Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, having come upon the fourth Sunday in Advent, we are on the cusp of the celebration of our Savior’s birth. We implore our God with much anticipation and excitement, “O come, O come, Immanuel!” So today, the focus of our text is on that great promise—the sign that God is with us. Immanuel has come.

You see, the mid to late part of the 8th century BC was a terribly frightening time for the northern and southern kingdoms of the people of Israel. Many nations saw an opportunity to attack the people (who were supposed to be God’s people) and the land that God promised them. The northern kingdom (called Israel) was in the process of exile. Meanwhile, several nations were attacking the southern kingdom (called Judah). The capital (Jerusalem, the holy city, where God promised to be with His people) was soon to endure attack.

The prophet Isaiah visits Ahaz (King of Judah) with a word from God, “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be as deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” The Lord says, “Ask me for any sign that you may see and believe that I will deliver you from the hand of your attackers.” The Lord shows great mercy and kindness. He seeks to deliver sinners from the hand of those who would kill and destroy.

Yet, listen to Ahaz’s reply, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.”  What a pious guy, right? I mean, God gives this exact command in Deuteronomy 6:16, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.” Ahaz sounds noble, but he’s ripping Scripture out of context. Putting the Lord to the test is to doubt Him. It’s to say, “I will only believe you, Lord, if you do this.” Putting the Lord to the test is hiding unbelief with words that sound godly—and that’s what Ahaz does. He doesn’t trust God with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength. He doesn’t believe God can deliver Judah from her enemies. So, Isaiah replies, “Hear then, O house of David!  Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also?” In other words, “How long does God have to put up with faithless ones like you?”

Who does Ahaz trust? False gods and other nations. Second Chronicles 28 reveals that Ahaz is a wicked, idolatrous king. He worships idols. He makes offerings to false gods (even sacrificing his own sons to idols). Ahaz instigated the Lord’s wrath by shutting the doors to the temple and building pagan altars in Jerusalem.

In a time of national emergency, instead of turning to the one true God for help, this descendant of David turns to the brutal Assyrian nation. Assyria’s philosophy of war goes like this, “Alright men, let’s march into the land, kill and torture people in unimaginable ways, and then those left will cower in fear and give up.” Ahaz’s appeal to Assyria instead of the gracious and merciful Lord reveals the depth of his unbelief. He trusts brutal Assyria more than the Lord.

Much like during Ahaz’s reign, terrible armies seek to destroy the Church. Sin, death, hell, the devil, the world, and our sinful natures fiercely tempt you (God’s people, God’s children) to reject God. Satan whispers in your ear, “You know there are lots of other people, places, things, and ideas you could worship. Maybe you should try one of them to make your life better.” The devil seeks to convince you that God has abandoned you, and you must go it alone.

Satan tries whatever he can to lure you from the gifts of the Holy Spirit—the means of grace. He whispers in your ear, “Did God really say that salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus are given through Word and Sacrament? Aren’t there other ways to be forgiven? God might be holding out on you! Maybe all you have to do is just feel forgiven. Or maybe you can just forgive yourself!” The devil may tempt you to seek forgiveness and salvation through something other than the Gospel, Baptism, and Holy Communion. He wants to steer you away from these. He wants you to think they aren’t enough for salvation. Thus, he leads many Christians unwittingly astray.

King Ahaz sought salvation through manmade ways—even running to the enemy nation of Assyria for help. Likewise, we are tempted to listen to the devil, not realizing that he lures us into a trap.

Regardless of humanity’s foolish ideas, regardless of Ahaz’s stubborn rebellion, the patient Lord sends Isaiah with an offer of a sign. The Lord is willing to deliver Ahaz from his enemies, if only he denies his own wisdom, forsakes the Assyrians, and returns to the Lord.

Ahaz rejects the offer, pretending that asking for a sign somehow tests God, though the offer comes from Him. God gives a sign anyway.

Through Isaiah, God promises, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” 

THE SIGN OF SALVATION IS THAT THE VIRGIN IS GOING TO GIVE BIRTH TO GOD!

What an incredible sign for the whole house of David… that Ahaz never wanted. He doesn’t care. Because of his unbelief, Ahaz never saw it. The Lord sees beyond worldly armies to deliver a promise of future salvation from sin, death, hell, the devil, the world, and our sinful natures.

Lo and behold! The virgin birth occurred about 700 years after Ahaz’s death. An ordinary young woman in an ordinary town betrothed to an ordinary man conceives when the power of the Holy Spirit overshadows her. The angel who visited Joseph said, “That which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.” A Spirit caused conception!?! Talk about a miraculous birth! What a marvelous sign!

God promises the birth of Immanuel (God with us), which means this is no ordinary birth! God comes to His people in the flesh. Through Jesus’ birth, God is present with His people—having become man.

Isaiah’s prophecy states: “He shall eat curds and honey when He knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good.” When Immanuel reaches maturity, He will live off the land. He won’t live in palaces and royal courts. He will live in the poverty of His people.

The promised virgin birth is a divine action that our minds can’t fully grasp. And yet, the Creator of all has promised it. God is human. God has become flesh—incarnate of the Holy Spirit. The promised Child (born of the virgin Mary) is Immanuel (God with us). We call Him a different name—Jesus. The angel told Joseph, “You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

We have salvation in Immanuel (God with us). We have salvation in Jesus (Savior from sins). In Jesus (who is Immanuel) we have God with us to save us from our sins. Jesus became man for the purpose to be our substitute through His perfect obedience to God the Father. He is our substitute who bore all of your sins in His body on the tree of the cross. As sad as it sounds we can rejoice in Good Friday, because Jesus has been raised from the dead—a great sign that you are forgiven, that you have life and salvation, and that you are being renewed in Christ.

The Lord shows His gracious and merciful character. In his lifetime, the Lord fulfills a different promise to Ahaz. Isaiah tells unbelieving King Ahaz that the Lord will spare the city of Jerusalem from the looming siege. “Before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted.” Ahaz will be granted temporary relief from his enemies. He will be given more time to repent of his idolatry.

Unfortunately, the Lord also knows that Ahaz will remain a stubborn unbeliever. He will still seek protection from Assyria. So, God will also give Ahaz exactly what he wants. Isaiah says, “The Lord will bring upon you and upon your people and upon your father’s house such days that have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah- the King of Assyria.”

In the time that followed these prophecies, Assyria conquers the kings who worried Ahaz—the nations who tried to attack Jerusalem. But because Ahaz refused to repent and continued to trust Assyria for salvation, God gives Assyria to Ahaz. The invasion of the Assyrian army and their siege of Jerusalem is the scariest thing the Israelites experienced ever since the nation split after King Solomon’s death.

Such judgment comes on all who reject God’s gracious and merciful promises.  They receive the reward of punishment for their relentless rebellion, idolatry, and rejection of God and His promises. But for all who trust the Lord, He fulfills great and wonderful promises.

God is with you in Christ Jesus to comfort you and bring you His salvation. Jesus is with you every moment every day. Jesus is with you when you awake. He’s with you when you sleep. He’s with you through good times. He’s with you through suffering. Happiness and sadness. Jesus promises to be with you (His people) always.

The Lord is especially with you to save you from your sins and bring you to everlasting life. Jesus has given His Church great signs of His saving promises. These signs (the means of grace—a blessed work of God the Spirit) create, nourish, and strengthen your faith in His promises. These means of grace daily deliver the benefits of Jesus’ death and resurrection to you. The Word of the Lord (the Gospel) proclaims His promise that Jesus is your blessed Redeemer—a gift from your heavenly Father. In Him, you have eternal life. Holy Baptism delivers these Holy promises, because in Baptism you are buried and raised with Christ, you are washed with the precious blood of Christ, and you are clothed with Christ. In Holy Communion, Jesus feeds you His body and blood—food for your bodies and souls. In the blessed Supper, the Lord forgives your sins, strengthening your faith in Him.

Christ is always with us! He’s Immanuel! Every day we can wake up singing, “O come, O come Immanuel,” because He promises to be with us until He brings us home to our God in His heavenly kingdom.

Immanuel has come, Immanuel continues to come, and Immanuel promises to come fulfill all His promises on the last day. So, “Rejoice, rejoice, Immanuel shall come to you, O Israel.” Amen.