“All right then, the Lord Himself will give
you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a
Son and will call Him Immanuel (which means ‘God with us’).” (Isaiah 7:14)
The sign given to Ahaz was a
mother who would give birth to a child named Immanuel, which means, “God with
us.” Contemporary ears hear “Immanuel, God with us” so often this time of year
that we forget its import. One should never assume that “God with us” means
“God is on our side.” As the verses following verse 16 point out, “God with us”
can mean “God coming with judgment as well as salvation.” The presence of the
living and holy God is nothing to treat lightly. God’s holiness exposes our sin
and disobedience. God’s light shines in our darkness and illuminates our
frailty. God’s righteousness stands in stark contrast to our wickedness and
rebellion.
-- Kevin Baker in Hail the Heaven Born
#3340
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