The Sign

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The Sign – Isaiah chapter 7

The Christmas Surge! No need to panic.

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14

The birth of Jesus is seen in the birth of this child 700 years before.

Fear

Now the house of David was told, ‘Aram has allied itself with Ephraim’; so the hearts of Ahaz and his people were shaken, as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind. … ⁴Say to him, “Be careful, keep calm and don’t be afraid. Do not lose heart because of these two smouldering stubs of firewood – because of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and of the son of Remaliah.
Isaiah 7:2,4

Ahaz had secretly allied with the Assyrian superpower. Syria & Israel had not, and go war against Judah.

For us life also produces fear inducing situations. We too need the perspective from above. So stand in faith.

Faith

Yet this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

‘“It will not take place,
    it will not happen,
⁸for the head of Aram is Damascus,
    and the head of Damascus is only Rezin.
Within sixty-five years
    Ephraim will be too shattered to be a people.
⁹The head of Ephraim is Samaria,
    and the head of Samaria is only Remaliah’s son.
If you do not stand firm in your faith,
    you will not stand at all.”’
Isaiah 7:7-9

These enemies’ are mere men. Trust in God, who says ” it will not take place.”

The Sign

Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, ¹¹‘Ask the Lord your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.’

¹²But Ahaz said, ‘I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test.’

¹³Then Isaiah said, ‘Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? ¹⁴Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:10-14

Ahaz refuses to ask for a sign. Ordinarily not good to demand a sign. But not here, when God asks him to name a sign. Ahaz tries God’s patience, rather than trusting his word.

So God gives a sign. A near sign and a far sign. Near in Ahaz’s time, and negative, for “God is with us” in judgment. Far, 700 years away, as recorded in Matthew 1:18-25. Positive here, for “God is with us” is surrounded by the name “Jesus”, the Rescuer. Judgment cocooned by the Saviour.

You do not want (nor need) to face God on your own.

New International Version – UK (NIVUK)