God's Amazing Messages and Their Corollaries

Yesterday, we saw the indispensable work of God’s angel in protecting Jesus and those assigned to nurture him. Today, we again see the angel at work; this time, bringing a word from God to Mary—a young virgin living in Nazareth:

(Luke 1:26–38 NKJV) Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, (27) to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.

God “sent” the “angel” to bring a word—a word of fulfilled promise, and a sign from God (See: Mat. 1:22, Luke 2:12). This was extremely good news for Mary, as it indeed was for the whole of mankind.

Via this messenger, God sent his life-giving, faith-imparting, mind-renewing, miracle-producing word to a virgin. She was “betrothed” (engaged to be married) to a wonderful man—a son of David.

What the angel said to Mary is relevant to us too; all of us who have accepted Jesus—the Son of David—and his new birth, and who are completely devoted to following him, are part of his betrothed bride.

(Revelation 21:9 NKJV) Then one of the seven angels … talked with me, saying, “Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.”

(Revelation 19:7 NKJV) “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”

Seeing we are betrothed to his son, God’s message to Mary reveals his heart’s desire for us too; he is sending us a similar message today. Under the New Testament, God can send his word to us directly via the Holy Spirit, but angels can still be involved; they are his messengers.

Here are a few points to ponder so far from this passage:

? “Gabriel was sent by God” with a message for the betrothed wife. This speaks of a word from God coming to Jesus’s bride, and you personally … today, and every day.

? She was “Betrothed to … Joseph.” Joseph’s name means: God will add, increase, and keep adding. God wants you permanently married to “increase”; he wants to add to you—more and more. God wants you to be constantly expanding forward, not shrinking back (See: Heb. 10:38–39).

? “House of David” = house of boiling love. God wants you to be joined (married) to his fervent love—never letting your love go off the boil.

? “Mary.” Amazingly, Mary’s name means bitter and rebellious, but that stigma was forgotten when she received her word from God. God saved us out of it too, washed us from it, and is bringing us to great blessing by sending us his word.

(Luke 1:28 NKJV) And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”

? “Having come in.” This implies that Mary received God’s messenger, and welcomed him!

? “Rejoice!” This means, endowed with grace, or happy. Hearing from God and receiving what he says will always lead to increased joy, even though some of his message may be challenging or difficult to swallow at the time.

? “Highly Favored One.” These words are life giving, reassuring, and of great significance; they imply that their beneficiary is a recipient of God’s grace. In other words, what God promises, we didn’t earn and we don’t have to deserve; we simply receive it by faith (Rom. 4:16). For example, God’s favor can give you [what appears to be] unfair advantage: unexplained discounts, open doors, promotion, success, acceptance, and celebration, etc.

Mary was the first person to receive Jesus into her life. With him came: enlargement, increase, blessing, favor, boiling love, new life, expunged past, and great rejoicing. Her bitterness and rebellion were no longer relevant—both gone and forgotten. She now had destiny, calling, assignment from God, and eternal significance as a result of simply saying, “yes!” to receiving Jesus.

Of course, also with Jesus came persecution from those who wouldn’t accept God’s work in her, and who judged it wrongly to be a compounding of sin. As Jesus came fully to birth through her, so also came: death-threats, fleeing from one place to another, and governmental persecution. Yet, with Jesus also came angelic celebration and help, confirming signs to true shepherds, worshippers from distant lands, and astonishing provision.

Today, I want to encourage you with the amazing truths that surround the conception and birth of what God begets: his dream, his offspring, his living word, his Son. What does this mean for us? It means our new birth, along with any other God-given dream, idea, or word. When we receive, welcome, and believe the message God sends to us, a chain of events is set in motion, all of which is anticipated in the story of Jesus’s birth.

Believe today that God wants to favor you as Jesus's betrothed bride; for you, he has undeserved favor, enlargement, abundant joy, blessing, and a place booked at the marriage supper of the Lamb. If you receive, welcome, and believe the message God is sending you today—whether it is through an angel, directly via the Holy Spirit, or by God’s chosen human vessel—you are blessed and highly favored too.