What does “For Unto Us A Child Is Born” really mean? Discover the life-changing meaning of this powerful prophecy from the book of Isaiah. This prophetic verse is of the wider message of Isaiah, one of the major prophets of the Old Testament.

Did you know that it was given hundreds of years before the birth of the Christ child? It brings together the tender humanity and fragility of Jesus’ human experience together with His timeless divinity.

Jesus was fully God and fully human. Isaiah’s prophetic declaration rings out with joy at the future birth of the One who will save humanity from their sins.

You can find the book of Isaiah is in the Old Testament. In it, the prophet declares the coming of the Holy Child. Jesus will be, born of a virgin in a stable in Bethlehem of Judea.

In this Holy Spirit inspired declaration, Isaiah proclaims the coming King. He points its readers towards the Good news of the gospel and the real meaning of Christmas.

Theologians differ in detailing the exact number of prophesies that Jesus fulfilled. Conservative estimates would put the number at around 300. The Old Testament prophecies Jesus birth many times. They vary in their emphasis and narrative, of course. In this famous Isaiah 9 passage, Jesus’ divine attributes and humble origins are the major emphasis. Others like this one in Isaiah 7, speak of Him as Immanuel or God with us.

Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Christians believe that the Holy Spirit inspired these prophesies. At the same time, they contain something of the human perspective of the prophet himself. Taken together then, they provide a rich and fascinating picture of Jesus – as God and as Perfect Man.

All four gospels contain the story of Jesus birth. But if you’re looking for some references then we’d recommend Luke 2:1-20 and Matthew 1:18-2 as a start.

In reality, Christ could have been born anywhere and at any time in history. So it’s significant then, that He was born to a virgin in a forgotten part of Galilee, in the humblest of circumstances.

Surely, this is no accident. By aligning Himself with humble people, He makes a powerful statement about the nature of His earthly ministry and Father God’s heart for the refugees and the marginalized.

In Matthew 2:1-12 we read of the visit of the Magi, a traveling group of astronomers who were deeply impacted by an unusual star in the night sky. As they followed it, it came to rest over the place where Jesus was being looked after by Mary and Joseph.

Truly the words of the famous carol, “and heaven and nature sing” ring true. Even the stars in their orbit speak about the Messiah’s coming!

Its incredible to think both the shepherds and the Magi were impacted by these celestial miracles. One with an angelic visitation and the other with an unusual star. It is as if The Lord wanted to reach all people from different backgrounds with the same message of hope. And this remains our own Good news today. Whilst we were far off, Christ came to rescue humanity and save us from our sins.

The significance of Jesus’ birth for humanity is that through our faith in Christ, we can have eternal life. The meaning of Christmas is that Immanuel, God with us, came to earth as a child. He came to restore us to our relationship with Father God by atoning for our sins on the cross. Christmas acts as the opening chapter in this incredible story!

Global Disciples Canada is a Christian mission organization that trains local leaders living near least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet. Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective strategy of training and coaching, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!

The root word of Biblical peace is Shalom. It means “nothing lacking, nothing missing, nothing broken”. Experience the peace of Jesus today!

“When we welcome a child into the world, we receive a son. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 

His government and its peace will never end. Isaiah 9:6&7 (NLT)

I’m curious about your perception of peace. For me, it’s no war, no conflict. I imagine a space—a clear, open one.  But Jesus’s peace is so much more than that. As this famous scripture explains His reign of peace will never end!

Jesus peace is an active change agent. It’s not an abstract thought or something you need to smoke or swallow. It’s a powerful, real, actual thing. And you can experience it today. 

The root word of Biblical peace is Shalom, and it means “nothing lacking, nothing missing, nothing broken.” To experience the peace of Jesus is to experience this wholeness.

We don’t need to look far to see the chaos and the consequences of sin and evil in our world. And we live in the fallout of these broken relationships, even today. 

But Jesus was our atonement. He stood in place for what we deserved. He took on sin in order to secure our eternal life. Both this world and the future one await us. His Shalom peace  is a consequence of this sacrifice, and it’s available for everyone who believes in Him, whether you feel like you deserve it or not. 

Jesus came to right the wrongs of a world gone away from God’s plan, and His birth was the beginning of the coming Kingdom of God.

It’s no coincidence that five of the 10 commandments that God gave to Moses had to do directly with human relationships. How we treat each other is a big deal to God! 

1 John If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?

Christmas can be a time when we feel most awkward in our relationships, but God’s love gives us the ability to love the people we wouldn’t normally be able to.

But as we receive the grace of God first of all, and as we allow Him to change and heal us, we will find that the holy instinct to reach out to others will grow.

The older I get, the more I have come to understand that I can’t fix the complexity of broken human relationships by myself. But I can pray for opportunity and do the part that God assigns me. 

And then be in peace about the rest.

No matter what challenges we face over this Christmas period, we have a prince of peace who walks with us. His spirit in us can help us be calm when we face challenges. 

Jesus offers us His perfect peace even in less-than-perfect situations.

Where in your life do you need His peace today? Ask Him for His peace as you go on with your day. 

We are praying for you today to experience the peace of Jesus this December. Nothing is absent, nothing is insufficient, and nothing is damaged. You have the ability to bring serenity to everyone in your life.

Global Disciples Canada is a Christian mission organization that trains local leaders living near to reach least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet, Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective strategy of training and coaching, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!