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Guest, Join Papa Zoom today for some uplifting biblical encouragement! --> Daily Verses
Bible Study WELCOME TO AN IN DEPTH STUDY OF MATTHEW'S GOSPEL.
- Thread starter Chopper
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Chopper
Member
Sorry, I goofed. I'll start again....I need another coffee.
Chopper
Member
Day 3 Tuesday 9/16/14 Matthew 1:18 A pregnant Virgin??
Again, my mind goes back in time to Bethlehem, a little town in Judea, very close to where the body of Jacob's beloved wife Rachel lies awaiting the resurrection. Joseph and Mary are engaged to be married. Joseph is at home during this period doing what most Jewish young men are supposed to do making a suitable dwelling for his new family. Somewhere I read that the son who was getting married would build his dwelling as an addition on his fathers house. Mary, according to Hebrew customs, would receive instructions from her mother on being a loving, obedient wife to Joseph.
It is interesting to me that in Mary, we have a holy, innocent woman chosen by the Almighty, all knowing God to be the vessel that would bring forth the Christ Child who would be loved by some yet despised by the world. Mary, because she was found with Child was loved by some yet considered a harlot by many.
These two families of Joseph and Mary were forced by these circumstances to not only believe what was told to them by Joseph and Mary, but they perhaps for the first time in their lives had to exercise incredible faith in God and in the correspondence that Joseph and Mary had with the Heavenly Messenger. Probably the neighbors and relatives had a dim view of these events which would test the parents faith.
I can only imagine the absolute joy that Mary must have experienced having the little body of Jesus the Christ growing in her body. On several occasions, I have had the Spirit of God fill my heart to overflowing. the first time that happened, I said to God, please stop, I'm going to blow up! On one of those occasions, a missionary named Ronald was present when the Holy Spirit came on me and he exclaimed, "I've never seen anything like that, why doesn't that happen to me?" My experiences are only a glimpse of what was happening with Mary, she must have been almost delirious with Joy and happiness with the closeness of Jesus in her womb.
Tomorrow we will examine Joseph's reaction and resolve.
Again, my mind goes back in time to Bethlehem, a little town in Judea, very close to where the body of Jacob's beloved wife Rachel lies awaiting the resurrection. Joseph and Mary are engaged to be married. Joseph is at home during this period doing what most Jewish young men are supposed to do making a suitable dwelling for his new family. Somewhere I read that the son who was getting married would build his dwelling as an addition on his fathers house. Mary, according to Hebrew customs, would receive instructions from her mother on being a loving, obedient wife to Joseph.
It is interesting to me that in Mary, we have a holy, innocent woman chosen by the Almighty, all knowing God to be the vessel that would bring forth the Christ Child who would be loved by some yet despised by the world. Mary, because she was found with Child was loved by some yet considered a harlot by many.
These two families of Joseph and Mary were forced by these circumstances to not only believe what was told to them by Joseph and Mary, but they perhaps for the first time in their lives had to exercise incredible faith in God and in the correspondence that Joseph and Mary had with the Heavenly Messenger. Probably the neighbors and relatives had a dim view of these events which would test the parents faith.
I can only imagine the absolute joy that Mary must have experienced having the little body of Jesus the Christ growing in her body. On several occasions, I have had the Spirit of God fill my heart to overflowing. the first time that happened, I said to God, please stop, I'm going to blow up! On one of those occasions, a missionary named Ronald was present when the Holy Spirit came on me and he exclaimed, "I've never seen anything like that, why doesn't that happen to me?" My experiences are only a glimpse of what was happening with Mary, she must have been almost delirious with Joy and happiness with the closeness of Jesus in her womb.
Tomorrow we will examine Joseph's reaction and resolve.
Chopper
Member
th1b.taylor
Member
Good morning Chopper. This single verse drives lost people nuts because as any farmer will explain, there ain't no female that can be pregnant and be a virgin. This is a miracle, requiring divine intervention. In the human female, and Mary, certainly was human and female, the hymen must be penetrated before she can bare a child. And yet Mary, it is, perfectly, safe to assume was perfectly whole, just the way she was born.
I have read many lame statements about Nazareth being on the Trade Route through Israel and people go off on that and begin assuming that, what, with the traveling salesmen and all the Roman soldiers, Mary had cheated on her betrothed. Being a convert from an Active Atheist position into Christianity, I understand that before any lost man will ever understand, one must pray for and work on their misplaced faith and it is sad to say, but many on the Church Rolls, when queried on double blind surveys admit they do not believe Mary had not diddled. People, all around the world are familiar with the stories about the morally vacant Traveling Salesmen and Soldiers and what we have experienced weighs mightily on what we think and what we project.
This one verse, early in the Gospel accounts, we see the reason for Life Application of faith in our lives. God has demanded we place the faith every man, woman and child is awarded at birth in Him and not in the speculations of men. When I was lost I demanded people look at the scientific proof! There is such an issue with that demand, however. How does anyone, save Jesus, prove or disprove a virgin birth? Because we are unable to replicate this event does not disprove it, it is a miracle.
th1b.taylor
Member
You are so right Reba. As I understand it Jesus had siblings and so it has been suggested that Joseph wasd married before and these siblings were half brothers and sisters but the customs of the Jewish people, just, scream, false, at this idea. Until a man was thirty, as I understand it, he was not allowed to read the Son Of Solomon. Until thirty he was considered a child and the Song was Adult Reading Only because it is to racy.
As I've been informed by my RCC and formerly RCC friends they hold Mary as forever pure though she married Joseph. They place Jesus' siblings as being preunion with Mary but I believe Joseph was in his mid-thirties and except he became sexually active and married in his early teens he had not the time to produce all the children. No, Mary, as you point out was and is special because she was chosen of God but, as the scriptures indicate, Joseph knew her not until Jesus was delivered. Mary was a special woman because God chose her and Joseph was a special man because he was chosen to be Jesus' Earthly Dad. We must remember though that they were not physically changed and they were normal, otherwise, people.
And then there is so much Life Application to be used in these passages. Here we see that people choosing to follow God will be used, in mighty ways, of God.
Mike
Member
Very sorry I was unable to respond yesterday, and I hope I don't digress too much. I won't be the least bit offended if this message is dismissed, and we move on. In my opinion, this is so important to resolve, because the concept that Jesus was fully human and fully God is such a crucial mystery.
Since He was fully human, it seems to stand to reason (my reasoning) that He would have fully human physical attributes. That He would have blood like any other human, would follow. I'm sure some people are screaming right now, so let me be clear. His blood saved us. It was not "ordinary". That's not what I'm saying.
I believe it lessens the pain, punishment, and torture He endured in His physical state to say that He had any physical features that God made of Him. The stress He felt in the garden and the way His blood became like water lends to this, because there is a physiological response to stress in humans that causes this.
Sorry. This was my first chance to say, and it was getting to me that I hadn't said it yet. Fully God/fully human. This can't be understated. Whether people agree, disagree, or just carry on, I'm blessed.
You all be blessed, too!
th1b.taylor
Member
A hearty AMEN, Chopper.
Mike...
It was decided to move these studies slow. Gently rolling along .. knowing people can not show up every day ... We even get silly at times ...
I find your thoughts very interesting...never have given much thought to the origin of His blood the fact is was shed was always the focus....... Blood is made deep in our bones....
It was decided to move these studies slow. Gently rolling along .. knowing people can not show up every day ... We even get silly at times ... I find your thoughts very interesting...never have given much thought to the origin of His blood the fact is was shed was always the focus....... Blood is made deep in our bones....
Chopper
Member
Thank you everyone for your comments. I actually toyed with the idea that we should take several days to ponder and research the Blood that coursed thru Jesus' veins. In fact if someone wants too, we can stop right here and continue to post about the Blood. What do you think Reba?
I read long ago, I have forgotten the source. It went something like this. The Blood of Jesus was of Heavenly origin. That blood kept our Savior alive for approximately thirty three years until it was shed for mans sins at Calvary. A small amount of Christ's Blood remained in Jesus' body and when He ascended to the Father, He went directly to the Ark of the Covenant and sprinkled it on the Mercy Seat. The Ark was supernaturally transported to God's abode in Heaven at some point long before this event.
I read long ago, I have forgotten the source. It went something like this. The Blood of Jesus was of Heavenly origin. That blood kept our Savior alive for approximately thirty three years until it was shed for mans sins at Calvary. A small amount of Christ's Blood remained in Jesus' body and when He ascended to the Father, He went directly to the Ark of the Covenant and sprinkled it on the Mercy Seat. The Ark was supernaturally transported to God's abode in Heaven at some point long before this event.
th1b.taylor
Member
If anyone can find the origin I would like to read it. If I find it I'll post a link.
th1b.taylor
Member
Chopper,
I wasn't sure this wasn't a wild goose chase until I found
and I'm interested in what everyone thinks.
I wasn't sure this wasn't a wild goose chase until I found
jasonc
Member
if that is true the chassidics would still do that. they are very pro-life, pro-marriage.i will ask jeff, he may know. or my dad.
Chopper
Member
I don't know what to think about this account Bill. The Ark of the covenant under the ground beneath where Jesus was crucified? I don't know about that. I believe the Ark is in God's abode.
jasonc
Member
doesn't matter to me. the ark itself is one of many things heavenly in the temple that represent the YHWH. ie the mercy seat. the menorah itself. the shumah on the menorah in particular, the bronze sea and also during the tabernacle the way the Hebrews had their guidons, and what emblems were on them.
Chopper
Member
It is most interesting to me that Revelation 11:19 tells us where the Ark of the Covenant is.
Rev 11:19 "And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail."
Rev 11:19 "And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail."