By Grace: A Savior Among Us
Isaiah 7:13-16; Matthew 1:20-25
"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)
Here, we are given specifics about One who will be born a Savior. A sign will be given to the house of David: a virgin will bear a Son. Some skeptics have argued that the Hebrew word for "virgin" can also mean "young woman." They would attempt to eliminate the miraculous. But in ancient Hebrew society, the word meant a young unmarried woman. For such a one to give birth would have caused the utmost scandal. Others have contended that the ancient Hebrews didn't know where babies came from. That, of course, is ridiculous!
We're also told here that this Son would not be any ordinary child. He will be called "Immanuel," a Hebrew word which means "God with us." The child, in other words, will be the incarnate God - Creator of heaven and earth. He will come to earth, live the life we should have lived and die the death we should have died, bringing gracious salvation to His people. No human could have planned it! No human could have even foreseen it! God in human flesh? Absurd! No way! But true.
INSIGHT
God's grace to us is miraculous. That is, it cannot be explained with human reason. Like Jesus' birth, our new birth is miraculous, too.
READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Genesis 8-9
Psalm 4
Matthew 6-7
Isaiah 7:13-16;
13 Then Isaiah said, "Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you[a] a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and[b] will call him Immanuel.[c] 15 He will eat curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right. 16 But before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste.
Footnotes:
a. Isaiah 7:14 The Hebrew is plural.
b. Isaiah 7:14 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls and he or and they
c. Isaiah 7:14 Immanuel means God with us.
Matthew 1:20-25
20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[a] because he will save his people from their sins."
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"[b]—which means, "God with us."
24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
Footnotes:
a. Matthew 1:21 Jesus is the Greek form of Joshua, which means the LORD saves.
b. Matthew 1:23 Isaiah 7:14
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