December 8, 2020
Love’s Birth – Isaiah 7:10-15
Dr. Larry S. Lightner
Again, the Lord spoke to Ahaz, “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. “But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey when He knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good.”–Isaiah 7:10-15 ESV
There is much preparation that happens as a family gets ready for the entrance into their home of a baby. The heart of the mother and father focus on a glorious day to come as there will be a child to love and to watch over as the child grows to become a man/woman.
The Scriptures are filled with births, many are boys. There is Cain who was the firstborn of Adam and Eve. There was Isaac, seen as the hope of Israel’s future. Who can forget Samuel, an answer to a mother’s pleading heart. There is John the Baptist who carried a message of another boy child.
The Scriptures describe these events as: the mother conceived and bore a son
There is another son we must consider, another baby boy’s birth. It is a detailed birth. This birth is quite different, and more words appear on the page than other births. It is the birth of Jesus. We have seen in Micah 5:2 that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem; that His mother would be a virgin; that He would be coming to save people from their sin.
When we explore the New Testament, we discover the writings give us more information. He was to have descriptive names: Immanuel, Jesus, the Christ, Son of God, and more. We are told why He would be named such. The place of His birth is just as given in Isaiah, Bethlehem. We discover that His birth mother and His adoptive father were part of the plan God had for His Son (Matthew 1:16).
Plainly we discover that Jesus’ birth stands above all other births described in God’s Word. Jesus is our Treasure, and we are privileged to tell others of His Fame.
The coming of Christ changed the world. The world did not expect the change He brought. The change is for humanity, an eternal matter. Not only is humanity expected to worship Christ, but humanity is also to celebrate Him.
Life Application
We live in a world where men and women endeavor to change the world to fit into a mold that reflects their own thinking. We see that prominently in governments, but also in the various religions of the world.
A favorite question is: How is that working out for you? It is a sobering question, an important question, and a question, that if not answered, allows men and women to lead others into despair and trouble.
Jesus, on the other hand, desires all humanity to experience the blessings of His birth, life, death, and resurrection. He, Jesus, desires all to come to Him, that not one would perish. How are we doing with that?
Prayer
- Pray that the love of Christ’s birth will drive us and those we care for to Him.
- Pray that our encounters with the story of Jesus will live out in our neighborhoods, communities, and make the nations glad.
