The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness around the world

Christian Meditations – A Chris Hansen Column

December 12, 2007

Historical Evidence For The Virgin Birth Of Jesus Christ? – A Series Part 2

Christ Hansen

Have you ever wondered how the wise men knew that a star signaled the arrival of the Messiah?  Some 1300 years before Christ, Balaam the reluctant prophet said: "I see Him, but not now; I behold Him but not near.  A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel."  (Numbers 24:17)  Then, about 1300 years later, Matthew records: "Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw His star in the east, and have come to worship Him."  Wise men knew what many have forgotten.  Do you know?

Just what kind of a man was Jesus?  Isaiah told us 700 years ahead of time just who to expect:  "The virgin will be with child, and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel."  (Isaiah 7:14)  & "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, ... He will be called wonderful counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."  (Isaiah 9:6)  This child would be human and this child would be God Almighty!  During His lifetime Jesus behaved in ways one would expect from a human being.  However, He also behaved in ways very typical for God Almighty!  His human nature and His God nature both insisted on expressing themselves in the same way that salt and water both express themselves when mixed together.  You get salty water, or wet salt, yet both can be detected.  As a human being Jesus grew tired.  (Luke chapter 8) Yet as God Almighty he simply willed the violent storm to stop!  As a human being, he had to ask where His best friend's tomb was located (John chapter 11), yet as God Almighty He simply called his friend back from the dead!  As God Almighty, he knew how many times Peter would disown Him, and even how many times a rooster would crow beforehand!  Yet as a human being, he pleaded with His Father to escape His impending death on the cross.  Numerous examples could be cited.  The point is that Jesus understands you from two points of view-human experience and God's omniscience.  This makes Jesus the best friend you could ever have at Christmas time or any other time!

Moses knew that someone like Jesus would come:  "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers.  You must listen to Him."  & "I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in His mouth and He will tell them everything I command Him.  If anyone does not listen to my words that the Prophet speaks, in my name, I myself will call him to account."  (Deuteronomy 18:15-19.) 
Did the early Hebrew Christians believe Moses?  Absolutely!!!  "Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.  How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?" (Hebrews 10:28-29). The early Hebrew Christians believed what Moses said!  Do we?

Why did Jesus come?  What did He intend to do?  This is what Isaiah told us 700 years in advance: "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)  This is a clear prophecy of the death of Jesus, His bearing our sin as a guilt offering, and the resurrection of Jesus.  Then, 700 years later, Jesus said this about His mission:  ""This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."  (Luke 24:46-47)  Jesus knew that His mission was to die, then rise, then send out disciples to proclaim forgiveness and repentance to the world!  That is our mission too!  We, too, will proclaim, die, and then rise!

This is my paraphrase of the tragic story found in Genesis Chapter 3.  The time: at least 4000 years before the birth of Christ.  The place: a most beautiful garden between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.  Eve has just awakened in this perfect paradise.  Every sight, smell, sound, touch, and taste is all-new to her!  Suddenly, she is confronted by a stunningly beautiful serpent who begins to have a conversation with her.  He said, "There are so many beautiful trees in this garden!  Did God really tell you that one of these trees is forbidden?"  "Well, there is one tree," she admitted.  There is a very special tree right there in the middle of this garden.  We must never eat from this tree!  We dare not even touch it!  If we do, we will surely die!"  What a terrifying thought for this young woman!  To die!  To become no different than the lifeless dust out of which she and her husband had been taken only a short time ago!  "My dear woman," the serpent, Satan in disguise, began to spin his half-truths into deadly lies!  "My dear woman, Are you so sure you will really die?  Surely you can see the tree of life standing right next to this forbidden tree!  If you eat from that tree, you will live forever!  And, if you eat from this forbidden tree, you will understand why God doesn't want you to have it!  In fact, you will know everything God knows!  You will be just like God who made you.  You will be able to judge between good and evil, just like God already does!"  So far, Satan told the truth, (Genesis 3:22).  There was one minor detail he did leave out-(he always does)-these two naive people and their descendants would be blocked from even touching this tree of eternal life!  But, of course, Satan didn't bother to inform her of this.  The tree did look beautiful!  She knew that it would taste good, too!  And how she wanted to be as wise as God!  So, she reached out her trembling hand, and ... took that fatal bite!  Worse, she enticed her husband to do the very same thing!  The man and woman soon realized what they had done!  They had condemned all of their descendants to certain death from the womb!  Was there no way to rescue us!  God was furious with Satan and made him this terrifying promise!  (Genesis 3:15)  "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will crush your head, and you will strike His heel."  One of Eve's children would be that special rescuer!  He would crush this serpent's head!  However, the serpent would be allowed to strike Him in the heel.  How did Jesus destroy Satan's evil work?  By His crucifixion.  And guess what.  One of the crucifixion nails was indeed driven through His heel!  So, the human race waited some 4000 years for Him to come.  He came at last!  Is there any reason why you should wait any longer?  You don't have 4000 years to wait!  You may not even have tomorrow!  Why wait at all?  Receive what Eve waited so long for!  Receive Him now!

Chris Hansen

chrishansen54@sbcglobal.net