God’s first promise of the Incarnation is given in His conversation with Satan just after man’s sin of High Treason. Genesis 3:15, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”
The Father-God realizes that man’s need can only be met by the Incarnation of His Son. He realizes that the Incarnate One could not be born of natural generation, so He gives a prophecy that a woman shall give birth to a child independent of natural generation, and that it shall be called “the seed of woman.”
Isaiah 7:13, “And He said, Hear ye now, 0 House of David: Is it a small thing for you to weary men, that ye will weary my God also? 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 child is going to be born of the House of David, and the “Lord Himself will give you a sign.”
Here He uses the name Adonai; the God of Miracles, Himself, will show you a miracle, a wonder. Something out of the ordinary is going to take place, and we say, “What is it?” He says, “The virgin” (as though He had marked her out) “shall conceive and bear a son and his name shall be Immanuel.”
A virgin is going to give birth to a son in a supernatural way, and she is going to call his name Immanuel, God with us, or Incarnation.
Take in connection with this, Luke 1:31-36, “And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His Father David; and He shall reign over the House of Jacob forever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end.”
“And Mary said unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee; wherefore also the holy thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of God.” The child, you notice, is conceived of the Holy Spirit. It is a Supernatural birth.
She was a cousin of Joseph, who was also of the family of David; so the prophet exclaimed, “Oh, house of David, is it a small thing that ye weary me? I will show you a sign.” He is marking out this daughter of David, who is going to give birth to that wonderful being in a manger cradle in Bethlehem 750 years later.
In Jeremiah 31:22, God declares, “A woman shall encompass a man”: more literally, “A woman shall encompass a manchild.” This Incarnate One could not be born of natural generation, because man is a fallen being and his seed is subject to Satan.
This seed must be of one who is not a subject of Satan, and so this wonderful being must be conceived of the Holy Spirit, and the womb of the virgin is to be simply the receptacle of that Holy One until the day He is brought forth.
Isaiah 42:6 says, “I, Jehovah, have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thy hand, and will form thee, and give thee for a Covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles.” Adam was created; the rest of the human race were generated by natural processes, but this child that is going to be born, is to be “formed” by a special act of Divine Power.
Paul speaks of His birth in the following words: (Philippians 2:6-8) “Who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death, Yea, the death of the cross.”
Again Paul says, “Wherefore when He cometh into the world: He saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body didst thou prepare for me” (Hebrews 10:5). God prepared a body, a special body, for this being called the Son of God.
(An extract from the book The Bible in the Light of our Redemption by E.W. Kenyon.)
BLESSINGS Brother Peter and WIFE:
Peter did you realize that you got married on the 21 of December of 1957 and we got married on the 25 of December of 1957 and I was 19 and Shirley was 17 still going to High School. What the Spirit put up on my heart this years was we need to see CHRIST JESUS as the KING and LION of Juda HE is all grow up now taking care of KINGDOM OF GOD. Send our LOVE and PEACE over your way!
The most wonderful Christmas gift I received is an everlasting one. God’s Word. I was given the time and opportunity this year to spend hour upon hour in three of your books proofreading and gentle editing. I can’t tell you how much more peaceful and happy I am. Your books contain inspired passages along with so much of the Bible. I call your teaching to the body of Christ “meat in a baby bottle” – so easy to drink, chocked full of God’s truths. Studying the Bible with you is not a chore. It’s a time filled with excitement and love. Your books demonstrate our Father’s heart in truth, and you’ve helped Him to reach His children so we all can grow into a marvelous relationship with Him.
Thank you, Irene, for your kind words. Many, many believers are being blessed by your technical help but it is the Word itself that does the work in our heart.