The Embryo of Jesus

When the angel Gabriel spoke to Mary about the birth of Jesus, he said, And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son. . . . (Lk. 1:31a NKJV) Mary wondered about this and asked, How can this be, since I do not know a man? (v. 34b)

Gabriel explained that the Holy Spirit would move upon her: the power of the Highest will overshadow you. (v. 35b) And it happened as Gabriel said. Mary conceived the embryo of Jesus through the Holy Spirit. The new life within her came from both God and a human.

Many doctrines rest upon the concept of the Virgin Birth. One of those doctrines is the redemptive value of Christ’s blood. Blood forms at conception. After conception there is an embryo with blood, but before conception there is only egg and seed. The baby’s blood can be quite different than that of either parent. And the blood of Jesus was quite different from that of His mother. It carried not only her characteristics, but also the characteristics of His Heavenly Father.

Impossible? Yes. But Gabriel reminded Mary that, with God nothing will be impossible. (v. 37) Mary replied, Let it be to me according to your word. (v. 38b)

Originally published December 13, 1991.
Picture: Lindenwood Park, Fargo, 2009. Photo by Solveig.

Our High Priest

Many men were born into the Old Testament priestly role. Their function was to stand in the gap for unholy, sinful people before a Holy, sinless God. To do this, they offered blood sacrifices from animals to atone or to pay the penalty for sin.

Jesus didn’t fit the Old Testament priestly mold. Yet He was and is a priest—our high priest—not according to the legal requirement concerning bodily descent but by the power of an indestructible life. (Heb. 7:16 RSV)

He didn’t fit the OT model because He wasn’t from the tribe of Levi—one of the requirements. He was from the tribe of Judah. The writer goes into detail concerning why this was God’s perfect plan, why Jesus was a different and superior kind of High Priest.

Most important, Jesus was unlike Old Testament priests because He offered His own body and blood—and because His blood is indestructible. His blood is eternal—it continually pays the penalty for sin—over and over and over and over and over.

When priests offered the sacrifice, they were interceding or praying for God’s people. So when Jesus prays for us, He fulfills His priestly role. But unlike Old Testament priests, His intercession is eternal. Since He will live forever, He will always be there to remind God that He has paid for their sins with His blood. (Heb. 7:25 LB)

Originally published March 26, 1982.
Picture: Las Vegas, NV, 2008. Photo by Solveig.

Clothed with White Robes

The book of Revelation is hard to understand, but some passages are so exciting we thrill to them anyway.

For example, “ beheld, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindred, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes. . . . (Rev. 7:9 KJV)

The multitude worshipped with a loud voice. Angels worshipped, too. Then an elder approached and asked John, “What are these which are arrayed in white robes? And whence came they?” (vs. 13b)

At John’s request, the elder answered his own question: “These are they which came out of the great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (v. 14b)

Originally published September 30, 1983.
Picture: Flowers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2008. Photo by Solveig