Who Gets a Birth Narrative and Why?

We're talking about Exodus and about Moses the mouthpiece of God. Moses of course gets a fabulous birth narrative (which Willow gives a lovely homage to in the story of Alora Danon, also sent to save her people, thank you Ron Howard). (: Who gets a birth narrative in scripture? Let's see




Adam & Eve
(equivalent of a birth narrative,
the birth of humanity direct from the hand of God)
Cain & Able,
the first to be actually born of a woman
None for Noah
None for Abraham
Isaac-miracle of an 'elderly' mother
Jacob/Esau-
unusual birth of wily twins, fathers of rival nations
All of Jacob's children, father's of tribes
Benjamin & Joseph-miracle of fertility
Moses-miracle rescue from infanticide
Samson-miracle of fertility
Samuel-miracle of fertility
None for Saul
None for David
(although for David we had the book of Ruth introducing his grandparents)
John the Baptist-miracle of birth to 'elderly' mother
Jesus-miracle of the Virgin birth, trumps all the other miracle births (:

We have equivalents of birth narratives in the creation accounts of Adam and Eve. None for Noah. No birth narrative for Abraham, father of nations, though we do have them for his son and grandsons Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph (and as I wrote of for Genesis, very briefly for each of Jacob's sons and his daughter). Even Samson, who did not turn out as God had desired, because he he failed to fulfill God's high calling on his life, rascal that he was . . . . . . even he had a birth narrative. I say "even," but it may be a critical clue about the nature of God's call on our lives. . . Later we have an elaborate birth narrative for Samuel, but none for David (although as I noted we get a detailed narrative in the book of Ruth, presenting a wonderful story about his grandparents). In the New Testament we have one for John the Baptist and one for Jesus. In fact, all the birth narratives come to a halt in the final miracle birth of Jesus. There are no more birth narratives after Jesus, the Final Savior, the culmination of the salvation plan.

Why do we get birth narratives? Surely it is to show God's sovereign call on the lives of these individuals, that He not only created them and knew them before they were born, but He created them with a purpose. A purpose of redemption for His people. Because we are co-laborers with God, we have to answer the call. We have evidence that people can choose to answer the call of God on their life or not in Samson (I wrote about this in earlier posts). One of the casualties of using the King James Version 400 years after its language has become obscure and often misleading to contemporary ears is the verse that says the calling of God is without repentance Romans 11:29. An amazing woman of God named Wanda, from whom I have learned so much, once shared with me what this really means--it doesn't mean there is no forgiveness for not answering the call of God, which is how it is very often understood and applied with more destructive than edifying results. It means God never takes it back, He never gives up and withdraws the call, He keeps working with us to the very end of our lives to give us every opportunity to reciprocate His love and work with Him. Birth narratives remind us that He knew us in our mother's womb--nay--He PUT US in our mother's womb. And He did so with Purpose.

So, as far as Paul is concerned, even though Paul was man of the millennium for his testament, he doesn't get a birth narrative. Although he does get far and away enough air time to make up for that. (: And his ego does not seem to have suffered for it. He knows who He is in Christ. And God has a birth narrative in His heart for Paul, as He has for all of us. Every day written in His book before any of them came to be . . .

And as for Exodus, it can be seen as the birth narrative of a people. Egypt has become an unlikely womb, its oppression the labor pains that will give way to its emergence as an entity independent of that which has been harboring it. It was a difficult birth with both complications and miracles along the way. It was the birth of a people with whom He would reveal to the world His nature, His desire for relationship with us, and ultimately, His plan to bring about reconciliation between Him and all those in humanity who would receive Him.