Creator, Father, King #351

The Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means “God is with us”).

CHRISTMAS OFTEN BRINGS TO mind dazzling trees, delicious treats, gift-wrapped goodies, festive carols, and a sacred manger scene. We certainly don’t associate the holidays with rampant idolatry, divination, and the horrors of child sacrifice. Yet did you know these terrible pagan evils helped birth one of our most beloved “Christmas verses”?

This begs for an explanation!

In the late eighth century BC, King Ahaz of Judah made an alliance with Assyria, the most powerful empire in the world at the time, to help stave off attacks from Syria and Israel, rather than trusting in the Lord. Ahaz was a wicked ruler, leading Judah into all the horrible sins mentioned above. Through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord challenged Ahaz to put his trust in him: “Ask the LORD your God for a sign of confirmation, Ahaz. Make it as difficult as you want—as high as heaven or as deep as the place of the dead” (Isaiah 7:10-11).

When hard-hearted Ahaz refused, God responded through Isaiah in today’s verse: “All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).” Isaiah then predicted that before the child grew up, Assyria would destroy Syria and Israel and turn on Judah.

What’s It Mean?

Some Bible interpreters believe that Isaiah’s words were a “single fulfillment” prophecy, meaning it was fulfilled exclusively in Jesus. Other interpreters believe it was a “double fulfillment” prophecy, meaning it was fulfilled partially in Isaiah’s day and completely in Christ. Either way, Jesus provided the ultimate fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy, and Matthew pointed to this in his Gospel (Matthew 1:18-25).

Jesus’ incarnation and virgin birth was the greatest miracle in history. Because he was not born by normal human procreation, Jesus did not inherit a sinful nature like the rest of us. He was “God with us”—fully God, fully man—and therefore could represent us perfectly as our sinless Savior.

Who could have conceived this? Who could have injected messianic hope into the corrupt reign of a depraved king? Who could have performed such wonders?

Only the God who loves you.

Now What?

Read about King Ahaz in 2 Kings 16 and 2 Chronicles 28, and the context of Isaiah’s related messianic prophecies in Isaiah chapters 7–11.

Did You Know?

Ahaz’s son, Hezekiah, was faithful to the Lord and one of Judah’s greatest kings.