A prophecy of judgment made to an Old Testament king is a promise of deliverance to God’s people today.

The story of the Christian faith is that in Christ the best is yet to come. We are waiting for Christ to return and make all things new (Isaiah 65:17; Revelation 21:5). God has given us a sign that this is true. Christ has already come into this world once. The birth of Jesus on Christmas Day is the sign. It is the sudden turn in the story that assures us that God will stop at nothing to accomplish a secure future for us.

A sign of things to come

Sometimes Christmas can be a season you just want to get through. You know you should rejoice, but you don’t feel much like doing so. If you are looking for a sudden turn of events that puts you in a story that ends happily ever after, can I suggest reading Isaiah 7:10-14?

Isaiah 7:10-14
Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, “Ask the LORD your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.”
But Ahaz said, “I will not ask; I will not put the LORD to the test.”
Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”

At first glance, this won’t seem much at all like a Christmas story. The situation for King Ahaz and the kingdom of Judah was far from merry and bright. Jerusalem was facing a siege. The threat of expansion by the Assyrian Empire was imminent. The Northern Kingdom of Israel formed a coalition against Assyria with the kingdom of Syria. Both Israel and Syria wanted Judah to join their coalition. Not only did King Ahaz refuse, but he also planned to ally himself with Assyria. Israel and Syria decided to mount a campaign against Judah in an effort to install a king who would be more sympathetic to their cause. Ahaz made a giant mistake.

Ahaz’s mistake was not a strategic miscalculation. His mistake was born from his distrust of God. God told Ahaz that he would come to the aid of Judah and defend it against Israel and Syria. But that meant Ahaz had to put his full trust in God. God wanted nothing more than for Ahaz to trust him, so he even invited Ahaz to ask for a sign that would clearly prove his trustworthiness.

Ahaz refused God’s offer. Instead, he put on a performance of piety. “I can’t possibly put the Lord to the test,” he said. Except Ahaz wouldn’t have been testing God. Testing God takes place when humans demand God prove himself to them. Ahaz didn’t want to ask for a sign because then he would have to trust God and abandon his own plan to save Judah.

God gave Ahaz a sign anyway. A virgin would give birth to a son. It sounds Christmassy, but in context it is a judgment against Ahaz and the people for their faithlessness.

And yet the gospel writer Matthew saw in this statement a promise of deliverance, a promise that God would be Immanuel (Matthew 1:23). Isn’t that just like God? He’s never content to leave people under judgment but always works to bring them salvation.

A promise of deliverance

The holiday season can feel like one long performance. You put on your ugly Christmas sweater, show up to a work party, and force a smile. But lurking below is sorrow and worry and pain. When the holidays remind you that your loved one is gone, being merry is exhausting. When everyone else is celebrating but your diagnosis haunts you, being joyful is a grind. When you get cards from families and you feel alone, the holidays don’t seem so merry and bright.

But what do you do with your sorrow and worry and pain? Do you give them to God and live in trust? Or do you put on your best performance of piety? You go to Advent services and light your Advent candles, but lurking below is distrust and doubt and despair. Is God really able to give you hope, love, joy, and peace?

In the Nicene Creed, you confess that the Lord has given you a sign of his trustworthiness. “For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and became truly human.” When you say these words, you are confessing a historical reality. You are saying God is trustworthy. He is faithful. As Isaiah said, “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” (7:14).

Often the most compelling Christmas stories aren’t overly sentimental. Here’s a Christmas story for you: In response to a godless king and to a people who tried his patience, God promised that he would send his Son. He came to bring good cheer, yes, but he came to bring his righteousness to sinners. He came to bring true piety to people who like to perform it.

I suppose thoughts of sin and rebellion aren’t full of holiday spirit—that is, if holiday spirit ignores the reality of judgment and pain and sin. But Isaiah chapter 7 takes those things seriously and shows that God does too. It showcases a God who wants a beautiful ending for his people even if they thought they had a better ending in mind. God knows that sin does real things to real people, and he refuses to tolerate it. That’s why in the middle of sin and its consequences, he gives you a sign.

I need the story of Ahaz and Israel at Christmas because it reminds me that God made a promise to sinners who tested his patience. He made a promise to you and me to do something so far beyond that which we would ever dare ask him. He promised to become one of us. To save us. To make the faithless into his faithful people.

Of course, the angels proclaiming, “Peace,” the shepherds rushing to Bethlehem, and Mary pondering all of those things in her heart are all a part of Christmas. But Jesus, God with us, is the sign. He is the assurance that whatever you experience today and whatever you face tomorrow, God has proven to you that he will come to earth—all to rescue you.

This is the second article in a series on Isaiah’s prophecies. Read the first article. 

Author: Aaron Goetzinger
Volume 111, Number 12
Issue: December 2024

More prophecies from Isaiah

The book of Isaiah showcases Israel’s rebellion, faithlessness, and sinful pride. God speaks soul-crushing words of denunciation and judgment. But woven throughout are glimpses of what God is also doing for people’s good. Through a promised servant, he is working a blessed new beginning. Here is a sampling of God’s promises in the book of Isaiah.

ISAIAH 9—Out of darkness, a light will dawn. A divine king will establish an eternal reign on David’s throne. This prophecy is echoed by the angel Gabriel in his announcement to Mary.

ISAIAH 11—A branch would grow from the stump of Jesse. Out of disaster, God brings life. Out of hopelessness, God restores hope.

ISAIAH 40:3-5—The Lord is coming, so all obstacles should be removed for his arrival. When the Lord comes, his salvation will be seen by all.

ISAIAH 52:13–53:12—The servant of God will act as an intercessor for transgressors so that the righteousness of God is satisfied and transgressors are declared righteous.

ISAIAH 65:17-25—God promises the new heavens and new earth. Notice that some of the descriptions are similar to Isaiah chapter 11.