Isaiah 7:14—Delivery from Dysfunction

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14 (NIV, other translations here)

Although we correctly recognize this as a prophecy of Jesus’ birth, it was also a prophecy of another event involving the same dynamic that prompted Jesus’ incarnation: God delivering from sin and the dysfunction it causes. 

This prophecy was first made during the reign of Ahaz, one of the bad kings who succeeded David. He corrupted the worship of God and relied on political machinations instead of God in administering the kingdom. That kingdom suffered for it, and was in acute crisis when this prophecy was made. The prophecy was made then to reassure God’s people that, despite their king’s depravity, God was faithful and would not abandon them. Isaiah 7:1-17; 2 Kings 16; 2 Chronicles 28.

This prophecy was fulfilled the first time by the birth of Hezekiah, one of the best of the good kings that came after David. Although not perfect, Hezekiah lead God’s people into much better relationship with God and delivered the kingdom from much of the dysfunction that resulted from Ahaz’s degeneracy. Hezekiah did that by recognizing Ahaz’s sins, renouncing them, and turning whole heartedly to God. 2 Kings 18:1-8; 2 Chronicles 29, 30, 31, and 32:24-33.

Jesus came into a similarly corrupted world and had a similar mission. That mission was—and still is—to bring people into right relationship with God, to be “Immanuel . . .  God with us.”  Matthew 1:23. He more perfectly united God’s people with God by addressing their sin and giving them the Holy Spirit.  He still does those things today, and does them for all people who will accept those wonderful gifts.

So how do we respond to that?  By following Hezekiah’s example of acknowledging and turning from our sins so God can address the dysfunction that results from them.  As 1 John 1:9  tells us, “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”  And as James 1:5 tells us, God will give us wisdom going forward if we sincerely seek it from Him.

Will that instantly solve your problems or exempt you from future difficulties? It didn’t for Hezekiah and his subjects, and it won’t for you, but it is an essential first step getting to where God wants you to be. Take it and trust God to take it from there. 

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for not giving up on us, for reaching out to give us a way out of our sin and the dysfunction it causes. Help us to recognize and turn from our sin, and to turn wholeheartedly to you. We ask this in the name of the one who makes it possible: Jesus the Christ.