“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign;Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His nameImmanuel” (Isaiah 7:14)

Theprophet Isaiah ministered in Judahduring the reigns of Uzziah (792-740 B.C.), Jotham (750-731 B.C.), Ahaz(735-715 B.C.) and Hezekiah (715-686 B.C.). It was a time of great turmoil forthe people of God. And this is reflected in the theme and content of Isaiah’sprophecy. The theme of this prophecy is “The Chastisement & Comfort for God’sCovenant People.” 

In so far as the content is concerned, the first 39chapters of the Book of Isaiah focus on God’s judgement and chastisement of Hispeople. This was the time when Assyria wasrising in power under the leadership of Sennacherib.

During this time Israel,the Northern Kingdom of the People of God, under king Pekah, and Syria,under king Rezin decided to join forces to resist the Assyrians. They wanted Judah to join the alliance too, but when Judahrefused, they decided to attack her. Judahturned to Assyria for help and became atributary. Israel wasconquered by Assyria and eventually when sherebelled, she was completely destroyed in the year 722 B.C.

Judah eventually also rebelled against Assyria. Had it not been for God’s miraculousintervention, Judah wouldalso have been destroyed by Assyria.

Now,in chapter 39, Isaiah prophesied that Judah would fall under the hand ofthe Babylonians. But from chapter 40 onwards, he comforts God’s people with theassurance that the LORD would restore them on the basis of His covenant love,and urges them to repent of their apostasy.

Now,we are on a series of messages on the promises of God. Which is the most famousand most important promise in this Book? Isaiah 7:14, no doubt!

¹⁴ Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign;Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His nameImmanuel. 

In which part of Isaiah is this promise found? Well,it is actually found in the first part, where the emphasis is on chastisement.But it is often the case is it not, that the brightest promises are foundagainst the darkest backdrop.

It was around the year 735 BC. King Ahaz was sittingupon the throne in Jerusalem.He was a terribly wicked king who practiced human sacrifices. The situation inthe kingdom of Judah was desperate. The king of Israel in the North had ganged up with the king ofSyria to attack Jerusalem.

King Ahaz was no doubt greatly troubled. But the timefor Judah’sdestruction had not yet come. So God sent the Prophet Isaiah to meet Ahaz atthe conduit of the upper pool. Perhaps Ahaz had gone there to check if there wassufficient water left for his people.

DespiteAhaz’s unfaithfulness, God gave Isaiah a comforting prophecy to bring to him.The two kings would not succeed in what they sought to do: “It shall not stand,neither shall it come to pass” (v. 7).

We are not told about Ahaz’s reaction to the prophecy,but it appears that he did not care. Yet, God condescended to allow him to askfor a sign: “Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God; ask it either in the depth,or in the height above” (Isa 7:11).But arrogant Ahaz refused. He said: “I will not ask, neither will I tempt theLORD” (v. 12).

Isaiah saw through his false humility. Indignantly, hereplied:

“Andhe said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to wearymen, but will ye weary my God also?” (v. 13).

Noticethat Isaiah is no longer just speaking to Ahaz alone. In verse 11, he said “askthee a sign.” He was speaking to Ahaz alone,—as the singular pronoun in ourtranslation shows us. But here in verse 13, he says, “hear ye…” Hear all ofyou! Hear, king Ahaz! Hear, you members of David’s house! Hear all of you,young and old, men and women. What does he want God’s people to hear? He wantsus to hear one of God’s most important promises to be found anyway in the OldTestament:

¹⁴Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shallconceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (Isa 7:14).

Mostof us would know this verse very well. It is perhaps the most famous verse inthe book of Isaiah, if not of the whole of the Old Testament. 

Ironically,many commentators think that this verse is one of the most difficult texts inthe Old Testament! I do not think they are right, but you need only to read anycommentary on Isaiah to realize that many think this verse is difficult.

Now,I do not think it is necessary to list all the different views. Suffice to saythat the controversy surrounds who the virgin and the child are. Anyone whodoes not believe that the whole Bible, including the Old and New Testament isthe Word of God, will make some flimsy speculation as to who they are.

Butwe have absolutely no doubt that the Holy Spirit is right when He tells us thatthe virgin refers to Mary and the son refers to none other than the Lord JesusChrist. This is clearly taught in the Gospel accounts such as in Matthew1:18-15; which we are all very familiar with.

This then, is how we will understand Isaiah 7:14. Thevirgin-born Son is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ.

AlthoughAhaz would not live to see the fulfillment of the sign in his lifetime, it wasnevertheless a sign for him which he should have received by faith. God hasspoken. He would keep His Word. If Ahaz had believed the sign, he would have foundeverlasting comfort and salvation. So likewise it is a sign for all people inthis world. Those who look to it, understand the implication of it and believeit will find everlasting comfort through all the changing scenes of life.

Withthis in mind, the Lord helping us this evening, we would like to consider threethings about the Lord Jesus from this text. First, we must consider Hisconception; secondly, we want to consider His birth; and thirdly, we mustconsider His name.

1. His Conception

“Behold a virgin shall conceive…”

What is special about the Lord’s conception? It isspecial because it is a virgin-conception. Isaiah is obviously saying that thevirgin shall conceive and still remains a virgin even when she bears the son.If this were not the case then it would not be a sign. But now as a sign it isunique in the Scripture and in all the history of mankind.

It was fulfilled more than two thousand years ago,around the year 4^th or 5^th B.C., in the relativelyunknown town of Nazareth in Galilee(Lk 1:26). Jesus would beborn in Bethlehem, but He was conceived in Nazareth.

His mother Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph.They were both descendants of David. But before they came together, the angelGabriel appeared to Mary and told her that she had found favor with God andwould conceive a child, whom she would name Jesus.

Mary was surprised! She and her fiancé have walkedrighteously before God and had kept themselves chaste. “How shall this be,seeing I know not a man” she asked the angel (Lk 1:34).

The angel answered her:

“TheHoly Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadowthee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall becalled the Son of God” (Lk 1:35)

Apartfrom the virgin Mary, no woman in sacred history or in the history of the worldever conceived a child by the direct intervention of God, without a husband’sparticipation. Apart from the Lord Jesus, no man in sacred history or in thehistory of the world was ever without a biological father.

Thereis a theological reason why it has to be so, which we will explain when weconsider the Lord’s birth.

Butfor now, let us understand that by this miracle, the Lord was also showing to Hispeople that without the special intervention of the Lord, the people willperish.

Man cannotsave himself. Ahaz was too proud to receive the Lord’s help. Ahaz is not alone.The vast majority of men throughout history, great and small, have rejected theliving and true God, and are seeking to find peace, meaning in life and hope bytheir own efforts.

But there is no peace, meaning and hope to be foundfor man himself, for man has fallen into sin and is at enmity with God who isboth the creator and sustainer of the universe.

Unless God intervenes dramatically, man has no hope.God intervened miraculously by sending a sinless Saviour into the world thougha virgin-conception and birth.

Butlet us consider secondly, the Lord’s Birth.

2. HisBirth

“Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son…”

Thevirgin Mary was pregnant with child miraculously conceived. Though there wereno ultrasound equipment in those days, she and her husband knew that it wasgoing to be a boy.

Why?Because 700 years before, His birth was already prophesied by Isaiah; and theangel had confirmed that it would be so.

Andit had also been prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem (Mt 2:1-2; Mic 5:2). And so in theprovidence of God, at about the time that Jesus would be born, a decree fromCaesar Augustus went out that all the Jews had to return to their hometown tobe counted in a census. And providentially Joseph was of Bethlehem;and so Mary and Joseph headed to Bethlehem.

There in Bethlehem,all the inns were fully occupied. Mary and Joseph had to stay in a stable. Thatnight, labor began, and Mary brought forth her firstborn child. It was, asexpected, a son. Joseph named him “Jesus” according to the instruction of theangel.

Whatis the significance of the fact that the child must be a son and not a daughter?

The answer is that He came as our covenant head andredeemer; and in God’s dealings with man, it is the men who must serve ascovenant head. As the first Adam implicated all men into sin and death bybreaking the covenant of works; so the Lord Jesus must come as the second Adamin order that we might be redeemed from the curse of a broken covenant.

But why must the Lord be born of a virgin?

Well, it must be so in order for Him to qualify to beour mediator.

You see, if Christ descended naturally from Adam, thenHe would also be imputed with Adam’s guilt, and inherit his sinful nature. If Hehas Adam’s guilt and sinful nature, He would be a sinner. If He is a sinner,how can He be a savior; for if He is a sinner, He cannot even save Himself, forall that He does would be tainted with sin?

Christtherefore must be born of a virgin that He might not be imputed with the guiltand sinful nature of Adam.

But what about the flesh? The Lord Jesus, of course,would take on the flesh of His earthly mother. Well, the answer lies in thefact that we justly inherit a sinful nature because we are guilty in Adam. So,since the Lord is not guilty in Adam being born of a virgin, He was justly keptfrom inheriting a sinful nature. Thus the angel told Mary:

“The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power ofthe Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shallbe born of thee shall be called the Son of God” (Lk 1:35).

Because Christ was born of a virgin, He was not guilty in Adam as we are, and therefore He was kept by the Holy Ghost from inheriting a sinful nature from Mary. Christ, in other words, had original righteousness rather than original sin because He was born of a virgin. Christ had to be born of a virgin in order to be our Redeemer.

Ohwhat a marvel isn’t it? God seemed to be covering every loophole to make surethat we have a qualified covenant head to represent us.

God did not send an angel to represent us. Angels havea different nature. He sent a person. And not just any person. He sent a man. Andnot just a man, but a virgin-born man!

Andnot just a virgin-born man, for consider His name…

3. His Name

Behold, a virginshall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

Josephnamed the baby boy who was born, ‘Jesus.’ But Jesus had another name. It is notChrist, for that is His title, which means ‘annointed one’. It is rather,‘Immanuel’. The name means, ‘God with us.’ The Lord Jesus Christ is,—by Hisbirth,—God with us. He is God with us in a very special sense.

Yes, throughout Old Testament history, God was said tobe with His people in some sense. He was with Israel in that she was His covenantpeople and He was their covenant God. The fact that God graced the tabernacleand the temple in Jerusalemwith His shekinah glory speaks of Himbeing with His people.

But God is with us in,—in Christ Jesus,—in a veryspecial sense never experienced by the saints of God in Old Testament days, forChrist Jesus is the Immanuel. He is God with us. No one else in the history ofmankind can be described as Immanuel. The Lord Jesus is not only fully man, Heis also fully God.

Inspeaking of Christ Jesus, the Apostle Paul proclaims that “in Him dwelleth allthe fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Col2:9).

TheLord Jesus Christ is fully God, fully Man. He is a divine person, the secondperson of the Godhead, the eternal Son of God. But in the fullness of time, Hetook on human flesh in order to be our mediator.

But why? Why must Jesus be theImmanuel? Why is it not sufficient that He be a virgin-born man?

Well,the answer is really found in the name ‘Jesus.’ Jesus means “Jehovah saves.”Jesus came to save us from sin and the wrath of God that God might forgive usour sins.

Were the Lord Jesus only aperfect man,—how ever righteous He might be,—He would not have been able tobear with the intensity of God’s wrath against our sins. For we and our fatherAdam have sinned against an infinitely holy God. We deserve God’s infinitewrath.

Wedeserve the pains of hell. In order to represent the church justly, the Lordmust endure the pains of hell a million times over according to the number ofthe elect assigned to Him to save. No mere man, how ever righteous, would beable to bear the pain. He must be divine.

Andbesides, if God were to forgive our sins, He could not simply appoint a perfectman to represent us; for that would be injustice, would it not? We are justlypunished in Adam for we descend from Adam, but how could God simply appointanother man to be punished on our behalf. No, no; He has to be the God-Man, adivine person.

Thinkof the parable of the unmerciful servant. The master forgave the unmercifulservant who owed him 60 million denarii,which is an impossibly large sum. What he meant was that he would not pursuethe debt. He would suffer the loss himself. That is forgiveness.

What if the master had said: “Iforgive you, but give me a list of your creditors, and I will get them to pay.Or I forgive you, but I will pursue your rich uncle to pay your debt.”  Would he really have forgiven? Of course not.

Soit is with God, we owe Him a great debt. He could not simply overlook the debt.And yet at the same time, He would forgive us. What is the solution? Thesolution is in Immanuel, the God-Man. God would take the punishment upon Himselfin the God-Man.

Conclusion

“Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call Hisname Immanuel.” 

What a wonderful sign! When I think about it, fills myhead and my heart with wonder and comfort. This sign was first given to Ahazand his house, but it did not benefit them because they did not receive it byfaith. But what about you, beloved brethren and children?

He came to die for our sins. The Son of God became theSon of Man, that the sons of man may become the sons of God.

Thisis why he had to be born of a virgin. This is the reason why must be Immanuel—the God-Man.

And dear brethren, and children remember that thesuffering of our Lord was real and infinitely intense. Were it not the case, Heneed not be God. But though it was the case, God’s perfect justice demandedthat He suffered as much as we should suffer for our sins in order that wemight be forgiven. It is no wonder that the sun could not shine as the Sun ofRighteousness hung on the Cross. It is no wonder that He cried in anguish—“MyGod, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me.” Such was the pain that our Lord wassuffering in His body and soul the favorable sense of His Father’s love which Heenjoyed for all eternity hitherto was completely eclipsed.

Such was the suffering of our Lord for us that we mighthave lives abundant and free. May we never forget that! Amen. Ω