Therefore the LORD himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Isaiah 7:14 ESV

Being called by God to the Kingdom of Judah, Isaiah’s ministry began about 350 years after the death of David, and he had a roughly 55-year stint as prophet, which occurred during the reign of four different kings.

In this chapter, Isaiah gives a message to King Ahaz. The king was fearful of other nations and turned to Assyria for aid rather than coming to the LORD. Thus, Isaiah challenges Ahaz to ask a sign from the LORD of His provision. Out of false humility, the king refuses to do so.

Because of the failure of Ahaz to faithfully trust the LORD, Isaiah declares that God will provide an incredible sign: a virgin will give birth to a son.

However, the message to Ahaz is not simply in the miracle of a virgin giving birth, but also that the child will be called Immanuel, which means God with us.

Notice the significance here.

Ahaz went to Assyria for military support because he feared that God would not be with them, and now God promises a son whose name means God with us.

We will read next week in Matthew that the significance of this sign is not merely for Ahaz; rather, the virgin born son called Immanuel will be Jesus.

Being birthed by a virgin, Jesus undoubtedly showed that He was the offspring of woman, the Serpent-Crusher from Genesis 3. And as God incarnate, Jesus was literally God with us.

In Jesus, God revealed the depth of His care and love for us by becoming one of us and dying for us.

Like Ahaz, do you ever turn to other people or things for security instead of God? Consider how Christ being Immanuel serves to remind us that God is ever with us.