December 13, New Testament Fulfillment in Matthew 1

Today, I want to reflect on the week by seeing how the biblical prophecy we’ve been seeing ties into last week’s sermon.

In Matthew 1:20-23, the angel instructed Joseph to name the child “Jesus.” Jesus is a wonderful name. Jesus is the English rendering of the Greek, “Ιησους.” Ιησους is the Greek rendering of the Hebrew “יהושׁוע,” or “Joshua.” This was a name that immediately reminds us about the entrance of God’s people into the promised land of Canaan. Jesus was a name given to show that this child would deliver the people from their sin and give them an inheritance in the Kingdom of God. Jesus would conquer the world like Joshua conquered Canaan. Like it was with Joshua, it would be shown that God’s zeal, not the power of people, would accomplish all this. His name shall be Jesus because He will save His people from their sins.

Matthew tells us plainly that this took place explicitly to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah in Isaiah 7:14. Let’s look at Isaiah 7 to get a broader context. Rezin and Pekah, the kings of two different territories, were both marching on Jerusalem. King Ahaz in Jerusalem feared their armies, but also didn’t want to test God by asking for a sign. Yet, God assured Ahaz that neither of these armies would be allowed to invade.

    14      “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel. 

          15      “He will eat curds and honey at the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good. 

          16      “For before the boy will know enough to refuse evil and choose good, the land whose two kings you dread will be forsaken (Isaiah 7:14-16). 

Not only would the kings fail to invade Jerusalem, but they would also be forced to vacate their own lands as they are invaded by other armies—those of Assyria, Babylon, Persia, and then Rome. Tiglath-Pileser III of Assyria captured Damascus and slew King Rezin in 732 BC. He completely captured Remaliah, including Galilee, by 722 BC. King Pekah was assassinated by conspirators, and the land’s inhabitants were deported—fulfilling God’s promise to King Ahaz.

All this happened according to Isaiah’s prediction before a virgin gave birth. This child would be a boy. These two kings would be deposed and their lands forsaken (the people deported) before the boy grew to an age of maturity. Jesus was born 700 years after these two kings were deposed and their people deported. Isaiah didn’t say how much time would pass. He did predict that this male child would be called by the title “Immanuel”—God with us.

I hope you are still enjoying the 25 days of Christmas. I’ll see you at church tomorrow as we look at Jesus’s birth in Revelation 12!