Isaiah 7:14 (ESV)

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”

The Christmas season can be one of the most stressful times of the year. There are so many plans to work out, lists to be completed and goals to be accomplished. Everyone seems to be busier than normal with so many things demanding our attention. We have managed to take a time to remember and celebrate the birth of Christ and turn it into a time of chaotic activity. Now would be a good time to step out of the madness and think about the true importance of Christmas.

The prophet Isaiah was given the commission to announce the sign of the arrival of the promised Messiah that God first gave to Adam and Eve. The sign God gave to Isaiah was given about 700 years before the birth of Christ. The sign is the most important truth of God’s promise.

The Messiah was born of a virgin. To understand the significance of this truth, we need to go back to Adam. In 1 Corinthians 15:45-47, the apostle Paul tells us of the first Adam and of Jesus, the second Adam. Adam received his blood directly from God from the dust of the earth. The birth of Jesus is different than the birth of all humanity.

We are all a product of our first parents. We are all born sinners because our bloodline is traced back to Adam. Jesus was born of a virgin, so He did not have an earthly biological father. Jesus is the second Adam in that His blood is directly from God, not from the earth, but from heaven.

The Messiah came to earth to bear mankind’s sin and the death penalty for sin. Jesus could only do that if He was born without sin. That was only possible through His virgin birth.

This week, as we head into the Christmas season, dwell on what is most important about this time. Give God praise and thanksgiving for sending His Son, born of a virgin, to give us life.