Isaiah 7:13-16

“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a young woman shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” vs. 14

Isaiah answers the refusal of Ahaz to ask for help by giving him what turns out to be a reassuring sign. A young woman will conceive and bear a son and call his name Immanuel, which means “God is with us.” This was good news for Ahaz. God would not abandon Jerusalem and would in fact deliver her from her enemies by the time the child would be fully weaned. Over 700 years later, early Christians saw in this verse a reference to the birth of Jesus and believed that the name “Immanuel” could be applied to him. And those early believers were exactly right. It isn’t that Isaiah foresaw the birth of Jesus centuries before it happened, but Jesus was what Isaiah described. As the gospel writer John put it, Jesus was the Word made flesh, the incarnation of the invisible God. He truly was Immanuel! And so it is that out of all the holiday songs we’re currently hearing,  the one best reflecting the season of Advent is, “O Come, O Come Immanuel.” So whether we’re facing a crisis like that of Ahaz, or one peculiar to our own situation, remembering the name Immanuel can be a source of comfort and assurance. We are not alone. God is with us!

Thought for the Day: What’s my consolation in a time of crisis?