Read: Isaiah 7:10-17
"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."
Isaiah 7:14
Today begins the season of advent. It is a time we remember and celebrate the coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ. In fact, that’s just what “advent” means: “coming” or “arrival.” My encouragement is that we all use this time as a time of reflection and prayer. The arrival of our Lord was a climatic event in all creative history. Prophets foretold of His arrival, and devoted God-followers have long anticipated His appearance.
Around 735 BC, the nation of Judah was in a difficult situation. The king of Judah, Ahaz, worshiped false gods and “did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord” (2 Kings 16:2). Furthermore, he was under threat from the Syrians and the northern nation of Israel. So Ahaz sought rescue from a foreign enemy through an alliance with the Assyrian king, Tiglath-Pileser. This, in addition to his idolatry, displeased the Lord. Ahaz was not dependent upon God for deliverance, but found his hope in human ability and power. Thus, God sent Isaiah to him to deliver a message. In this prophecy, the Lord assured Ahaz, and by extension the people of Judah, that He had not forgotten His covenant with them. Though they were unfaithful to the Lord, He was not unfaithful to them. And it is in the discourse of this message that we receive one of the most profound prophecies of the coming of the Messiah. “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”
Isaiah’s prophecy had both an immediately applicable application and a future realization. Isaiah’s immediate message was that only God can save His people, and the Israelites must place their trust in God, not mankind. The future application was that a Savior would come to save all who call upon His name. This Savior would be called Immanuel, which means “God with us.” In other words, the Messiah would be God. Mankind’s hope should not be placed in the power or might of those who are mortal and limited. Our hope is in the work of our Savior, our Messiah, Jesus Christ.
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Prayer: Father, you sent your Son to ransom us from our sin. He humbled Himself, and took the meager form of a man, so that He can die for all of humanity. And whoever calls upon His name will be saved. We praise you, Lord Jesus for the incarnation! We praise you, Father, for the birth of your Son! And we thank you Spirit for opening our eyes to what it is God has done for us.