Opening Prayer
Lord, what is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit him? (Psa 8:4)
Text: Isaiah 7:10–16
Moreover the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying, “Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I test the Lord!” Then he said, “Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the Child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that you dread will be forsaken by both her kings.”
Devotion
Our Lord Jesus is the true “Immanuel” in our passage: “God with us.” He is the true, eternal God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, begotten of the Father from eternity, but also true Man with body and soul, originating from Adam, like us in all things, except without sin. He is one with the Father in eternal deity and one with us in true human nature. What a union between God and us is His holy Person! How near God has come to us since one and the same Lord Jesus is both God and Man! His birth on earth is the birth of God’s Son from human Mary. His human sufferings are the sufferings of God’s Son, and the blood of the Man Jesus Christ is the blood of God’s Son. How glorious is human nature by the union of God’s Son with Man in one Person! A jewel isn’t set in lead, but in gold, yet even the gold receives luster and splendor from the jewel. Much greater glory we receive from the personal, indissoluble union of God’s only-begotten Son with man. Angels are glorious, thrones and principalities in heaven are near to God, but only with man is He united in one Person. God’s Son did not become an angel, but He became Man. O how great man is made by this! But we lay our glory at His feet: not we, but He has done it. He decided it, willed to love us so, chose us in His free love. It is not our praise, and yet this indeed is our Praise (Jer 17:14). For us it is at once most humbling and most uplifting. Yes, this truth that God’s Son became Man is worth more than all that we know otherwise. And there is more strength and joy for the soul in it than in all else that is beautiful and noble. In wonder and worship the Apostle Paul breaks forth in 1 Timothy 3:16: “Great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory.”
But it is also a miracle of grace that this is revealed to the simple. It is done for all and offered to all, but we must become simple if we shall receive and keep it. The truth must lead us out of the dreams of pride, and teach us to know what we have become. All who do not see themselves as lost sinners cannot know the glory of the Person of Jesus Christ. For His Person and His office are inseparable. As He is “Immanuel” in His Person, so He is also in His office. He, God and Man in one Person, is our Jesus, who takes away what separates us from God. He is our Christ, the High Priest who presents us to God, the Prophet who brings God’s truth and life to our souls, and the King who destroys our death, establishes the kingdom, and grants us to live and reign with Him in eternity. If Ahaz and Judah in the prophet’s prediction of “Immanuel” could have the assurance of their nation’s continuance, because the people from which He was to be born, could not perish, how much more then shall we, Immanuel’s own true people, be saved who have originated and been born of Him and are members of His Body, flesh of His flesh, and bone of His bones! Become simple in heart, childlike in mind and spirit, and you shall receive this in faith.
Closing Prayer
God, help us that in truth we may belong to Immanuel’s people. Amen.
Hymn
Triumph, ye heavens! Rejoice ye with high adoration!
Sing to the Lord, to the Savior, in glad exultation!
Angels give ear! God unto men draweth near,
Bringing to lost ones salvation.
Triumph, ye heavens! Rejoice, O ye nations and wonder!
God and the sinner no power of the devil may sunder.
“Peace and good-will!” Hark! it is echoing still,
Silencing Sinai’s thunder!
God in man’s nature! O mystery past comprehending!
Now is the temple thrown wide and the incense ascending!
Christ is the way! We who were once far away,
Now at His footstool are bending.
Tersteegen: L 135:1-4 LHy 187:1-3 tr. unknown;
tune: Lobe den Herren;
alternate hymn: From east to west ELH 267