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Luke 1:26-28
The angel Gabriel has delivered a message to Zacharias that his wife Elizabeth, who was barren, would bear a child. Six months later the angel Gabriel delivers a message to a virgin in Nazareth, a town that was a lowly place of no significance. John 1:45-46 (NKJV) states,
“Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote – Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”
Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
The angel Gabriel came to a town of no significance and spoke to a virgin woman of no significance who was “betrothed” (we would say engaged, but the word betrothed has a much stronger meaning) to a man named Joseph, who was of the “kingly” house of David (the story of King David can be found in the Old Testament books of 1 and 2 Samuel).
The angel Gabriel first delivered a message to Zacharias in the temple just outside of the most holy room where the presence of God dwelt during the time of the Law given to Moses. Now the angel Gabriel is delivering a message to a lowly place of no significance; to a woman who has been obligated to marry a man with ancestors who are in the line of kings that were appointed originally by God. One could say that this is an announcement of the changing of the covenant of the Law which is centered in the temple, to the new covenant that is centered in Jesus the Messiah. Isaiah 7:14 states, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”
This is the beginning of the fulfillment of the coming of the promised Messiah.
There is a place where the Old Testament Law transitions into its fulfillment with the coming of the prophesied Messiah. The Old Testament Law was given to show man what was necessary for forgiveness, which required payment for sin. The requirement for the payment of sin was a pure, unblemished, sinless sacrifice. Because sin was inherited from Adam and Eve to all man, no man is pure, unblemished, and sinless. The Law was given to show man that man was not, or is not, capable of providing this sacrifice. The Law was given to show man the need for a Savior. The angel Gabriel came to announce the coming of the Messiah to the virgin Mary, and in doing so, tied Him to the kingly line of Israel.
Dear Lord,
Thank You for this passage of how you prepared to announce the coming of the Messiah and tie Him to the kingly line of the Law of Your people Israel. As we study the crossing over of the Old Testament to the New Testament, help us to make the connection to Jesus and put off the old ways of the sinful nature and put on the new man in Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior. In Jesus name I pray, amen.