There are two passages assigned for today!

SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 7
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. [Isaiah 7:14]
When God reveals something, it is usually multi-layered; there is always more going on than meets the eye.
The symbols of the temple, the priest and the altar had immediate meaning for the Jews, but they also had future and fuller meaning in the coming of Jesus – the ultimate meeting place and mediator and sacrifice!
And the words of prophets had meant something for those hearing them, but also had fuller meaning that was realized in the coming of Jesus.
We could call this a double message – the immediate and the ultimate meaning of something.
This is also true of these words: God promises the birth of a ‘miracle child’, who will represent God’s presence and power on behalf of His people.
We read in the next chapter the immediate meaning of this sign: Then I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and gave birth to a son. And the Lord said to me, “Name him Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz (which means quick to the plunder, swift to the spoil) [Isaiah 8:1]
We know nothing of this birth, other than this miracle child represents to the people of that day that God was with them, He would rescue them [Isaiah 8:8-10].

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 be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” –which means, “God with us.” [Matthew 1:21-23]
The ultimate fulfillment of this promise is in Jesus; He is the One that overcomes all evil, all suffering, not just local manifestations of it.
What God did on a local scale for Israel in Ahaz’s day, He did on a cosmic scale in Jesus; ‘God with us’ defeated the enemy states for the Jews in Isaiah’s day; ‘God with us’ defeated the enemy prince of this world through Jesus.
The most important message from today’s reading is that God is with us – today and forever!
He is at work for us in our daily situations, but also for our ultimate concern salvation.

What about the question of the ‘virgin birth’?
Some people dispute that this is real – it is unbelievable, far-fetched – both in Isaiah’s day and for Jesus!
I agree, humanly speaking it is unbelievable, far-fetched… unless you believe in God.
Something like this is not impossible for God [Luke 1:34-37].
But another question is, was the child born in Ahaz’s day also born of a virgin?
It certainly is possible, though we do not really know the circumstances surrounding that child’s birth.
Somehow that baby’s birth was special, and important, and signified something very important – God is with us.
I will not argue the details, nor will I worry about them; I believe the message conveyed by the passage, and take great comfort from it.
And I believe – as crazy as it sounds – that Jesus was a miracle child, born of a virgin.
Don’t ask me to explain it – I can’t – but I take great comfort in it.
Because it means to me that God cares for me so much that He is prepared to enter my life and my world and help me in person; God is with me, God is for me, God is helping me!
Whatever we believe about Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz, what really matters is what we believe about Jesus, for He is the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise, and our guarantee that nothing can separate us from His love.
“Keep calm and don’t be afraid, do not lose heart” [Isaiah 7:4] for God is with us!

PRAYER:
Lord, whatever fears I face, whatever struggles I endure, no matter how hard or miserable things get, I am encouraged by the fact that You are near, You are with me, I am not abandoned.