Thoughts for the Day

Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying, 'Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test. Then Isaiah said: ‘Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman* is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.

* A number of translations say 'a virgin'.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

This prophecy made by Isaiah is one we hear each Christmas in our churches. Immanuel (or Emmanuel in Greek) means 'God is with us'. It appears only three times in our bible, twice in Isaiah and once in Matthew's Gospel (1.22-23). Ahaz the King of Judah is threatened by three separate forces. He asks the prophet Isaiah for an oracle and is told not to fear for they are "smoldering stumps of firebrands" and God will protect his kingdom. However, Ahaz doesn't believe in the prophecy. So God asks the king to choose another sign, one of his own choosing, and when he refuses God gives him a sign anyway - "the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel." This child would be a symbol of God's presence with his people that they were given a reprieve from attacks by their enemies.

But Ahaz has already decided to do a deal with Assyrians rather than trust God, and approaches the Assyrian king, saying, "I am your servant and your son. Come up, and rescue me." He also sends all the treasure from the city and the temple to the Assyrian king. This was disastrous. God had offered to save Ahaz and his people, but by turning from God he has condemned himself. The God who saves also judges!

Isaiah's prophecy stood unfulfilled for hundreds of years as the Jews waited for God to demonstrate His presence with his people through the birth of this baby, the Messiah, who would come to save them. Sadly, the baby born in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago was to be rejected by many. In this Advent and Christmas season we must remember that the King whose anniversary we celebrate has also said He will return in His glory as Judge as well as Saviour.

Lord Jesus Christ,
when we pray for You to return.
and when we say "Your Kingdom come",
and "Your will be done,"
may we remember that salvation
also brings judgement.
May we spend what time is left this Advent,
in examining ourselves and confessing our sins
as honestly as we can,
so that we can joyfully say,
"Maranatha! Come, Lord come!"
this Christmas.
Amen.