Luke: Miraculous Birth Stories
Gerbrand van den Eeckhout - Elisha and the Shunammite Woman 1664
There are several miraculous birth stories in the Bible.
Each time this pattern repeats in the Bible, it is slightly different. But the outcome is still the same, a baby.
Here are a synopsis of six birth stories:
Abraham and Sarah
Genesis 18
God tells Abraham that even though he and Sarah are too old to conceive a child, Sarah will become pregnant and give birth.
Sarah was listening to the conversation and burst out laughing when she heard this. Sarah gave birth to Isaac later within the year.
Manoah and his Wife
Judges 13
Manoah and his wife could not have children. The Angel of the Lord came to his wife and told her she will give birth to a son.
Manoah was not sure, so he prayed to God and asked for the Angel of the Lord to return to talk with Him about it.
She gave birth to a boy and he was named Samson.
Elkanah and Hannah
1 Samuel 1
Hannah could not bear children. God had ‘closed up her womb’. Elkanah’s other wife, Peninnah, would taunt Hannah for being barren.
Eventually, Hannah went to the ‘House of the Lord’ and wept bitterly, praying for a baby. She made a vow to dedicate him to God.
Eli, the High Priest, thought she was drunk, but she explained she was praying to conceive a child. Eli gave her a blessing and sent her home. She soon gave birth to Samuel.
The Shunammite Woman and her Husband
2 Kings 4
The Shunammite woman was a prominent lady in her community and when Elisha was in town, she gave him and his servant lodgings.
Elisha asked her what payment she wanted for her hospitality and she asked for nothing. His servant pointed out that she was childless and her husband was too old.
So, Elisha said that she would bear a child within the year. She struggled to believe him. And even with her lack of faith, she bore a child.
Zechariah and Elizabeth
Luke 1
The Angel Gabriel came to Zechariah and told him, Elizabeth will bear a child. Elizabeth was barren and the couple were both too old to conceive.
Due to Zechariah’s disbelief, he was made mute until the birth of the child.
John the Baptist was born later that year.
Joseph and Mary
Matthew 1 & Luke 1
The Angel Gabriel came to Mary and tells her she will have a baby. She asks how is this possible as she is a virgin. The Angel explains by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Joseph, her betrothed, was unsure of this news and proposed to ‘divorce her quietly’. An angel of the Lord came to him in a dream and told him to take Mary as his wife.
As we can see through all these stories, there are similar circumstances:
There is a barrier to conceiving a child (barren/too old/virgin)
There is always a husband and a wife.
God gives a message and ordains the birth.
There is some form of disbelief.
A baby is born.
Pagan Culture
There are god ‘inspired’ birth stories in pagan cultures too. Especially in the Roman and Greek religions.
Zeus, the Greek king of the gods, raped numerous women, who subsequently birthed some of the Greek heroes.
Mars, the Roman god of war, raped the mother of Romulus and Remus. Romulus then killed his brother and established Rome.
In all these cases, the women were not willing. There was no love or respect, but lust, violence and abuse.
God’s Way
God does not force himself on women like the pagan gods. He instead works with people to achieve His plans. He announces his intentions, addresses their questions and disbelief and performs a miracle.
The Virgin Birth
Luke explains how the Angel Gabriel brings news to Mary that she will bear the Son of the Most High.
A unique difference between the other birth stories is that Mary is a virgin. Her womb is not barren and she is not too old to bear children.
Mary was betrothed to Joseph and had not yet consummated their marriage.
For her to be with child is more than just a miracle of seeing a baby conceived in a womb which cannot produce, but in a woman who was not married nor had sexual intercourse.
The Genesis Connection
Reading the Virgin Birth story reminds me of Genesis 1. The Holy Spirit hovers over the waters, God speaks the Word (Jesus) and creation unfolds.
In the Virgin Birth, Mary’s womb is like the Earth in Genesis, void, but full of potential.
Jesus’ coming was to unfold a new creation. The Incarnation brings the possibility for all of us to become new creations in Christ. If we allow ourselves to be Born Again.