The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Isaiah 7:14,
"The virgin [or, "young woman"] will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."
In Israel's history, when the nation was split into the northern ten tribes (called Israel) and the southern two tribes (called Judah), the king of Israel joined forces with the king of Aram (from the area of central Syria) to attack the king of Judah at Jersualem. The Lord told the prophet Isaiah to tell the king of Judah, Ahaz, to not loose heart, that the Lord himself would not allow it to happen.
To bolster Ahaz's confidence in this, the Lord had Isaiah ask Ahaz what kind of a sign he would like to see to strengthen him in it. Ahaz declined, trying the Lord's patience, so the Lord gave him a sign of his own choosing: the virgin [or young woman] would have a son. It is thought that the young woman in this instance was Isaiah's own wife. Her having a son would be the Lord's sign to Ahaz that he would not allow Ahaz to be destroyed by Pekah, king of Israel in cahoots with Rezin, king of Aram.
Amazingly, we learn that beyond the near term fulfillment of this prophecy in the lives of Isaiah and Ahaz, seven hundred years later there would be a far-reaching fulfillment! In this far-reaching fulfillment, it is not simply a "young woman", but a virgin, a young woman who had never slept with a man that would have a son!
In the account of Joseph being told that his betrothed, Mary, was going to have a baby [Jesus] that would be conceived by God himself, Matthew quotes the event as being a specific far-reaching fulfillment of the prophecy Isaiah gave Ahaz! "All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 'The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel' (which means 'God with us')." Matthew 1:22-23.
"The virgin [or, "young woman"] will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."
In Israel's history, when the nation was split into the northern ten tribes (called Israel) and the southern two tribes (called Judah), the king of Israel joined forces with the king of Aram (from the area of central Syria) to attack the king of Judah at Jersualem. The Lord told the prophet Isaiah to tell the king of Judah, Ahaz, to not loose heart, that the Lord himself would not allow it to happen.
To bolster Ahaz's confidence in this, the Lord had Isaiah ask Ahaz what kind of a sign he would like to see to strengthen him in it. Ahaz declined, trying the Lord's patience, so the Lord gave him a sign of his own choosing: the virgin [or young woman] would have a son. It is thought that the young woman in this instance was Isaiah's own wife. Her having a son would be the Lord's sign to Ahaz that he would not allow Ahaz to be destroyed by Pekah, king of Israel in cahoots with Rezin, king of Aram.
Amazingly, we learn that beyond the near term fulfillment of this prophecy in the lives of Isaiah and Ahaz, seven hundred years later there would be a far-reaching fulfillment! In this far-reaching fulfillment, it is not simply a "young woman", but a virgin, a young woman who had never slept with a man that would have a son!
In the account of Joseph being told that his betrothed, Mary, was going to have a baby [Jesus] that would be conceived by God himself, Matthew quotes the event as being a specific far-reaching fulfillment of the prophecy Isaiah gave Ahaz! "All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 'The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel' (which means 'God with us')." Matthew 1:22-23.
The miracle of the virgin birth of Jesus Christ is simply an astonishing thing! In my mind, it ranks right up there with the resurrection of Jesus Christ - as far as miracles go. What a sign to the world of the origin and nature of Jesus Christ!
Each and every miracle we read of in the Scriptures happened exactly as recorded for us. When we wrap our minds around the reality that God entered into his own creation, we realize, as Creator, he can violate all of the laws of physics, or whatever, that he established to rule his creation. Jesus walking on water, turning water to wine, raising Lazarus from the dead, healing sick people, making the blind to see, the deaf to hear, all are miracles that have taken place just as we have been told.
Yes, Jesus Christ was really born to the virgin Mary. And, yes, Jesus Christ was really raised from the dead and appeared to many, proving he had secured his Father's forgiveness of all of our sins!
How wonderful our God has provided us the historical accounts of miracles to strengthen our hearts!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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