in Judea, based on Isaiah's 700-year-old statement to that effect:

"But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel."

Our front cover depicts what the wise men did when they finally found the baby,

While the journey of the wise men from the east had been set in motion long before the actual birth of Jesus - they arrived just a few days later, according to scripture - the first to hear of the Messiah's birth were the lowly shepherds who were out in the fields watching their flocks.

"An angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

"But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.'

- Luke 2:9-12, NIV

Those shepherds, my friends, were eyewitnesses to one of the world's greatest miracles, some 2000 years ago.