One of the things we celebrate during the Christmas season
is the fulfillment of the Immanuel prophesy. (You can find the prophesy in Isaiah chapter 7.) Most of us know that Immanuel means “God with
us,” but what does that mean? Is the
Immanuel prophesy a hope that developed through scripture. These are the kinds of questions that invade
my mind while I’m eating, sleeping, and sometimes when I’m playing Go Fish with
my daughter while my 6 month old son tries to eat the cards. Don’t you wish you were me?
The first occurrence of the Father committing to be “with”
someone is in Genesis 26. God said to
Isaac, stay here in this place, and I will be with you. Don’t go to Egypt looking for help and relief
from the famine you are experiencing. In
this promise there is an implied “if.” If, you will trust me and stay, then I will be with you.
Another time the Father promises to be “with” someone is
when he speaks to Moses through the burning bush in Exodus 3. He even provides a sign as confirmation of
His promised presence. The proof was
that they would worship on that same mountain. But to get to the evidence,
trusting the Father’s promise was required. Moses would have to go back to Egypt as a
first step toward the people’s deliverance and the evidence of the Father’s
being “with them.”
One of the things we see being developed in the thread of
God’s statements, that “I will be with you,” is that faith and trust are
necessary on our part. It requires faith
and trust to come to the realization of the proof of His presence. Just as when Isaiah gives the Immanuel prophesy
to Ahaz in Isaiah 7. During this time in
Israel’s history the kingdom was split into Israel, to the north, and Judah, to
the south. Israel and the Syrians have
teamed up and are attacking Judah. All
the people of Judah are frightened, including their king, Ahaz. Isaiah goes to Ahaz and prophesies that
Israel and Syria will not prevail and that Judah should not fear. God even offers a sign to Ahaz as proof, and
Ahaz could have asked for anything he could have imagined! Unfortunately, Ahaz tries to play Mr.
Spiritual and refuses to ask for a sign, because he doesn’t want to test God. God’s response is shocking. “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.” (Is. 7:13-14, ESV)
There are two interesting things I want to point out
here. First, Ahaz obviously was showing
a lack of faith in God’s ability to deliver them from their oppressors. He goes and asks for help from their
archenemies the Assyrians, who end up attacking Judah anyway. Second, the promise changes from “I will be
with you” to Immanuel, or “God with us.”
The sign itself is a confession of faith in the Father’s character of
being a deliverer.
The initial fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophesy is debated, but
ultimately, it was fulfilled in the incarnation of the Son of God. Matthew recognizes this in his Gospel in
chapter 1. In fact, according to the
way Matthew presents it, Mary’s virgin birth and Joseph being commanded by an
angel to make her his wife was all to fulfill Isaiah’s prophesy. God Himself becoming man to deliver his
people from their sin is the full expression of God proclaiming, “I will be
with you.”
We have much to rejoice about during this season and all
year round. God became one of us,
because He willed to save us. And so we
can stand in complete assurance as we sing and shout together, “Immanuel!” Because God is with us! And we have evidence too, but this requires
faith. First we have the account
preserved in the inspired scriptures, and second we have the inner confirmation
of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. Ahaz had made up his mind about what he was going to trust in to save
his kingdom, and it wasn’t the Father in heaven. What will you trust in? “If” you believe in Jesus you will be saved,
and you will know that He is always with you (no matter what you are dealing
with). “Glory to God in the highest, and
on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:14, ESV)
