The Annunciation – The Angel Gabriel Gives Mary The Good News

In Luke Chapter 1, the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, a virgin, and announced that she would be the mother of Jesus. After some clarifying banter, Mary declared, “Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.” (Luke 1:38) She recognized her role as a servant in God’s plan to send Jesus into the world. However, everything hinged on her believing God’s Word spoken by the angel. Mary was an excellent choice, because she confidently confessed faith in His Word. She is a wonderful example for all Believers on how to hear, believe, and act on God’s Word.

Preparing The Earth For The Promised Seed

For approximately 4,000 years, the Earth waited for the manifestation of God’s Son. God’s Word was spoken through the prophets, and in some cases directly to mankind. Jesus was the promised Seed of a woman. (Genesis 3:15) Born of a virgin, he was known as Immanuel – God With Us. (Isaiah 7:14) He was a descendent of David. (Isaiah 9:6-7, 11:1-4) Bethlehem was the birthplace. (Micah 5:2) The entire universe yielded to God’s Word and produced exactly what was spoken, because God’s Word never fails. (Luke 1:37) His Word will accomplish His desire. (Isaiah 55:10-11) God cannot lie. (Numbers 23:19) It is only thwarted by the tradition of men, unbelief, and rejecting His Word. (Proverbs 6:2, Matthew 12:33-37, 13:58, 15:6, 17:20, Mark 7:13, Hebrews 3:7-19)

Zacharias’ Unbelief Versus Mary’s Curiosity.

God’s plan was in the hands of a virgin betrothed to Joseph. Would this simple Jewish teenager believe God’s Word? Mary listened carefully to Gabriel, the Messenger of God, tell her what was about to happen. She did not doubt God’s Word like Zacharias. (Luke 1:11-25) His demand for a sign was answered by Gabriel temporarily removing his ability to speak until after John the Baptist was born. As long as he was silent, his unbelief could not undermine the promised child. Its a powerful reminder of the importance of choosing your words wisely. (Numbers 14:26-28, Matthew 12:31-37, Mark 11:21-23, James 3:1-10)

Birth Of Jesus Foretold

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”
— Luke 1:26-28 <NLT>

Zacharias thought himself too old. Mary’s concern was her youth. She was legally married, but according to custom, had yet to be intimate with her husband. This explains why Joseph considered a quiet divorce when he learned of the pregnancy. (Matthew 1:18-25) Instead of professing doubt, she expressed curiosity about how conception would take place. Gabriel explained it succinctly, “The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you. The Holy Offspring which shall be born will be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35)

The Word Became Flesh

The conception of Jesus was an act of the Holy Spirit, in cooperation with Mary’s faith in the Word spoken by Gabriel. The Word became flesh and tabernacled with us. (John 1) There was no sexual union between God and Mary like pagan mythology. Mary believed God’s Word, allowing the Seed to become Jesus, the Son of Man. Mary was the door, or legal entry into the Earth. Satan used deception to gain access to the Earth before. God sent His Son, born of a woman, but without the sin nature of the first Adam. Jesus operated as a man, exercising man’s God-given authority, combined with the Anointing, Word and Wisdom of the Father. He was the Last Adam, providing the perfect example for Believers to imitate. Jesus fulfilled the Law, and paid the price for sin for all time. (Genesis 3, Psalm 115:15-16, Isaiah 61:1, Matthew 5:17-18, 9:35, John 10, Acts 10:36-43, 1 Corinthians 15:45-50, Ephesians 5:1-2, Philippians 2:5-11, Colossians 2:6-15, 1 Peter 1:22-25, 1 John 3:8-10)

You Will Name Him Jesus

30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”
— Luke 1:30-33 <NLT>

For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment.
Luke 1:37 <AMP>

The Annunciation – Gabriel Announces The Birth Of Jesus To Mary

God’s Word The Incorruptible Seed

God Is Love. (1 John 4:7-13) His Word Is Truth. (Psalm 33:4-11, Proverbs 30:5-6, John 17:17-19) Armed with the knowledge of God’s nature, and His faithfulness, you can trust God’s Word even in the face of contradictory information. There was no physical evidence that Mary would conceive. All she had to cling to was God’s Word. Think about that for a moment. God’s Word is incorruptible Seed. It will always produce. Plant it in your heart, protect it, cast down imaginations and thinking that contradicts His Word. (2 Corinthians 10:3-6) As you read God’s Word, take what applies to you as a Believer personally. Then, like Mary, you can say,  “Be it unto me according to thy word.” (Luke 1:38)

For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.
Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.
-- Psalm 119:89, 105, 130, 160 <KJV>

God’s Word – A Lamp To Your Feet

Psalm 119 should be read often. It is a revelation of God’s Word. The Bible is not just a book. From Genesis to Revelation, it is the Living Word of God, revealing His will for mankind. It is a revelation of Jesus Christ. You cannot separate God from His Word. If you want to truly trust God, you must know Him intimately. This comes from continually reading and meditating His Word. (Joshua 1:8) That is how faith comes, how Life is produced, as well as success in every area of your existence. You must have an absolute confidence in the faithfulness of God, and the integrity of His Word. Do you want to imitate Jesus? Trust God’s Word. Speak it boldly, hear it, believe it, and act on it. (Psalm 1:1-3, 119:1-176, John 5:37-47, Romans 10:17, Hebrews 4:12-13, 2 Timothy 3:14-17)

When it comes to God’s Word for your life, let this be your continual confession.

Heavenly Father, Be It Unto Me According To Your Word.

Faith Building Exercise

Say these out loud every day until you believe them in your spirit. They will build your faith. Look up these verses and read them as they appear in your Bible. You can always trust God’s Word because He cannot lie.

God will not break His covenant, nor alter what He has spoken. He will not lie like a man. What He says, He will do. What He has spoken, He will make it good.
(Numbers 23:19, Psalm 89:34)

My God is a faithful God. He keeps His covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations.
(Deuteronomy 7:9)

The Words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. His Word is true from the beginning: and every one of His righteous judgments endures for ever.
(Psalm 12:6, Psalm 119:160)

As the rain and snow come down from heaven and stay upon the ground to water the earth, and cause the grain to grow and to produce seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry, so also is God’s Word. He sends it out, and it always produces fruit. It shall accomplish all He wants it to and prosper everywhere He sends it.
(Isaiah 55:10-11)

I am blessed because I hear God’s Word and do it.
(Luke 11:28)

I was born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which lives and abides for ever. All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flowers fall away, but the Word of the Lord endures for ever.
(1 Peter 1:23-25)

Some Reading Suggestions For Mary, Birth of Jesus and Word of God:
Did God Really Say – A blog post on God’s Word.
Mary, Gabriel & the Birth of Jesus – Bible paraphrase and comments

For additional Nativity resources

Image Source: Birth Of Jesus ForetoldGood News Productions International and College Press Publishing / FreeBibleimages.org

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