Sort of a Christmas post

A list of barren women in the bible who God granted children:

• Sarai
• Rebekah
• Rachel
• Samson's mother (I don't think we know her name)
• Hannah
• Elizabeth

All gave birth to significant biblical figures. Sarai and Rebekah continued the seed of promise that would culminate in Christ. Rachel, Samson's mother, and Hannah all gave birth to saviours of the people. Elizabeth gave birth to the greatest prophet ever born before the coming of the Kingdom. So when we read early in Luke and Matthew that a virgin is going to give birth to a child the lights should be flashing! This child is going to be like those great heroes of the past that were born miraculously of barren women (Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Samson, Samuel, John the Baptist), but astonishingly he is surely also going to make those heroes look very small indeed once he accomplishes what he has been given to do.

I am not a big Christmas fan, and yet the birth narratives are incredibly exciting to read. Like a good trailer you can barely wait to see what is going to happen. If you are not filled with anticipation when reading the first few chapters of Luke and Matthew you have watched just a few too many nativity plays.

By the way, Merry Christmas everyone!