One common setting for a bible story is the birth of a Son. In these situations we are told ahead of time that the son will be special. Either the mother was barren, or the child had a specific purpose in life that is stated before he is conceived.

      If we want to stretch this a bit we might go back to the birth of Seth. Eve said, “the Lord has given me a Son in place of Abel whom Cain slew.”

And Noah would bring comfort to his people.

      The most notable in Old Testament times is of course the birth of Isaac. Sarah the wife of Abraham was barren and Abraham himself was about 100 years old. In spite of this..

      Abraham, “considered not his own body dead neither yet the deadness of Sarah's wound. He staggered not at the promises of God through unbelief but was strong in faith, giving glory to God and being fully persuaded that what God had promised he would also perform.”

       Rebecca was barren and her husband Isaac who was Abraham and Sarah's son made intercession to God for her and she had twins.

      Rachel, the wife of Jacob, Isaac and Rebecca's son also was barren and the answer to her strong desire for children was Joseph who saved the whole family from death by starvation.

     With Moses who came along four hundred years later it was a little different in that his mother did not know until after his birth that he was a chosen child of God. She was not told by God she somehow knew by observation. I'm sure every mother hopes for that, but Moses' mother some how knew for sure!

    So through the leadership of Moses and his friendship with God the family that was barely saved by Joseph became a mighty nation, (like the stars of the sky in multitude and the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.)

    But God doesn't always use the strong and mighty.   The next birth of a son who that was proclaimed ahead of time was a relatively weak man name Samson.  No this is not satire, Samson was a weak man. ( It is said, “He that hath no control over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls.)

     A city without walls is vulnerable prey to anyone who wants to take what is theirs. Life is tough enough when a man tries. But a man who does not control his passions is a prisoner to himself.

     Samson was born to kill Philistines. He did that and did it well. But many times his motives were wrong and he gave into his lusts. He was a weak and foolish man.

      But Paul said, “You see your calling brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called, but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and the weak things of this world to confound the mighty.

      The next gift Child of God is a man named Samuel. This mighty nation of Israel had proven themselves not to be true children of Abraham by their unbelief. Their values has so degraded them in the eyes of God that it was said of them there was no open vision and every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

      Hannah, Samuel's mother desperately wanted a son. So much so that her grief lead her away from the celebration of thanksgiving to God and to the temple of God where she cried out to God for a son.

      God gave her a son and he was a man that would stir the hearts of Israel to recommit themselves to serving God.

       But commitments rarely last because a man just can not find it in himself to keep them. Paul said, “ When I would do good evil is present with me.”

      Now for the next miracle child we have to dig into the scriptures to find. (as Abraham dug wells until the Lord made room for him) We dig to find Living Water. The prophecy of his birth is not so much in chronological order it's in the book of Isaiah and the water is a little mirky.

“          Behold, a virgin shall conceive and shall bring forth a child and he shall be called Emanuel.” Not much to go on to say the least. No one knew when he would be born and it became one of the great mysteries of the word of God. From a historical point of view we know it was at least another 470 years.

      According to Gods clock, “When the fulness of time was come God sent forth his son, made of woman, made under the law to redeem them that were under the law.” This sounds like what the angel told Joseph, “He shall save his people from their sins.

Footnote: There was another child born about six months before this child. He too was a miracle baby, a very humble guy, he didn't dress in style and he ate bugs. Amazingly people came to hear him preach. Not a long winded preacher his thesis was simple and redundant. “Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand.” He was Emanuel's side kick so to speak. Yet Emanuel called him, “The prophet of the highest.”