From the discussion in Section 2.7, we know that from the very beginning all humanity has lived in the kingdom of darkness and has been infected with the poison/spirit of Satan, as if bitten by the serpent. Satan sowed bad seed in humanity when the first couple “ate” the bad fruit from the bad tree, and thus the first couple’s offspring/seed/descendants became Satan’s spiritual seed.

And if you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each man’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay upon earth; knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.  1Peter 1:17-19  NASB

Bad seed can only produce bad fruit (Matt 7:17-18); that is,

…  all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,  Romans 3:23  NASB

Humanity, in servitude to Satan in the kingdom of darkness, produces offspring/seed/descendants whose spiritual father is Satan, and thereby populates the kingdom of darkness.

Humanity, reproducing after its kind, is trapped in a cycle of bad seed producing bad fruit producing bad seed.  There is no good seed available from any human, so humanity does not have the means within itself to produce good fruit and good seed, i.e., members of the kingdom of God Almighty/Light.  Therefore, it is necessary that there be an intervention if there is to be any good seed and good fruit among humanity.  The good news of the Bible is that humanity can and will produce good fruit, because God Almighty introduced good seed for humanity at the conception of Mary with the child Jesus.

The new, good seed for the virgin Mary had to be provided independent of normal, human reproduction.

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.”  Isaiah 7:14

The phrase “virgin will be with child” means that the child will have no human male as father.  Thus, Mary’s child was independent of the hereditary law of after their kind and therefore was not forced by ancestry to have Satan as His spiritual father.  Instead, Mary’s child had God Almighty as His Father.

The births of Ishmael and Isaac are patterns that illuminate Jesus’ birth.  Just as the birth of Isaac is preceded by the birth of his older brother, so also the birth of Jesus is preceded by the birth of His older relative, John the Baptist.  In the Old Testament story, the older brother is born to the young woman, and the promised son is born to the elderly, barren couple.  However, in the New Testament story, the older relative (John) is born to the elderly, barren couple, while the promised Son is born to the young woman.  We begin with the births of the elder relatives, Ishmael and John the Baptist.

In the Old Testament, an elderly couple was childless.

Now Sarai, Abram’s wife had borne him no children, …  Genesis 16:1  NASB

Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; Sarah was past childbearing.  Genesis 18:11  NASB

In the New Testament, an elderly couple was childless.

And they [Zacharias and Elizabeth] had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years.  Luke 1:7  NASB

These elderly, barren couples were pleasing to God Almighty.  Abraham had faith to seek the Promised Land, and Sarah had faith to conceive.

By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.  By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob; fellow-heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.  By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised;  Hebrews 11:8-11  NASB

Zacharias and Elizabeth were both righteous and blameless.

And they [Zacharias and Elizabeth] were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord.  Luke 1:6  NASB

The pregnant woman carrying the elder relative interacted with the woman who will bear the promised, younger son.  The son of Hagar was born according to the flesh, so there were negative aspects associated with this child.  Hagar and Sarai had a falling out.

But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your maid is in your power, do to her what is good in your sight.”  So Sarai treated her harshly, and she fled from her presence.  Genesis 16:6  NASB

On the other hand, Elizabeth’s son was born according to the God Almighty’s word, so there was a positive interaction between Elizabeth and Mary.

Now at this time Mary arose and went with haste to the hill country, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.  And it came about that when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.  And she cried out with a loud voice, and said, “Blessed among women are you, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!”  Luke 1:39-42  NASB

Each of the elder sons was named and described in prophecy by an angel.  The prophecy about Hagar’s son was negative while the prophecy about Elizabeth’s son was positive.  The angel named Hagar’s child and told of him.

The angel of the LORD said to her [Hagar] further,  /  “Behold, you are with child,  /  And you shall bear a son;  /  And you shall call his name Ishmael,  /  Because the LORD has given heed to your affliction.  /  And he will be a wild donkey of a man,  /  His hand will be against everyone,  /  And everyone’s hand will be against him;  /  And he will live to the east of all his brothers.”  Genesis 16:11-12  NASB

The angel named Elizabeth’s son and told of him.

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John.  And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.  For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, while yet in his mother’s womb.  And he will turn back many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God.  And it is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREN, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous; so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”  Luke 1:13-17  NASB

The sons were born.  A son was born to Hagar.

So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.  Genesis 16:15  NASB

A son was born to Elizabeth.

Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she brought forth a son.  Luke 1:57  NASB

Later, these older relatives will interact with the promised sons.

In the pattern in the Old Testament, the male seed for the promised son (Isaac) comes from Abraham, who had been renamed by God Almighty and who had symbolically removed his fleshly nature through circumcision.  In the New Testament, the new, good, male seed for the promised Son comes directly from God Almighty.  Thus, a circumcised Abraham is a type for God Almighty as He brings new seed to humanity.  Sarah being set free from Pharaoh, who is symbolic of Satan, prefigures Mary as a pregnant virgin, in the sense that Mary’s virginity means she was free from contamination by (Satan’s) bad seed from a human male.  Therefore, Mary was able to bring forth a child free from the beastly, fleshly nature dictated by the spiritual fatherhood of Satan.

The descriptions of Hagar’s and Sarah’s conceptions are informative.  With Hagar, Abram went in to Hagar, and she conceived (Gen 16:4), making Abram the agent for conception.  With Sarah, the Lord did for Sarah as He had promised (Gen 21:1), naming God Almighty the agent for conception.  Thus, Sarah’s conception of the promised son is attributed to an act of God Almighty and not to an act of Abraham.  Similarly, Mary’s conception of the promised Son is attributed to an act of God Almighty and not to an act of humanity.  Therefore, Mary’s child will have God Almighty as spiritual father.

The following table provides the events surrounding the conception of Sarah as a pattern for the events surrounding the conception of Mary, which is told from Joseph’s perspective in the Gospel of Matthew and from Mary’s perspective in the Gospel of Luke.

Both mothers were betrothed to one of a royal line.  For a time during the year between the prophecy of the impending birth of the promised son and the birth itself, Sarah was the betrothed to a king.

And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.”  So Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.  Genesis 20:2  NASB

Mary was betrothed to Joseph, who was of royal blood as a descendant of David.

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee, called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.  Luke 1:26-27  NASB

God Almighty spoke to each of the men in a dream about his betrothed.  God Almighty instructed Abimelech to do the right thing and send Sarah away.

But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is married.”  …  “Now therefore restore the man’s wife, …”  Genesis 20:3,7  NASB

God Almighty instructed Joseph to do the right thing and take Mary as wife.

But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for that which has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.”  Matthew 1:20  NASB

Each of the men did as instructed by God Almighty.  Abimelech returned Sarah to Abraham.

Abimelech then took sheep and oxen and male and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and restored his wife Sarah to him.  Genesis 20:14  NASB

Joseph took Mary as his wife.

And Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took her as his wife,  Matthew 1:24  NASB

Each woman, around the time of conception, was betrothed to a man who is not the father of her child, a circumstance which creates doubt and suspicion about the identity of the father.  There would be doubt about the father of Sarah’s child, because, she was the betrothed of one who is not her husband for a time during the year before the birth of the promised son.  There would be suspicion about Mary, who was carrying a child conceived out of wedlock.  The Bible gives clear, direct, and unambiguous statements about the paternity for the child of each of the women.  Abimelech cannot be the father of Sarah’s son.

Now Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, “Lord wilt Thou slay a nation, even though blameless?”  …  Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also kept you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her.”  Genesis 20:4,6  NASB

Joseph cannot be the father of Mary’s son.

and kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.  Matthew 1:25  NASB

Hence, we get a new perspective of Abram/Abraham’s acts of protecting himself at the expense of his wife.  Twice Abram/Abraham, fearing that he will be killed, chooses to describe Sarai/Sarah as his sister rather than as his wife, thereby enabling Sarah to be taken.  With only that information, Abram/Abraham’s behavior appears cowardly.  However, when Sarai/Sarah’s being taken by another man is integrated with the stories of Eve and Mary, we see a greater purpose than simply Abram/Abraham’s self-interest.

Mary’s conception was patterned after human reproduction.  Just as there is a union in the flesh that produces offspring, there is also a union in the spiritual that produces spiritual offspring.

Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a harlot is one body with her?  For He says, “THE TWO WILL BECOME ONE FLESH.”  But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.  1Corinthians 6:16-17  NASB

Joining oneself to God Almighty and becoming one spirit with Him is the means whereby one receives reproductive seed from Him.

Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding word of God.  1Peter 1:22-23  NASB

This is the process whereby Mary conceived the promised son.  Mary, rather than joining herself with a human male, joined herself to the Lord as one spirit through the Holy Spirit and received God Almighty’s reproductive seed, the word of God.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  John 1:1-2  NASB

And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy offspring shall be called the Son of God.”  Luke 1:35  NASB

By this spiritual union, Mary received God Almighty’s reproductive seed, the living and abiding word of God. Continuing with Sarah as a pattern for Mary illuminates Mary’s miraculous conception.

The birth of both of these sons was promised well before their birth.  A son was promised to Abraham

Then behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir; but one who shall come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir.”  Genesis 15:4  NASB

A son was promised to a virgin.

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.”  Isaiah 7:14  NASB

Both mothers were visited by a messenger from heaven.  Three angels appeared to Abraham and Sarah.

Now the LORD appeared to him [Abraham] by the oaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day.  …  Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?”  And he said, “Behold, in the tent.”  And he said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.”  And Sarah was listening at the tent door, which was behind him.  Genesis 18:1,9-10  NASB

An angel appeared to Mary.

Now in the sixth month [of Elizabeth’s pregnancy] the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.  Luke 1:26-27  AMP

Both mothers were brought a blessing from God Almighty.  God Almighty blessed Sarah.

“And I will bless her, and indeed I will give you a son by her.  Then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.”  Genesis 17:16  NASB

God Almighty’s angel came to Mary with a blessing.

And coming in, he said to her, “Hail, favored one!  The Lord is with you.”  Luke 1:28  NASB

Mary spoke of the blessing herself.

“For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; for behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed.”  Luke 1:48  NASB

God Almighty named each of the promised sons.  God Almighty named Sarah’s son.

But God said, “No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; …”  Genesis 17:19  NASB

God Almighty named Mary’s son.

“And behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.”  Luke 1:31  NASB

Each mother was told about her son.  God Almighty will establish His covenant with Sarah’s son.

… and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.”  Genesis 17:19  NASB

The angel told Mary about her son.

“He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and His kingdom will have no end.”  Luke 1:32-33  NASB

Both Sarah and Mary protested that it is not possible that they would conceive a child.  Sarah protested because she had become too old.

Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; Sarah was past childbearing.  And Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I have become old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”  Genesis 18:11-12  NASB

Mary protested because she and Joseph were only betrothed; they had not yet consummated the marriage.

And Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”  Luke 1:34  NASB

Both women exhibited faith to conceive.  Sarah had faith to conceive beyond her time.

By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised;  Hebrews 11:11  NASB

Mary had the faith to conceive while a virgin.

“And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.”  Luke 1:45  NASB

Each of the women conceived.  Sarah had a miraculous conception in spite of her age.

Then the LORD took note of Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as He had promised.  So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time of which God had spoken to him.  Genesis 21:1-2  NASB

Mary had a miraculous conception when the Holy Spirit came upon Mary and Elizabeth.

And it came about that when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.  And she [Elizabeth] cried out with a loud voice, and said, “Blessed among woman are you, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!”  Luke 1:41-42  NASB

Both women gave birth to the promised son.  Sarah gave birth to Isaac.

And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac.  Genesis 21:3  NASB

Mary gave birth to Jesus.

and kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.  Matthew 1:25  NASB

The miraculous conception of Mary was necessary for the restoration of humanity to God Almighty.  A good seed of life had to be provided to humanity directly by God Almighty through His Holy Spirit, for such was not available from any human male.  Also, it is important to understand the birth of Jesus in terms of God Almighty’s curse to Satan in the garden of Eden.  There, God Almighty prophesied that there would be another seed, called “her seed,” different from Satan’s seed.

“And I will put enmity  /  Between you and the woman,  /  And between your seed [descendants of Adam and Eve] and her seed;  /  He shall bruise you on the head,  /  And you shall bruise him on the heel.”   Genesis 3:15  NASB

Mary is the woman who had seed/offspring/descendant/child (Jesus) Who was distinct from and not a part of Satan’s seed (all those born by natural reproduction).  Jesus was the fulfillment of the prophecy of her seed.  As was foretold, Satan’s seed were able to bruise him on the heel, part of the foot that is in contact with the earth, thereby signifying Jesus’ death.

God Almighty introduced this promised, new seed into humanity with the conception of Jesus within the Virgin Mary.  Jesus’ birth brought the new seed to life in humanity, and Jesus’ baptism in the River Jordan made public the new seed in the kingdom of God Almighty on earth.  In the next chapter, we learn how this new, good seed from God Almighty will be implanted in others.