When Ahaz refuses to ask for a sign (v 12), the Lord gives him a
prophecy with a double meaning. First a young woman, possibly Isaiah’s wife,
will bear a son. When the boy has grown, Judah's two enemies, Israel and Aram,
will be destroyed. Second, a virgin will be miraculously impregnated and bear
Jesus, the Messiah. He will be called Immanuel, ‘God with us’ ( Matthew 1.23).
The virgin birth is crucial sign of the coming Messiah and later
becomes an important part of Christian doctrine. Conceived by the Holy Spirit , Jesus is wholly God.
Born of a human mother, he is wholly man. With both qualifications, he
perfectly fits the role of intermediary between God and humanity. He can, and
does, redeem the world.
He is our advocate and redeemer, in him is all our hope.
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God’s
plan is always better
The message here is about the true portrait of harsh reality of life.
We do our best to make our plans, get things lined up as we want them to be and
then something happens and all our dreams comes crashing down. When this
happens we wonder why God allows it and wonder if God is with us.
But like Joseph we are blind to the fact that God is working behind the
scenes. In fact it was God who shattered
our dreams ! The things that happen in life are sometimes not accident , but
are carefully planned and arranged to help us grow in the Lord.
God works out his will in our lives in ways that we cannot understand ,
but his plans is always the best and come what may he is always with us. If we
are to be used greatly of the Lord ,there will be some trials along the way.
Joseph was assigned to a very difficult task by God, but he embraced
and completed it by faith knowing that God's plan is best.
May the Lord make us available for his divine assignment.
Grace West
Holy Family icon by Lukan
Yaryn4yk (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
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