Advent Reader: The Sign of Immanuel

Isaiah 7:14

This familiar prophecy was spoken amidst a time in history when God is trying to reassure King Ahaz that his enemies will not succeed in conquering Judah.

Preceding scripture describes how Judah’s enemies marched against Jerusalem ‘but they could not overpower it’. Feeling intimidated by their rivals, Isaiah encourages King Ahaz, ‘Be careful, keep calm and don’t be afraid. Don’t lose heart because of these two smouldering stubs of firewood.’ He continues, ‘Yet this is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘it will not take place, it will not happen..’ and finally ‘if you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all’.

God then offers to give King Ahaz a sign for further encouragement, but the king refuses. ‘Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.’

Later in Matthew 1:20, the Bible confirms when an angel of the Lord spoke “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

What wonder and joy that the Holy Spirit (The Lord Himself) took part in conceiving a man, Jesus to be with us, as a sign that He is the giver of life; the peace, hope and comfort we long for in dark days; and the rest for weary souls amidst the battles we face. In God who is with us we can stand firm in our faith, and not be shaken.