God Gives the Sign
Today was a fairly busy day. I was up early and wrote a blog article related to my energy work. I then conducted a funeral midday and then attended another one in the early afternoon. This evening I’m off to a special movie related to “global warming.” Always something to keep me busy.
BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… Then the Lord spoke again to Ahaz: “Ask for a sign from the Lord your God—from the depths of Sheol to the heights of heaven.” But Ahaz replied, “I will not ask. I will not test the Lord.” Isaiah said, “Listen, house of David! Is it not enough for you to try the patience of men? Will you also try the patience of my God? Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel. Isaiah 7:10-14 HCSB
There are many times when people in the Bible asked God to give a sign to prove that what He spoke would happen. This situation is unique in that God turns the tables and invites the request for a sign.
King Ahaz was an evil and idolatrous king of Judah. He sacrificed one of his sons to pagan god and when threatened by Israel and Aram, sought help from the King of Assyria. He gave the King of Assyria gold from the Temple and then brought a pagan altar from Damascus and set it up besides the Lord’s altar in front of the Temple.
When Israel and Aram was mounting forces against Ahaz and Judah we are told, “….the heart of Ahaz and the hearts of his people trembled like trees of a forest shaking in the wind.” (Isaiah 7:2 HCSB) The Lord sends Isaiah and his son (interesting since Ahaz had his son killed) to give a message from the Lord, “Calm down and be quiet. Don’t be afraid or cowardly because of these two smoldering stubs of firebrands…This is what the Lord God says: It will not happen; it will not occur….(within 65 years Ephraim will be too shattered to be a people)…If you do not stand firm in your faith, then you will not stand at all.” (Isaiah 7:7-9 HCSB)
The Lord then tells Ahaz to choose a sign as proof that the prophet’s words will happen. For some reason Ahaz decided to sound noble and pious in saying, “he will not test the Lord;” but in reality he was disobeying the Lord and turning to human power for his help.
As a result, the Lord said He would choose a sign. The sign of Immanuel (God with us). In this sign we see not just a fulfillment from the Lord for Judah of old, but a sign for God’s deliverance from all people from sin and evil in the person of Jesus Christ, “The Immanuel.”
When God is with us, we can have confidence that we are safe, secure and victorious. To summarize the prophets words, “Calm down and be quiet…If you do not stand firm in your faith, then you will not stand at all.”
So often the issues of our life flood our hearts and minds with worry and panic. Do you need a “sign” to give assurance in those moments to have confidence in God’s deliverance and help. It is in the person of Jesus Christ, “God with us.” When God is with us, we can be calm and firm in our faith. When God is with us, that is all we need.