Prophecy 20: Isaiah 53:11

Daily Thoughts – December 24^th   

Prophecy 20: Isaiah 53:11

"After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities." - Isaiah 53:11
Isaiah 53:11 and cross references

Merry Christmas to my friends and family.  As most of you know I love Christian music, especially this time of year. One of my favorite Christmas songs though is; "Mary did you know"; by Mark Lowry. It has been sung by many artists in many different settings, but I was fortunate enough to see Michael English sing it at a Christmas concert last year. For those of you unfamiliar, here are few of the lyrics:

Mary did you know
that your baby boy would save our sons and daughters
Did you know
that your baby boy has come to make you new.
This child that you delivered
will soon deliver you.

What was going through Mary's mind as the day of her child's birth drew near? As any woman 9 months along in her pregnancy, she could not have been comfortable. I'm sure her back ached, the weight of a healthy strong baby bearing down on her small body during that 2-3 day journey to Bethlehem, riding atop a donkey. Her mother wasn't there to hold her hand and help her through it. No, Mary was not having a "good" time carrying the Savior of the world.

As any mother would be, she deeply loved the child before he was born. She probably had sung hymns and psalms to him over the past 9 months. But, she did have the knowledge of who she was carrying. So, were there moments of extreme sorrow and pain that she went through when she thought of these prophecies from Isaiah which describe his life and death? She couldn't have known to what extent he would have to go to save the world, but she knew in her heart that her son would die one day for the iniquities of all mankind.

Christmas is but a few days away. I truly hope that these last few weeks you have pondered these Messianic Prophecies leading up to the birth of Jesus Christ with the same wonder and awe that I do. 400 years, 500 years even 1000 years before his birth, the prophets were detailing his life as only God Almighty could through their pen. This child came for one purpose only and that was to die for our sins that we might have eternal life one day. As you celebrate Christmas with your family and loved ones over the next few days, don't focus only on His birth, but on His purpose. Be blessed, my friends.

- Rich

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Prophecy 5: Isaiah 7:14

Daily Thoughts – December 6^th

Prophecy 5: Isaiah 7:14

"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." - Isaiah 7:14

Isaiah 7:14 and cross references

Most, if not all of you are familiar with this prophecy. It is quoted in most pulpits and on the radio nearly every year at this time of advent, as we prepare for Christmas. But, for the few moments, you are spending reading this today, I want you to imagine that you are an Israelite in the year 732 BC and the prophet Isaiah speaks these words to king Ahaz. This done in response to Ahaz's refusal to go to the Lord for a sign himself.

What is this nonsense of a virgin conceiving and giving birth to a son? What must they have thought at that time? They had been looking for a Messiah that would come as King of the Jews and defend them from the armies of Assyria and Egypt. The Jews would recognize the name Immanuel to mean "God with us." and translate that to mean the Messiah. Their hope and belief were for an immediate revelation of this virgin, so as to introduce the Messiah in a timely manner to defend their lands. The Israelites would end up losing their land to the Assyrians in the year 722 BC.

By the time Mary encountered the angel Gabriel most had discounted the prophecy and/or forgotten it. So when Mary was divinely impregnated it was overlooked and not believed. According to the law of that day, Mary would have been called before the rulers and stoned when they discovered her condition. We know from the book of Matthew that Gabriel also visited Joseph who then defended Mary and married her to avoid any punishment or embarrassment. So it could be said that the Pharisees, who knew the law and prophecy more so than any other at that time, encountered the fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14 and didn't recognize it right in front of them.

Are we that way today? Is Christ on the precipice of returning in the very near future? There are signs that would say yes, and the question is as we see those signs; Are we ready for Christ's return?

- Rich

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She Said “Yes”

“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”  - Genesis 3:15

Take close note of the reference in this prophetic scripture -“…her seed…”.  We all know, or should know based on your age, that conception comes from the seed of the father and the egg of the mother.  This prophecy was directly from the Lord to the serpent in the garden after he had deceived Adam and Eve into sin.  In this case though God references “her seed” which can be connected to Isaiah 7:14 – “Behold, a virgin will conceive….” 

Mary, Did You Know

Mary, did you know
That your Baby Boy would one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know
That your Baby Boy would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know
That your Baby Boy has come to make you new?
This Child that you delivered will soon deliver you

Mary, did you know
That your Baby Boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary, did you know
That your Baby Boy will calm the storm with His hand?
Did you know
That your Baby Boy has walked where angels trod?
When you kiss your little Baby, you kissed the face of God?

Oh, Mary did you know, ooh

The blind will see
The deaf will hear
The dead will live again
The lame will leap
The dumb will speak
The praises of The Lamb

Mary, did you know
That your Baby Boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary, did you know
That your Baby Boy would one day rule the nations?
Did you know
That your Baby Boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?
The sleeping Child you're holding is the great, I am
 

In Luke’s 1^st chapter, verse 30-31, the angel Gabriel comes to Mary, “So the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you shall give Him the name Jesus.”  The child would be conceived without a man, but through the Holy Spirit coming upon Mary.  Therefore the zygote, the embryo, was conceived with perfect, sinless blood.  Unlike every other human up to that point and since (other than Adam and Eve) who are created through the seed of the man (filled with sin through generations from the original sin in the garden). 

Did Mary know everything the angel explained to her?  Who knows, but it is unlikely that she could fully comprehend everything that her son would go through in his life.  From scripture we learn that she knew:
- He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High
- The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David
- He will reign over the house of Jacob forever
- His kingdom will never end!
-  the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God

In the custom of that day she would have relied heavily upon her father as the spiritual leader of their household to understand scriptures.  Many prophecies had foretold of the Messiah, and here the angel Gabriel had told her that she would bear this child, the Messiah, the chosen one of God, Immanuel.  Could she have understood all of the prophecies which spoke of his persecution, tortuous death and resurrection?  Most likely not, but she trusted in God’s plan and humbled herself to be used in His plan, even if that meant being disowned by her family, her betrothed and her community.

In Luke 1:38, “Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.”  She knew what the Lord wanted her to know and nothing more.  So when we think about this wonderful, beautiful song, Mary-Did You Know, we have to be honest and say, NO.  There is no way she knew everything that was to come and everything that her son would do for humanity.  But, we are all so blessed that she trusted in the Lord’s omnipotence and plan.

Be Blessed,

Rich

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Mary Did You Know

Read It, Learn It, Live It, Share It

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”  – Isaiah 7:14

 I sat in the waiting room just two weeks ago, waiting for the miracle of birth to enter into my family once again.  My daughter was giving birth to my 3^rd granddaughter – Isabella Grace.  As I sat there in the hospital waiting room, my mind was adrift in thought of who this baby girl would grow up to be.  Would she have blond hair like her mother, would she laugh with the same twinkle in her eye?  What was it like to be in the womb with God the Father right at that moment. What plans will the Lord have for her with the life He has given her?  How will she change the world for His Kingdom?  What an amazing life she will have.

Based on scripture in Luke’s 1^st book, Mary, the blessed mother of our Savior – Jesus Christ, knew that she carried the Messiah.  She knew that through God would fulfill this scripture of Isaiah 7:14 through her.  Nine months pass from the moment that Gabriel visited Mary with the news of God’s plan.  During that gestation period, Mary felt the Savior of the world developing and growing within her body.  There came that moment in the 4^th or 5^th month when her little waistline expanded beneath her robes.  Then she would feel a flutter, a tickle inside as the Savior rolled over within her womb.  With modern day technology time transported back to those days – an ultrasound would have shown Jesus Christ sucking his thumb, stretching his legs as a foot presses against Mary’s side as she feels him kicking. 

I envision Mary with her hands overlapped on her swollen belly, cradling her unborn child.  She sings him soft Jewish lullabys handed down from generation to generation.  Mary’s physical state would have been obvious to those in Nazareth by her 3^rd trimester.  Perhaps there were sneers and gossip amongst the neighbors.  Perhaps she lost the trust of her parents, or perhaps they saw the glorious plan of the Lord unveiling before their eyes and accepted it at face value.  Did Mary cry herself to sleep at night as she contemplated the scriptures of prophecy?  Especially Isaiah 53:5, describing how Messiah would be pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities and punished for our unrighteousness.  Did she comprehend these powerful words describing her son’s death?

On that glorious night in Bethlehem did Mary hold the baby Jesus close to her bosom with every intention of protecting him from any harm in life.  There’s no way she could have envisioned everything that Christ would bring to the world.  She could not have projected the miracles he would one day deliver.  We have no scriptural verification that Mary had any insight to Jesus saving grace, through God’s perfect plan.  As His body hung on the cross she wept bitterly.  She visited Him in the tomb just as she would any other beloved family member who had passed away.  None of this could have been envisioned by this young woman as she held her baby that night.

Mary, did you know
that your baby boy will one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know
that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know,
that your baby boy has come to make you new?
This child that you've delivered,
will soon deliver you

Prayer:
Almighty God,
You brought the Savior of the world to a young, God fearing virgin just as You said You would.  You brought forth Your Son in the flesh to walk amongst mankind, that we might learn from His actions, words and love.  You have given us the scriptures to learn from and to hold close to our chest in times of need.  Lord, help us to not miss Your plan of redemption and tribulation when it happens just as the prophecies say it will.  Help us to be watchmen on the alert at all times for the return of Messiah – In Your name we pray – Amen.

© Sondove Enterprises, 2013
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