The Virgin

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” Luke 1:26-33



God keeps a tidy calendar. His timing is perfect. First, the forerunner, then the Christ. So, six months into Elizabeth's pregnancy, the messenger of God appeared to Mary. Everyone knows who Mary was. Very young. Virgin. Descendant of David. Royal Jewish lineage. Matthew names the genealogy, in his gospel. There is nothing hit-or-miss here. She isn't the only royal in this story. Joseph, her betrothed, is also of the Davidic line. He's not the physical father of this baby, but as head of household, his pedigree makes the royalty of this child legal.

It must be a virgin conception, because this is the direct offspring of God Himself, with no human contamination of Adam's sin. Adam, being the responsible one in the Edenic fall, passed the sin down through the male of the species in procreation. We women inherit sin from our fathers as well, but we don't pass it on. See, you knew there was a special reason for this immaculate conception other than just to perform a miracle, didn't you? He must be God-Man, born without sin. Your precious little newborn bundle was a sinner from the first cry. Mary's firstborn would not have that burden from birth. He was born free. He is the eternal King. He is the only one qualified to redeem all of us from the burden of our fathers' sin. Adam lost the headship title by disobedience to one command. Jesus came to reclaim that title in the Name of His Father, the Sovereign of the Universe. This baby must be specially prepared.