Advent - Our Hope, God With Us
4th Sunday of Advent — Dec 22 — Our Hope: God With Us
Our Hope, Emmanuel, God with us.
Full faith in the promise of ver. 7 would have enabled Ahaz to dispense with all plans of earthly policy, and to “stand fast in the Lord,” without calling in the aid of any “arm of flesh.” Distrust of the promise would lead him to take steps which would not tend to “establish” him, but would make his position more insecure (see 2 Kings 16:7–18; 2 Chron. 28:16, 20).
Promise to David for all through Good News in Jesus.
7:10–25 Isaiah’s meeting with Ahaz should have encouraged his faith in Yahweh to deliver Judah from its present predicament. Instead, Ahaz discounts the reassurance Yahweh offers, and compounds his sin by refusing a divine sign. The sign of Immanuel has implications for the immediate future: Within a year or two—the time it would take for a woman to conceive, give birth, and rear a young boy—the threat from the Syro-Ephraimite alliance will have passed. The ultimate fulfillment of the sign points to the future restoration of God’s relationship with His people through the miraculous birth of God in human form (Matt 1:23).
The sign of Emmanuel is the sign that God hasn’t given up.
7:10–25 Isaiah’s meeting with Ahaz should have encouraged his faith in Yahweh to deliver Judah from its present predicament. Instead, Ahaz discounts the reassurance Yahweh offers, and compounds his sin by refusing a divine sign. The sign of Immanuel has implications for the immediate future: Within a year or two—the time it would take for a woman to conceive, give birth, and rear a young boy—the threat from the Syro-Ephraimite alliance will have passed. The ultimate fulfillment of the sign points to the future restoration of God’s relationship with His people through the miraculous birth of God in human form (Matt 1:23).
The birth of Jesus, Emmanuel.
The name Immanuel symbolizes the full restoration of Yahweh’s broken relationship with His people. While the immediate context of the sign itself points to a short-term fulfillment (see note on Isa 7:10–25), the larger context of Isaiah heavily stresses the future time of redemption and reconciliation between Yahweh and Israel. The coming salvation is depicted in the royal role of the Messiah in 9:2–8 that weaves divine titles into the description of the ideal righteous ruler—the Davidic messiah. The close relationship between messianic and divine roles and titles supports the understanding of Immanuel as a messianic figure. In 11:1–10, the Messiah is given the divine right to judge the nations; His reign inaugurates an era of worldwide peace. The suffering, death, and destruction that entered the world through sin will be replaced with peace, justice, and righteousness as predator and prey live together in harmony (11:6). The time of Immanuel will reflect the perfection of creation as originally formed in the garden of Eden.