The virgin birth of Jesus Christ is presented as a foundational doctrine essential for salvation, with the sermon refuting historical and contemporary denials of this truth. The passage examines the interpretation of Isaiah 7:14, arguing that the Hebrew word 'almah' specifically means 'virgin,' supported by internal biblical evidence from Exodus, Psalms, Proverbs, and Song of Solomon, and contrasting it with the 'young woman' interpretation. The sermon further contends that the virgin birth could not have been an 'intrigue' due to the diverse social and geographical backgrounds of those involved, and highlights its profound influence on the scriptures and the salvation of sinners. Ultimately, the virgin birth is declared the keystone of biblical prophecy, enabling Christ to fulfill his roles as the seed of the woman, Abraham, and David, and making salvation possible.
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I came to certain places in Scripture, first in the book of Isaiah. Isaiah chapter seven. Verse fourteen. Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall contain a mere trunk. I shall call his name Emmanuel. Second scripture please in the Gospel by Matthew. The first chapter.
And she shall bring forth a son. And thou shalt call his name Jesus, but he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son. And they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted as God with us.
Again, the Lord will bless this reading from its precious word. I would like to talk to you this evening about the virgin birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. Any subject dealing with our Lord demands delicacy and reverence and godliness. with such a subject we feel motive like to take the shoes from up our feet, the place whereon we stand is holy ground. It has always been the intention of the evil one to make the virgin birth of Christ his special target.
When John wrote his epistle, his first epistle, there were elements living then who denied the genuine manhood of Christ, and would not accept the virgin birth of the Lord Jesus. In three specific groups, one was called the Ebionite, a second group called the Dostasis, and the third group were called the Serendium. The Ebionite, they practiced Judaism. They would not accept the apostleship of Paul. and they would not accept a virgin birth.
The sociologists may say that the Lord Jesus was not a genuine man. That what man saw was a theophany or a Christophany or an apparition or a ghost. But he was not a real man. The third group called the Serenthians they would not accept the genuine manhood and the deity of the Lord Jesus in Bland. They said the Christ Spirit came upon him at his baptism and left him at his death. These three elements were propagating their wicked feelings in that day.
John takes up his pen and in one single verse he completely repudiates these wicked doctrines. He says that which was from the beginning we have heard, we have seen with our eyes, we have looked upon and our hands of handles of the word of life. Now the devil hasn't changed his tactics. In fact he is intensifying his attacks today upon the virgin birth of the Lord Jesus. an ascertain liberal element in the Roman Catholic hierarchy that today are denying the virgin birth of the Lord Jesus.
Who would have thought that such a people would synthesize such a vital doctrine? And we cannot allow the reasoning or the philosophy of men to change our thinking. I was traveling home from having meetings in Seventh-Third Street, New York City. In the past one day, I sat down beside a lady, and she told me that she was a Roman Catholic by persuasion. But she said, I am not practicing my religion because I do not believe in a virgin birth. She said, biologically, it was impossible.
I said, you are exactly right. But this was something that only God could do. And if there's no virgin birth, my friend, then there's no salvation for fallen humanity. We hold on tenaciously to the virgin birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. There are certain mysteries that are no longer mysteries. We have been initiated by the grace of God into certain mysteries. But Paul wrote to Timothy and he said, Great is the mystery of godliness.
God manifests in the flesh. This evening I would like to handle this subject, first of all, talking about the virgin birth and interpretation. Secondly, the virgin birth and intrigue. And finally, the virgin birth and influence. There are two words in our present Old Testament. The word virgin comes from two Hebrew words, either the word batula or the word alma. Now there is much confusion today as to the interpretation of the word virgin in verse fourteen of chapter seven.
As far as the word batura is concerned, there is not much difficulty. This is the state of the individual regardless of her age. But there is tremendous confusion as to the meaning of the word ulna. And we discover in some of the paraphrasing in our present day, and they render the word in chapter seven verse fourteen as a young woman. As we have a change of God, what kind of a sign would this be? God said to Ahaz, Ahaz, I want you to ask of Nehemiah that shall be for all generations.
And under the sphere of false spirituality, he said, I can't ask a sign from God. God says, well, I'll give you a sign anyway, a sign for all generations. Now if this had been a newly married woman, what kind of a sign would this be? Ever since Eve, days birth to Eve, married women have been giving birth to children. There is one school of thought produced by a man called Desenius, an outstanding Hebraist, an outstanding scholar, but he is a man who is a ranked modernist.
And he says that the meaning of the word Virgin, the word Alma, means a young married woman. But Dr. Tegela, a man of light, academic brilliance, and also a man of God, he says that the word Alma means a virgin. Now we ask ourselves the question, who is right? The Hebrides Gethenius or the Hebrides Tagalog? Well, we know that there is sufficient internal evidence in the Word of God to prove that Dr.
Tregel is right, that the meaning of the word Alma means a version. Let us go through the word of God for our positive proof. The word of God never fails in relation to a fundamental doctrine or principle. The first time the word Alma is used is found in Exodus chapter two on verse eight. Remember the boy Moses was placed in the ark of Bo-Rashi by his mother, hiding him from the monarch Pharaoh. And Pharaoh's daughter came down to the riverside to bathe.
And the child began to meet. But standing not far from that ark of Bo-Rashi was Miriam, the sister of Moses. And she came to say to her daughter, and she said, Shall I seek for thee, one of the Hebrew women, to nurse the child? I will read these words that Miriam, she went and fetched the Hebrew nurse, which was her mother. And it says there that she was a maid. Esau was Alma. She was a virgin. The second type that is mentioned is in Psalm sixty-eight.
And there we read that the musician went ahead with an instrument, and they were followed by the singer, and the damsel with a timbre. Now the damsel, the word there is alma, a virgin. The third reference is found in Proverbs chapter thirty. Solomon says there will be four things that are too wonderful for him. The way of the eagle in the air. The way of the serpent on the rock. The way of a ship in the sea.
And the way of a man with a man. The words of David. Once in the song of Solomon. study how this word presented to us. In chapter one, because of the King's favor of thy ointment, thy name is ascertained so forth, therefore do the Virgin love thee with the word Alma. In chapter six of the song, the third letter, there is one from the court of King Solomon, where He spoke to both both concubines and virgins.
He was outnumbered. It's a word out now. But the very thing of God, the classic example is found in Genesis chapter twenty-four. The member Abraham sent his servant across the river to bring back a choice bride. for I did. And she was to be a type of the Spirit of God, just as I did, is a type of our Lord Jesus Christ. And all that... She came down to the well with your water. The Bible says, and she was a virgin.
Alma. Remember this. Abraham says, there's no lady in the surrounding country good enough in my island. I want the very best for my island. Do you think for a moment that Jesus would have been satisfied to have a newly married woman he brought across the river to marry his island? It's a possibility. This has to be someone who was a deader death for us. The internal evidence of the Word of God is to simply indicate that the proper interpretation is the word Allah means a burden.
And you be very careful, friend, in your study of the Word of God. It is presently translated that a deliberate movement to nullify the fundamentals of the Word of God. In Genesis, in Psalm twenty-two, in the today's New English Bible, the recent New English Bible, where it leads in the King James Version, that they pierce his hands and his feet, in the New English Bible it says they have talked with hands and his feet. Now how can you hack a hand without breaking a bone? And the Bible says not a bone of him shall be broken.
We have to be very, very careful with the presently translation so-called the paraphrasing. That is all in relation to the Septuagint, the Old Testament. But remember the New Testament was written from the Greek language. And I quickly read for you Matthew chapter one. The corroboration of Isaiah chapter seven on verse forty. All this was done says Matthew. To fulfill that which was spoken by the prophet. Behold, I heard you shall compete on verse four.
That's right. His name Emmanuel. Yes. Without. so much for the virgin birth and interpretation. Secondly, the virgin birth and increased. There were those who said that the mention of a Messiah born of a virgin was a plot, that it was an increase to bolster the shagging and the flagging spirit of the nation. This deal was under the subjugation of the Roman Empire, and these proud Hebrews resented this foreign domination.
And so this was a plot to inspire the flagging spirit of the nation and for them to arrive and gain the glory of a solemn kingdom and overthrow the Roman Church. Could this be an intrigue? locally, socially and moderately, it was impossible for this mention of a virgin birth to be an increase. The fewer mentioned or involved in a plot, the more likely it is for its success. Now just take for a moment those who were immediately involved in the birth of the Lord Jesus.
As to locality, as to location. Well, as you know, Mary and Joseph, they came from Nazareth, from the north section of the country of Israel. Then there were the shepherds, and locally they were many, many miles away from Nazareth. These shepherds were working in the fields of Bethlehem. Then there was the Elizabeth and her husband, Zachariah. They belonged to the hill country of Judea.
And what about the mystery from the east? These wise men came from many, many miles across the west. They were involved in the birth of the Lord Jesus in the event. And then over in the city of Jerusalem, was old Simeon and Anna. These were individuals immediately connected with the birth of the Lord Jesus. Why, Beloved Chains of God, it would take nine years for these people to get together, never mind nine months. There were no D.C. nine even days. How would it flow?
Communication is limited. How could these people be involved? in any instance. As he was Asian, it was important. Crucially, it was important. Mary and Joseph were then very poor. Zechariah and Elizabeth, they belonged to the aristocracy. They belonged to the peaceful family. They were descendants from Iran. The settlers were hardworking men, working round the clock at this particular day.
It was a lambing season. Obviously, the wise men were very rich. So fortunately, it was impossible for these to get together. And sitting in the old prophet, obviously was dependent upon God for his dearly sustenance. And dear old Anna was over a hundred years of age, and she departed not from the temple day or night. Fortunately, it was impossible to form an injury. And morally, these dear folks would not be involved in anything.
What kind of a man was killed in it? I find Joseph was a man that was unrivaled in Israel. When he thought there was something curious going on, he thought to send his wife Mary away to the temple, so that she would not become a public examiner. Under the law, it was demanded, if this be the case, that she should be put to death. But such was his love for Mary that he would not make her a public ignorance. And he was willing to keep her away from her.
You think that man could be involved in any intrigue? And he was a man that responded so wonderfully to the voice of God. God sent to him, Moses, that which is conceived in Mary is of the Holy Ghost. And thou shalt call his name Jesus. And Joseph called him Jesus. And when the Holy Spirit said to him, Joseph, you take Mary and the child down to Egypt. He immediately responded to the word of God. And he went down to Egypt. Did this man be involved in any injury?
His dear wife was one who was amazing. When she was told to by Gabriel, she said, how shall these things be? She and I know not a man. She emphasized her moral purity. She did not be involved. The handmaid of the Lord. We see her dignity to Christ and to God in her agony. And the last thing we see of Mary is in the upper room. with the disciples praying. She goes out and she commends the handmaid of the Lord.
No, she couldn't be involved in any trouble. Zachariah and Elizabeth, the Bible said that they were blameless and they were careful. God's hearing people, they could not be involved in any injury. What about the man from the east? These mystics from the east, they were man to do something about God, to do something about the guidance of God, because they were controlled by the star.
They had left something of Abram's property away back in the homeland. Because Balaam, under the direction of the Spirit of God, got a preview of the humanity and the supremacy of the Lord Jesus. Balaam, that ungodly man, that lover of the wages of unrighteousness, he said of the Lord Jesus that he would run as the star out of Jacob and as a secretary out of Israel. So they learned something from the word of God. They were guided by the divine revelation. And they were controlled by the movement of the star.
And their goal was him. Think of these men coming many, many miles, maybe hundreds of miles. And their objective, their goal was him. Where is he that is born king, not a king. and when he finally reached the Lord Jesus, they found Mary and a child and they worshipped him. The accuracy after divine revelation, they worshipped him. These were men of God and they opened up their treasures and they purposely selected something from their treasures, in its entirety to that day.
One selected day. One selected mercy. One selected frankincense. It says they opened up their treasure. And they selected something specific. The ghost tells me who he is. The frankincense tells me what it is on the mercy. Tell me what he did. Go speak to us of humility. He was the son of God and a new life type. He was the son of God. That's who he was. The frankincense tells us what he became.
In the new offering, one of the ingredients was frankincense. The word became flesh. And the myrrh tells me what he would do. And they knew what he would do. There are three things characterized myrrh. It's bitter to the dead. It's sweet to the smell. And it's for healing. And this speaks to us of the work of Pauline. They knew that child was born to death. And Calvary was bitter to the life. It is sweet to us. and the healing power as we present the gospel of the glory of the Blessed God.
Could these men be involved in anything? It was impossible. The shepherds were reverential men and we discovered that they were men that knew how to create men. Simeon in Jerusalem was just, he was devout. He was a man that was led by the Spirit of God. When he saw the little child, he said, Now let us thy fervent departing thee. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation. And what about dear Anna? At least a hundred years of age.
Do you read that she said, God is thirsty and in prayer night and day? What an example to us. The temple was at home. And the state of heaven to all those that look for the redemption that is there. No beloved age should not be involved in any increase. And finally, we have the virgin birth and influence. The virgin birth has an influence on the word of God. On the scriptures. And it has an influence on the sinner.
We have a concentration. With the birth of Christ. And there is no escape. We either accept it by faith. Or we reject it. Like a friend in the Bible. From the Bible. There is no explanation. Proverbs twenty five says. It is the glory of God to conceal it. That's good enough for me. The virgin birth, an influence upon the scriptures. The virgin birth is the keystone in the prophetic arch. Take away that keystone and the arch disintegrate.
Now we think of God, there are three vital scriptures, many more. But three vital scriptures that have their fulfillment, In the birth of God. You remember the Lord God himself, the first gospel preacher. In the presence of Satan, he preached about the seed of the woman. And secondly, there was the seed of Abraham. And secondly, there was the seed of David. Now these three scriptures had the fulfillment in the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. The seed of the woman had to do with the breaking of Satan's power.
The seed of Abraham had to do with the inheritance of the blessing. And the seed of David had to do with the possession of the throne. So you see how Bible is the virgin birth of Christ. The siege of a woman had to do with the breaking of Satan's power. And so that verse that we have passed on with Ithogony in Hebrews two verse fourteen. For as much as the children were partakers of blood and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same. But through death he might destroy him who had the power of death.
One of our dear sisters down at the nursery board was reading that very scripture about the annulment of saving power to this dear old lady, ninety-two years of age. And she ejaculated, hallelujah, I was listening behind. And you and I owe everything to the seed of everything. And his power has been done with my heart. And tonight we are more than conquerors. through him the Lord. He went down into death, and he ran and empowered him through the power of death. Satan's power of the devil.
He also had to do with the seed of Abraham. And so in the Hebrew article, we read in chapter two verse sixteen that he laid forth not upon angels, but upon the seed of Abraham. And tonight you and I enjoy spiritual blessings. fast between us Israel through the birth and the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. And he was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, says Romans chapter one by the Apostle Paul. We look forward to the man who one day will possess the throne.
He's as good as that. I have set my things upon my holy hill of thy God says that in his season he'll present him the brutal and the only potent death, the king of kings and Lord of lords. And one day he shall gain from Jerusalem, from the governmental and religious metropolis of the universe, and his glory will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. That's our choice. Now Matthew, he traces that genealogy to Abraham through David's life.
Why Matthew? Why was Matthew so interested in the genealogy of life? Well, Matthew was a tax driver. He belonged to the external revenue department and they owned a business. He had to build a background of a various individual. And Matthew also was used with keeping records. So you see how wise is thou great then? He chose less. And moreover, Matthew was a Levite. And he was used to tend with the holy things of God. Remember the Levites, the Lederites, the Gershonites and the Corsites.
He handled the holy things of God. Now Matthew chapter, that genealogy, Matthew Abraham through David's life. Now had he been Joseph's son, he would not have had the right to the throne of Israel. But because Joseph was legally married to Mary, the Lord Jesus had the right to the throne of David through his mother's son. Why was not he alive the throne through Joseph's life? Because in Jeremiah chapter twenty-two, on verse six, there's a man called Jeconiah.
And God said, any descendant of that wicked Jeconiah will never sit on my throne. But because of the nakedness, the Lord Jesus Christ had the right to the throne. Dr. Luke, he traces the genealogy right back to Adam. And writing to Gentiles, he does not ever emphasize, obviously, David and Abraham. But this man looks at the Bible again. He tells us about the changes, and all the details are absolutely marvelous.
See how wonderful that God would bring in a physician to give us all the details of the birth of Christ. And as you know, doctors are very strong in ethics. And if there was anything curious about that which was born, and how it was born, he would not have devoured anything of an unsavoury nature. But the scripture says, Luke had perfect knowledge. of what you say. God's word is Christ. Now as I conclude, my time is gone, as I conclude, there is the influence upon the sinner.
We have seen the influence upon the scripture and there is the influence upon the sinner. Now we either accept it by sin or we reject. And no one can be saved, apart from believing in the virgin birth of Christ. Because if there's no virgin birth, there's no spotless thing now. You and I will never be saved. And so you must hold on to the final truth. Now Matthew tells us the reason for the virgin birth.
He tells us why a virgin birth was essential. Dr. Luke tells us how it was possible. And John tells us who that person was. Why was a virgin birth essential? There are three fourteen generations mentioned in Matthew chapter one. Fourteen fourteen and fourteen. In the first fourteen generation it was from Abraham to David. The second fourteen was from David to the man Zerubbabel.
And from Zerubbabel to Christ was the third fourteen generation. Now in the first fourteen generation the most important man was Abraham. Now Abraham brought Israel out of idolatry into fellowship with God. How important Abraham was. The most important man in the second section was David. And David was the man that brought Israel from being the heel of the nation, the nation to becoming the crown of the nation. He was a courier military practitioner.
And the third important person is the man Zerubbabel. He was the man that brought Israel out of Babylonia. Timothy into marvelous deliverance. That beloved saints of God, not one of these men could save his people from the sin. Great men lo, they were. They did not save his people from their sins. Now what does the Lord Jesus Christ do? He's the one who supersedes Abraham and he brings us out of idolatry into fellowship with love.
And what a fellowship that is, you were hearing about that last week from my colleagues. Our fellowship is with a partner and with a son Jesus Christ. and the people of God. That's what Christ has done. And He has brought us from the heel to the very crowd. We were just like Matthias. We were down in Moti Bar in the place of Moti. We were sinners degrading, repugnant to God. We were just like a heel. But he brought us into an area of blessing.
We are now the sons of God. We find us with dignity and with honor. And the Lord Jesus is a man that supersedes not only Abraham and David, but also Zerubbabel. He has taken us from bondage, from sacramental bondage. and brought us into the marvelous liberty of such. That's why our virgin birth was essential. Now Dr. Luke tells us how it was possible. The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the eye shall overshadow thee, and that holy thing that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
This was something that only God could do. This was not a new experience to God. Protecting the vehicle of a royal spirit. In Genesis chapter twelve, if you'll bear with me for a few moments, in Genesis chapter twelve, Abraham is going down to Egypt with Sarah. And he said, Sarah, you're a beautiful lady. And since Sarah will have a resigned You tell him that you are my sister, otherwise you'll kill me. And Pharaoh took this lady into his bed when he could not take a finger upon her.
God came in and he visited Pharaoh. Don't touch that lady. In chapter twenty, a man always came to learn lessons. In chapter twenty, Abraham is going down to the territory of King Abimelech Gerar. And the same person. And Abimelech came in, this lady said, and God says, you touched that lady, and you're as good as you are. You see why, brethren, we would not know whether Isaac was the son of Abimelech or the son of Abraham. But God protected the seed right.
And the same applies to her beloved Lord. The Holy Spirit shall come upon you. That was the conception. And the power of her highest overshadowed thee. And that holy thing. That the reborn of thee shall be called. In the Son of God. Oh how we marvel at the man Joseph. The last verse of Matthew chapter one. And it says. And Joseph. You had not until she had brought forth a firstborn child. For nine long months, Joseph had had a distance from his beloved wife, protected by the Holy Spirit, protecting the vehicle through which the Lord Jesus Christ would be born.
But how it was possible. And John tells us who that man is. The word became flat. Now is this I can pray. In the Old Testament, God introduced himself as a God of grace, as a God of righteousness, and as a God of faithfulness. He said to Adam, Adam, you can put fruit of all the trees in the garden. That was a God of grace. But one stipulation, Adam, it is as a God of righteousness. Don't touch that tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But I don't think.
But God came in as a God of faithfulness. In spite of the confusion on the sin. As long as the yesterday. There shall be seed, diamond harvest. Cold and heat. Summer and winter. Day and night shall not be. He does the very same thing in the New Testament. He comes in as a God of grace. As a God of righteousness. And as a God of faithfulness. I'll tell you why. There are four women mentioned in the genealogy of Christ that should not be there. A God of grace. There was Tamer. There was Rahab.
There was Bathsheba. On the other one. Good. Four women. And they should not be there. But he put them there. A God of grace. But then he. He is seen also as a Lord of righteousness. There are four kings that should be there, and they're not there, because of sin. But here he comes in, finally, as a God of faith. Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and reign for the child of him. His name shall be called to him, for he shall save his people from the flesh.
The God of faith for us. This is our God tonight. And we thank you for the Virgin's act. May it be so for his name, Father. Loving Father, we thank you for thy people who have assembled this evening around thy world. We are grateful, O Father, for the support of the evening. And we thank you again for this subject this evening. The whole, the Virgin, shall continue. And do help us, O Father, to appreciate what he has done for us. and what thou, our Father, expect from us to hold on to nature's way to these vital truths of Holy Spirit. Do bless thy people during the remainder of this week, and do kindly remember our brother's pen, and thank you for him for his faithful service over the many years, give him journey mercy on a most productive week amongst thy people here in this pleasant place in the Savior's name.