The clause is disputed, of course. The older commentators generally agree with the presentation I’m about to give. The more modern ones do not. Jeremiah wrote it, this line of Truth. “The LORD hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man.” Jeremiah 31:22

As far as I can tell, this is the only time in the Bible a “woman” is said to do any such thing to a “man.” Plus, our Text tells us up front this is a “new” thing on earth!

Closest parallel I can fine, otherwise, is where God would not give a man (Barak) credit for a victory over an enemy army … because Barak would not go fight them as Israel’s sole leader. He would not go to war … without a woman’s help! That indispensable woman was the Judge named Deborah. And the woman who finally killed the chief enemy soldier (Sisera) was a Jewish lady named Jael. She single handedly killed the Captain with a “tent peg” … nailed straight through his head, while he slept in her tent! There, for sure, a woman outclassed a man. And God so noted it! Proof Text, Judges 4:9 … “And she (Deborah) said, I will surely go with thee (Barak): notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman (Jael). And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.”

Wow!

But Jeremiah’s Prophecy goes far beyond human ingenuity!

“The LORD hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man.”

God’s “new thing,” a fresh thing, unprecedented … will no doubt be a miracle!

Something He must “create,” the Hebrew verb being “bara,” meaning “to make something out of nothing!”

A “woman” will do something “without a man!”

Sidestepping masculine necessity!

Accomplishing something on her own, without a husband’s help, without any human’s aid or energy!

The verb “compass” (in Hebrew “sabab”) actually means “to go around.” To avoid! To “turn aside” from a man!

This is a Poel verb, a relative of the more common Piel stem in Hebrew … intensive, dramatic action being implied! Something substantial!

“A woman shall compass a man.”

It happened at the Virgin Birth, folks!

Mary conceived … and Joseph (her espoused husband) was NOT involved!

She sidestepped him!

Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit!

Joseph had nothing to do with the Miracle!

The noun “woman” is unusual here, “neqebah” being used in Scripture only 22 times! It’s highly suggestive in our Text, being derived from a root word meaning “to pierce, to bore.”

The angel actually assured Joseph, who was in some doubt about the “new” situation … “Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for THAT WHICH IS CONCEIVED IN HER is of the Holy Ghost.” Matthew 1:20

Wow again!

This is an astounding verse of Scripture!

Why don’t we preach it more?

And, are we near correct in our interpretation?

Look at the complete verse now … Jeremiah 31:22. “How long wilt thou go about, O thou BACKSLIDING daughter? for the LORD hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man.” It is here implied that this “new thing,” the Result of this Miracle (Jesus’ Virgin Birth) will even “cure” (“forgive”) Israel of her “backslidings,” of her sins!

That’s Jesus!

That’s Calvary!

That’s the Blood of our Saviour!

And that’s why Jesus was born!

Born that day long ago … because a woman compassed a man!

Praise God.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

One of the most unusual clauses of Christmas, no doubt, “made of a woman!” And Jesus is the Subject here!

The whole verse: “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, MADE OF A WOMAN, made under the law.” Galatians 4:4

Usually in Scripture a child is made of a man! Or at least a man and a woman (hopefully his wife) generate a baby!

But not Jesus!

He is produced, humanly speaking, simply by a woman!

Via the Power (the “overshadowing” Power) of the Holy Spirit!

The angel to Mary: “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” Luke 1:35

No human man involved!

Jesus is, indeed, God’s Son!

Literally so!

Now watch this. The first time the words “made” and “woman” occur in the Bible, Genesis 2:22, we are told: “And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.” Here … God makes a woman!

But in our Text today, Galatians 4:4, a woman makes God (by obeying the Holy Ghost), by submitting to God’s Will. “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.”

Wow!

I find that intensely interesting.

Jesus, God come to earth via the womb of a lady, a Virgin, Mary of Nazareth.

That’s why we should celebrate His Birth, His miraculous Birth!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Yes, five centuries before Jesus came to earth … the Old Testament Prophet Micah told the world the City in which the son of God would be born.

“But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” Micah 5:2

The noun “Ephratah” means “place of fruitfulness!”

“Out of thee,” that little City, will He “come forth,” Jesus.

“Bethlehem” means “House of Bread,” too!

Jesus, born in a Place of Bread and a City of Fruitfulness!

How appropriate.

Plus, Bethlehem is the City associated with David. “But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.” First Samuel 17:5, home town!

And the angel to the shepherds: “For unto you is born this day in THE CITY OF DAVID a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” That’s Bethlehem, according to the Gospels.

But note this too, in describing Bethlehem as Jesus’ Birth place, in further depicting our Lord, the Prophet (the Holy Spirit) adds, “Whose goings forth have been of old, from everlasting.”

The noun “goings forth” means “source!”

“Of old,” in Hebrew “qedem,” meaning “ancient, eastward (from the sunrise), aforetime, eternal!”

“From everlasting” translates “min yom.” Which means “out of the days!” Timeless, in other words, without the constraints of the time/space continuum the scientists now describe.

Wow!

Jesus, eternal!

Jesus, Fulfillment of Prophecy!

Jesus, our Saviour!

Amen.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Yesterday, in our daily Lesson, we notice the Isaiah 9:6 clause “A Child is born.” Clearly emphasizing Jesus’ Humanity. Today, from the same Verse, “A Son is given!”

This is Jesus all right, of Whom Isaiah is speaking, prophesying. “For unto us a child is born, unto us A SON IS GIVEN: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

The noun “ben” means “son,” and is derived from the Hebrew verb “banah,” which means “to build.” Get it? JESUS IS GOD’S BUILDING STONE, GOD’S ONLY BEGOTTEN SON! THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE! THE ROCK ON WHICH THE FOUNDATION RESTS, THE WHOLE CHURCH!

But look!

This Son is NOT said to be born! That was the “Child” in our Text.

This Son is “given.”

Jesus, as a Gift!

As in Romans 6:23. “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

But WHY is the Son not described as being “born?”

Because God the Son is ETERNAL!

He is “from everlasting to everlasting!” Psalm 90:2 tells us. “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, EVEN FROM EVERLASTING TO EVERLASTING, thou art God.”

Jesus … as Child … born!

Jesus … as Son … eternal!

He is indeed the God Who became man.

John 1:14 testifies: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Praise the Lord!

The “Incarnation” we call it. The word is Latin. Meaning “in the flesh!”

Jesus of Nazareth … God the Son!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Isaiah 9:6-7 tells us, via the lens of Bible Prophecy, that God was once day coming to earth! “For unto us A CHILD IS BORN, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”

This “Child” is Jesus!

And yes, in the sense of His humanity … Jesus was born!

He was NEVER born in the sense of His Deity, having ALWAYS BEEN GOD!

“A Child is born!”

I capitalize the “C” in Child because It’s Him, Jesus. God The Son!

Yet the Hebrew noun “child” is “yeled,” found only 89 times in all the Old Testament, all its 929 chapters. It’s actually derived from its neighbor in the verse, the verb “is born!” In the King James Version 72 times “yeled” is translated “child.” Another 10 times “young man” or “young ones.” Then 3 times as “sons.” Twice as “boy,” and so forth.

Jesus came as a little Infant Boy!

Not a girl.

Not a twelve year old.

Not an avatar.

A Child, male in gender.

The Product of a Virgin’s Womb as she was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit.

The verb “is born” (in Hebrew “yalad”) means “to bring forth, to beget, to birth, to travail,” and a few other like terms. Here (beautifully so) “yalad” is framed as a “Pual” verb, the passive voice of “Piel.” This means intense strength and great energy were expended in the process!

Also the verb is a “perfect” one (in the sense of its timing), meaning the action is complete. Done, finished! Jesus will never be “born” as a Child again!

He, the Unique God-Man … will live forever!

That’s what happened that night long ago in Bethlehem!

The God Child was born!

He came to die on the Cross and save sinners!

To which I reply, “Praise the Lord!”

— Dr. Mike Bagwell