Mysteries & Intrigues of the Bible by Howard Books

Author:Howard Books
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Published: 2007-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

Miraculous Births

THE BIRTH of a newborn boy or girl is a small miracle. Parents stare starry-eyed at the wonder of new life as the rest of the world bustles on, behaving as if nothing spectacular has happened. Babies are born every day—but not to a ninety-year-old woman, a barren woman, or a virgin. Such births are extraordinary—an occurrence that inspires wonder and awe.

Isaac

Abraham and his wife, Sarah, were well advanced in their years, and Sarah was way past the age of childbearing. Yet at the age of one hundred, Abraham fathered a son! One day, three strange visitors in shining white came to Abraham and Sarah’s tent as they were resting during the heat of the day. After Abraham and Sarah prepared food for them, one of the visitors told Abraham an unbelievable thing. He said that within one year Sarah would have a son. “Ha!” thought Sarah, “at my age?” But as she laughed at the idea, the visitor said, “Is anything too hard for the L ORD?” One year later, at the age of ninety, Sarah gave birth to Isaac. (See Genesis 18:1–15; 21:1–7.)

John the Baptist

Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth, were childless. Not only were they well along in years, but Elizabeth was also barren. One day when Zechariah was serving in the temple, a stranger appeared by the altar. The stranger called himself Gabriel, an angel of the God of Israel. Gabriel told Zechariah that his wife would bear a son. Zechariah was to name the son John and dedicate the child’s life to God. This child was to follow in the footsteps of the great prophet Elijah. Zechariah could not believe his ears and questioned the angel. Because Zechariah doubted the news, Gabriel said he would be struck dumb until the baby was born. Immediately Zechariah lost his ability to speak. But when a son was born to the once-barren and quite old Elizabeth, Zechariah’s voice returned. The child became known as John the Baptist, a great prophet who told of Jesus’ coming. (See Luke 1:5–25, 57–80; 3:1–18.)

Jesus

Mary, a virgin, was startled by a bright light. When she turned around, a stranger who called himself Gabriel, an angel of the God of Israel, was standing before her. He told her that she was to give birth to a son. She was to name the son Jesus, and he would be known as the Son of God. “How can this happen? I am a virgin,” Mary asked. Gabriel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you…. Nothing is impossible with God.” There was no union between Mary and any man, and yet she gave birth to a son nine months after Gabriel appeared. Her son was named Jesus. (See Luke 1:26–38; Matthew 1:18–25. Also see Isaiah 7:14.)

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