“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14

The context of this prophecy is really important. Isaiah had been sent to King Ahaz to tell him that he need not worry about the enemy that was approaching. The Lord, through Isaiah, even offered Ahaz the opportunity to ask for a sign that would be his assurance, but Ahaz refused. Then comes our verse for the day, in which the Lord told Ahaz that He would supply the sign Himself.

“The virgin will be with child …” WOW! Some kind of sign, Lord! In previous devotions we discussed the mathematical probability of all these Messianic prophecies coming true in one man. I say, what is the mathematical probability that this one prophecy would come true? How could a virgin have a child? It is impossible!!!! But all things are possible with God. Just stop for a minute and wrap your mind around this thought. God would so certainly work through and control historical events that He would cause the virgin Mary to give birth.

“… and will give birth to a son …” God even specified that the miraculous child born from the virgin would be a boy. He would be the second Adam. Where the first Adam failed the second would not. This Son would be called “Immanuel” (God with us). Wait a minute. Did you catch that? The miraculous Son born from the virgin Mary would be God Himself. What a sign! In this verse God is saying to all of us, I am coming to save you.

Now remember the context of this verse. Ahaz was worried about the approaching enemy, and God wanted to assure him that He had everything under control. The deeper meaning of this verse is that God knows we have an enemy, too. His desire to protect us from that enemy drove him to become man Himself, to be born of a virgin, to be Immanuel (God with us).

Whatever you are going through today, be assured that God knows and that He is with you (Immanuel).

Peace!

Pastor Tom

www.firmlyrooted.org