“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
(Isaiah 9:6)
Babies are born every day, each one a unique creation of a loving God, a special gift to families entrusted with such small and fragile wonders. Yet over 2,000 years ago, one birth stood apart from all others—the most significant birth in history. This child’s birth divided time itself, marking the dividing line between B.C. and A.D. His arrival was not just the beginning of another life but the fulfillment of divine prophecy and the dawn of the most pivotal moment in redemptive history.
Unlike ordinary births, which are announced only months in advance, this child’s coming was foretold nearly 800 years prior (Isa. 9:6; Mic. 5:2). Unlike any other child, He had a human mother and a divine Father. His mother was a virgin, chosen by God to bear His Son—a miraculous event that could only be accomplished by divine power (Luke 1:26-38).
Unlike any other child, His conception was not the beginning of His existence. This birth was not a creation but an incarnation—God taking on flesh. Before this moment, He existed eternally with the Father as the Son, the second Person of the Trinity (John 1:1). He was and is God of God, Light of Light, begotten of the Father from eternity. This baby was God Himself, dwelling among us as part of God’s divine plan to redeem a fallen world.
Though He was the long-awaited Messiah, He entered our world as an infant—Immanuel, “God with us” (Matt. 1:23). But unlike other children, this child was born to die. God became a man so that He might endure what man never could. As God, He could not die; but as man, He could. And through His death He conquered death, that we might live eternally with Him.
“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). In His perfect humanity Christ bore our sin, shedding His innocent blood to redeem those who believe in Him from eternal condemnation (Heb. 2:14-15). “To bring GOD to us; to make GOD with us: Him, to be with us; that we may be with Him forever. Nobiscum Deus, the way: Nos cum Deo, the end: which is (and so may be) the end of the text, and of the day, and of us all. Nothing more worth our sight than this Birth: Nor more worth our hearing, than this Name.”[1]
This explains why this baby is different from all the rest… and why His birth is eternally significant. Without Bethlehem, there could be no Calvary. Without Calvary, there would be no redemption. Christ’s birth was God’s greatest gift—the gift of Himself—so that we might enjoy abundant and eternal life with Him (John 10:10).
If you do not know Him, run to Him in repentance and faith. Confess your sins, seek His mercy, and receive His Son as your Savior (John 3:16). And if you are one of His redeemed, rejoice! Worship Him in your home, in your church, and in your heart… giving thanks to God for His unspeakable gift! (2 Cor. 9:15).
Contemplations:
- The Miracle of the Incarnation. The birth of Christ is unlike any other birth in history. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. The eternal Son of God, who existed before all things, chose to dwell among sinful men, to take on their weakness and to endure their sufferings. The infinite became finite. The immortal put on mortality. His incarnation was necessary for our salvation, for if He had not taken on our nature, He could not have died to redeem us. The miracle of Bethlehem is the miracle of divine condescension, God leaving heaven’s glory to come to earth to save those who had rebelled against Him.
- The Purpose of His Coming. Christ was born with the shadow of the cross already over Him. His purpose in taking on flesh was not to be an example alone, or to simply teach us truth, but to die in our place. From the cradle to the cross, His mission was redemption because without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins. Thus, He came to offer Himself as the perfect and final sacrifice. We celebrate Christmas, but do we fully understand that the reason Christ came was to take away the sin of the world?
- The Gift of God’s Son. Christ is the greatest gift ever given. The Father did not withhold His own Son but freely delivered Him up for us all. No earthly treasure compares to the riches found in Him. He is our peace, our righteousness, our wisdom, and our life. His coming brought light into the darkness, life to the dead, and hope to the hopeless. To those who receive Him, He gives the right and privilege to become children of God. This gift is not deserved, nor is it earned. It is given freely to all who believe.
- The Response of the Redeemed. If Christ came to save sinners, and if He has saved us, then how ought we to respond? The shepherds rejoiced, the wise men worshipped, and Mary treasured these things in her heart. The birth of Christ demands a response. It calls for adoration, obedience, and gratitude. Do we marvel at His coming? Do we, like Mary, ponder this Christ, treasuring Him above all else?
Prayer:
O Lord, my soul magnifies You, and my spirit rejoices in You, my Savior. You have not left us in darkness nor abandoned us in our sin. But You have given us the light of life—Your Son, Jesus Christ, who came into the world to save sinners. He is the radiance of Your glory, the exact imprint of Your nature, the Word made flesh who dwelt among us. I adore You for the grace displayed in the Incarnation, for the wonder of Your love in sending Your Son to be born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law.
But Lord, I confess that I don’t always treasure Christ as I should. I don’t meditate on His coming with the reverence and joy it deserves. Forgive me for the times when I have celebrated the season without considering the Savior. Forgive me for those times when my worship was half-hearted and my prayers distracted. Renew in me a steadfast spirit that delights in Christ above all things.
Father, thank You for the gift of Your Son, for in Him I have life. In Him, I have peace. In Him, I have hope that cannot be shaken. He is my Wonderful Counselor, my Mighty God, my Everlasting Father, my Prince of Peace. No other gift compares to Him. No other treasure satisfies like Him. You have given me all things in Christ, and my soul is overwhelmed with gratitude.
Lord, don’t let me keep this joy to myself. Grant me boldness to proclaim the good news of Christ’s birth, to tell of His coming, His cross, and His resurrection. Let my life reflect the beauty of the Gospel, that others may see and believe. Fill my heart with worship, my mouth with praise, and my hands with deeds of love. Let this season not be about me, nor about fleeting pleasures, but about Christ, the true and lasting joy of the world.
In His holy and matchless name, I pray. Amen.
Further References for Isaiah 9:6
Isa. 22:22, 7:14; Luke 2:11; John 3:16; Ps. 45:3; Isa. 10:21; Zech. 6:13
[1] Lancelot Andrewes, XCVI Sermons, (London: George Miller, for Richard Badger, 1629), 73.
