“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
Long-time television show host Larry King was once asked by a reporter, “If you could interview only one person in history, who would it be?” Larry responded, “Jesus Christ.”
“And if you could only ask Him one question,” the reporter continued, “what would it be?”
“I would ask Him if He indeed was virgin-born,” King replied, “because the answer to that would define history for me.”
For centuries, theologians have debated the necessity and significance of the virgin birth of Christ. Could the Son of God have indeed been born out of natural relations? Why is it so important for Him to have been born to a virgin?
Well, while there are many reasons put forth for why Jesus was virgin-born, the most compelling is that Jesus’ life was remarkably different from the very beginning. And to Mary, Joseph, and those closest to them, this would’ve been a bold confirmation that this birth was from God, not man.
If the virgin birth is true, it changes everything. And as believers, it’s the first confirmation in the life of Christ that He is no ordinary human being… but God Himself. So this Christmas, thank God He did not leave Christ’s identity a mystery, but made Him known as God from the very beginning!
Prayer Challenge
Thank God today that Jesus’ true identity was no mystery, but that He was confirmed as God incarnate from His very birth.
Questions for Thought
Why is it so important that Jesus was both fully God and fully human?
How might a stronger faith in the virgin birth strengthen your belief in who Christ claimed to be?