Isaiah 7:10–14
The Sign of Immanuel
10 Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz: 11 “Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” 12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test.” 13 And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
(ESV)
Hope in Unsteady Times
Who is Christmas for? Is it mainly for kids? For people with families to visit? For people with a lot of money to spend on gifts, with few worries on their minds? Many of our modern, commercial rituals surrounding the holiday might suggest this. However, Isaiah 7:10–14 offers a Christmas promise originally given to a people facing an existential threat.
The familiar promise of "God with us" born of a virgin might bring primarily peaceful images to our minds—a quiet, serene nativity scene. But for Jewish readers familiar with the prophet Isaiah's writings, these words were a reminder of a much-needed glimmer of hope in a time of empty leadership, political intrigue, and foreign aggression. In the face of foreign powers threatening to invade Judah, God offers King Ahaz a sign to attest to His trustworthiness. Ahaz replies that he "will not put the Lord to the test" (v. 12). This answer might seem to show some reverence, however the Old Testament is clear elsewhere that Ahaz is really a faithless idolater. This appearance of deference is no more than lip service—and God knows it. But God desires to offer a sign anyways: "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel"—God with us.
This promise of comfort, fully fulfilled in the coming of Christ, testifies to God's desire to enter into the instability of our world. God with us when we hear news of violence. God with us when we don't know what the future holds. God with us when our holiday season is marked by anxiety or grief. Christmas offers more than an excuse to celebrate when our lives are stable and full—It's a promise that God draws close to us in the midst of turmoil.
David Engstrom