Jesus, the Sign / David Jeremiah

 

Jesus, the Sign Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14    The name Immanuel only occurs three times in the Bible: Isaiah 7:14; 8:8; Matthew 1:23. And the occurrence in Matthew 1:23, referring to Jesus, is a quotation of Isaiah 7:14.

Recommended Reading: Isaiah 8: 8 – 10

The context of Isaiah 7:14 was dire. Judah, led by King Ahaz, was under attack. Through Isaiah, God promised Ahaz that the attack would fail. To demonstrate this certainty, God gave the king a sign: A virgin would give birth to a son, and she would call him Immanuel (God with us). Often in Hebrew culture, names conveyed a message. In this case, God was saying through the Child’s name—Immanuel—that He would be with His people in their trials. Fast forward many centuries to the birth of Christ: The birth of Jesus by a virgin was seen as the ultimate fulfillment of Isaiah’s sign. Jesus becomes our certain sign that God is with us. Do not let trials or troubles tempt you into thinking you are alone. God has given us a Sign in His Son that He is with us. God never promises to save us from adversity, only to be with us in the midst of it. David Watson