Read Isaiah 7—8
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
These were perilous days for the nation of Judah. Assyria was growing
stronger and threatening the smaller nations. Syria and Ephraim (the
northern kingdom) tried to pressure Judah into an alliance against
Assyria, but Ahaz, king of Judah, refused to join them. Why? Because
he had secretly made a treaty with Assyria (2 Kings 16:5–9).
If Ahaz had believed God’s promise, he would have broken his
alliance and called the nation to prayer and praise; but the king continued in his unbelief. Isaiah addressed the whole “house of David”
and gave the prophecy concerning “Immanuel.”
The ultimate fulfillment of this prophecy is in our Lord Jesus
Christ, who is “God with us,” which is what Immanuel means. This
“sign” also had an immediate significance to Ahaz. A woman who
was then a virgin would get married, conceive, and bear a son whose
name would be Immanuel. This son would be a reminder that God
was with His people and would care for them. It is likely that this
virgin was Isaiah’s second wife and that Isaiah’s second son was named
both Immanuel and Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz (meaning “quick to the
plunder, swift to the spoil”) (see Isa. 8:1, 3).
Something to Ponder
King Ahaz’s fear of Assyria was stronger than his trust in God. Are
there any situations that shake your trust in God? If so, what are they?