The Sign, The Son

"Moreover the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying, “Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above.”

But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I test the Lord!”

Then he said, “Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also? 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 7:10-13

I adore studying the book of Isaiah, especially surrounding Christmas. This Old Testament book, credited to the major prophet, Isaiah, is FILLED with Messianic prophecy, foreshadowing the coming King, Savior, and humble Servant. Isaiah's name means "Yahweh is salvation," and, second to the Psalms, it is the book most quoted in the New Testament. As Jesus said in John 5:39-40, "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life."

The scriptures, including the book of Isaiah, speak of Jesus. In this particular scene in Isaiah 7, Isaiah is sent to King Ahaz of Judah to reassure him that he need not fear the oncoming threats from Syria and Israel. The Lord, in His mercy, allows Ahaz to find security in the Lord's Word (spoken by the prophet) by asking for a sign, but Ahaz rejects it. (Also, read 2 Kings 16 to read more about evil practices during Ahaz's reign.) In response to this, the Lord delivers a message, through Isaiah, to Judah, the "House of David," and says, "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel."

King Ahaz is so fearful of the potential overthrow of his position and of threatening alliances that he refuses to turn to God and seek proof of his deliverance from none other than the Lord's hand. Yet, the Lord in His mercy still chooses to reveal Himself.

“I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me. To a nation that did not call on my name, I said, ‘Here am I, here am I.’ Isaiah 65:1

What is the sure sign of deliverance for Judah? The Son of Man, Jesus. Jesus, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Likewise, what is the sure sign of deliverance for humanity? Jesus, the Root of David. In Isaiah 7, this gracious and zealous God we serve turns his attention towards a wicked generation and gives a similar message to that of His servant Moses, "I AM that I AM." (Exodus 3:14)

Let's break this down even more...As King Ahaz was too caught up in fearing the opposition and practicing wickedness without a repentant heart, the Lord was relentlessly ready and waiting to reveal His plan to save His people. Even in darkness, God's light shines forth. The Savior (Sign) wasn't a horse, a chariot, or a strong militant officer. (Psalm 20:7) It was a child, born of a virgin. It was GOD himself, the Great I AM.

This child would dwell on earth, fully God and fully man. This child would grow in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and man. This child would walk in obedience and purity, dying a criminal's death on a cross to offer up the perfect sacrifice, to bring about forgiveness of sins to all who believe in Him as Lord. This child would bring reconciliation, protection, healing, and deliverance to those who call upon His name. This child would atone for every spot and blemish in the life of a sinner turned saint. This child is the only sign needed, and the sign is God Himself.

Since the fall, humanity has tried to cover up, heal, and conceal sin through human effort. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve hid themselves in an attempt to withdraw from God, in hopes that He might overlook their mishap. In Isaiah, King Ahaz relies on an Assyrian ally rather than trusting in God. In my life, time and time again, I've tried to scrub myself clean from the stain of sin, in hopes of performing my way into freedom. This is not the way. God makes it clear in Isaiah 7 that Immanuel, "God with us," is the only sign and remedy of deliverance.

Are you seeking deliverance from fear? Are you longing for true peace and rest? Are you tired or frantic from the busyness of life? Do you find yourself in a helpless or broken state today, and are wearied from seeking answers from the world? Does oppression burden you, or what feels like an onslaught from the enemy? If you can even slighlty relate, the Lord has the remedy, the relief that you need. He promises you deliverance, freedom, healing, hope, joy, peace...TRUE LIFE. Do you know what sign He's given you to prove it?

"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel." Your sign is Jesus. Your sign is the nail-pierced, Messiah. Your sign is God Himself.

The prophecy in Isaiah was later fulfilled in Matthew 1:20-23, "But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, 'Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

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”).

This Jesus, this child born of a virgin, WILL and HAS saved His people from their sins. This wasn't just a historical event; it was the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus that paved the way for you and me to step into a redeemed life. Jesus didn't just save your life; He became your life. Galatians 2:20 says, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." This means that all sin, destruction, and anything that would bring about death and darkness is now crucified on the tree, and you can partake in the freedom of true life that is found in none other than Jesus.

Does this seem too good to be true? Don't believe my words, but seek this out for yourself! If you desire freedom, look at the blood-stained banner of the cross. If you need healing, look at what His wounds paid for. If you want security, lock eyes with this God-man. If you long for hope and peace and joy, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal Immanuel, "God with us", to you. If you're searching to destroy sin within you, look no further than the body and blood of Jesus.

It's one thing to KNOW that this is true, and it's another to BELIEVE that this is true. Honestly, I am BEGGING for this belief, because life depends on it. The Lord doesn't want you to live a life of discouragement. He said, "In this world you will have trouble. But, take heart, I have overcome the world." John 16:33

Yes, we experience trouble. Sometimes we cause the trouble. Sometimes trouble happens to us. BUT, no matter what happens, the SIGN is the same. THIS CHILD HAS OVERCOME THE WORLD. Christ has overcome every power, every sin, every problem, every principality, and everything is subject to the power of Jesus.

This winter, if you're frantically searching for the "peace, hope, and joy" the season apparently offers, look to the sign spoken of by the prophet Isaiah. Behold the Son. As you do, by His Spirit, every bit of opposition will fade (including fear) and all you'll be left to behold is Jesus. Remember, Christ died to free you from sin and make you alive with Him. He didn't come to alter your life, He came to BE your life.

This Christmas, I'm writing to needy, poor-in-spirit souls who are thirsty for a touch from God. I'm writing to the ones who have heard the Lord say, "Come to me all who are weary and I will give you rest," and have set out on the pilgrimage of finding peace in His presence. I'm writing to the desperate heart that cannot be content with the world's status quo and longs for holiness and healing, for redemptive living back in the arms of the Good Shepherd.

For some, the honest answer may be...Is this sign enough? Is staring at the face of Jesus, the coming of the Messiah, unity with the Creator, the power of His resurrection life in you, and the promise of His return...Is that enough? This is a question I cannot answer for you; it must be discovered. Discovering requires faith. It takes surrendering. It takes honesty. It takes coming to Him to learn that He will forever and always (whether we feel it or not) be more than enough. I've found that season after season, I come to understand and re-learn this truth: He is the one thing needed. (Luke 10:42)

As we go about our daily activities, the ultimate goal of each day is to seek Him and find Him. To belong to Christ Jesus is your purpose. This is your purpose as you decorate the tree, shop for gifts, check your emails, cook a meal...It's to be one with Him and to allow His Spirit to live in you and through you. Here are some practical ways that you can invite the Lord into this pursuit:

When you're hungry for Him, fast.

When you're longing for His nearness, delight in taking communion with the body of believers.

When you're desperate for a breakthrough, break through in prayer.

When you've been fed lies, eat the truth (Word of God).

More of Him is always what's needed!

Remember, we serve a God who delights in giving good and perfect gifts (Matthew 7:11). The ultimate gift is the gift of Himself, Jesus. I'm telling you, you need Him. I need Him more than I've ever needed Him before. He's at the top of the Christmas list and will forever and always be the most sought-after prize. The Good News is He is waiting for you to ask for Him, that He may pour out His love upon you and leave you drenched in His Spirit, overflowing with hope, joy, and righteousness, by His power, His presence alive in you.

Does this sound like the life you'd like to live this Christmas? Ask Him now to behold the promised sign, to behold the Son.

Prayer: You are my Savior. I give my entire life to You. I lay every burden down at your feet. I receive the deliverance, the healing, the peace, the love that you paid for on Calvary. I trust you to be everything that's needed. Teach me to walk in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit. Blessed Holy Spirit, reveal Jesus to me. Teach me to turn to Him in every situation and to open me wide to receive the life of your Son, true deliverance in every situation. Show me the way of life found in intimacy with You. Take my attention off of self and onto the Son. Amen.

Merry Christmas!