The Promised Messiah: A King Born in Humility

After the last Old Testament prophet, Malachi, delivered his message, four hundred years passed with no recorded word from God. This silence was broken by the announcement of the arrival of the promised Messiah—the one descended from David who would establish God's Kingdom. The story of Jesus' birth is primarily told in Matthew chapters 1–2 and Luke chapters 1–2.

• The Annunciation: The angel Gabriel appeared to a virgin named Mary in Nazareth, announcing that she would conceive a son by the power of the Holy Spirit. He would be named Jesus (meaning "The Lord Saves") and would be called the Son of the Most High, inheriting the throne of David (Luke 1:31–33).

• Joseph’s Role: Mary was engaged to Joseph, a righteous man descended from King David. When he learned of Mary’s pregnancy, an angel appeared to him in a dream, confirming that the child was conceived by the Holy Spirit. The angel declared that Jesus would “save his people from their sins,” fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah that “The virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel (which means, God with us).” (Matthew 1:21–23)

I. The Prophecy and the Place

The event that brought Mary and Joseph to the tiny village of Bethlehem was a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered (taxed).

• Fulfilling Micah: Because Joseph belonged to the line of David, he had to travel to Bethlehem (the "City of David"). This fulfilled the prophecy written centuries earlier by the prophet Micah: “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel…” (Micah 5:2)

• The Manger: When they arrived, there was “no room for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:7) Mary gave birth in a stable and laid the baby in a manger (a feeding trough for animals). The King of the Universe was born in the lowest possible circumstances, symbolizing the humility and accessibility of God’s plan of salvation.

II. The Worship of the Humble and the Wise

The news of Jesus’ birth was first announced not to the religious elite, but to the most humble members of society.

• The Shepherds: An angel appeared to shepherds watching their flocks in the fields nearby, declaring: “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10–11) The shepherds immediately went to Bethlehem, found the baby, and became the first evangelists, spreading the news of the Savior’s birth.

• The Wise Men (Magi): Later, Gentile Wise Men (Magi) from the East were led by a special star to Jerusalem, seeking the newborn King of the Jews. Their arrival caused distress to King Herod, but when they finally found Jesus, they fell down and worshipped him, offering gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh—gifts fit for a king, a priest, and one destined for burial.

III. The Incarnation: God With Us

The central, world-changing truth of the Nativity is the Incarnation—the mystery of the second person of the Trinity (God the Son) taking on a full, permanent human nature.

• Fully God, Fully Man: Jesus was not half-God and half-man; He was fully God (retaining all divine attributes) and fully man (taking on a human body, mind, and soul, and experiencing human limitations like fatigue and hunger). This was necessary so that He could live the perfect human life required by God’s law and die a substitutionary human death to pay for the sins of humanity.

Applying the Truth Today

The birth of Jesus means that God is no longer distant, but has come to us. The humility of the manger reminds us that God reaches out to the humble, the poor, and the forgotten. The worship of the shepherds and the Magi calls us to give Jesus our own worship and our most precious gifts (our time, talent, and treasure).

The fulfillment of prophecy confirms that God's Word is absolutely trustworthy. The Incarnation guarantees that in Jesus, we have a Savior who fully understands the human condition.

Reflection Questions for Your Journey:

1. Immanuel. The name means "God with us." How does the reality that God came to Earth to be with humanity change your approach to daily life, prayer, and loneliness?

2. The Manger. What does the extreme humility of Jesus' birth (the stable, the manger) teach you about the nature of God's power and how He works in the world?

3. Worship. The Wise Men traveled far to worship. What sacrifices (of comfort or time) are you willing to make this week to express your worship and devotion to the Savior?

Your Reading Guide

To grasp the miracle of the Incarnation, read the angel’s announcement to Mary in Luke 1:30–35. Next, focus on the fulfillment of prophecy in Matthew 1:20–23. Finally, read the scene of humble worship by the shepherds in Luke 2:15–20.