Introduction: When Fear Overrules Faith
Isaiah chapter 7 does not open with candles, calm streets, or songs of praise. It opens with fear. King Ahaz of Judah faced an approaching invasion. The northern kingdom of Israel had joined with Syria, and their armies were preparing to overthrow him. When Ahaz heard the news, Scripture tells us that his heart trembled, and the hearts of his people trembled with him, like trees of the forest shaken by a violent wind.
Into that fearful moment, God sent His prophet with a simple message. Take heed. Be quiet. Fear not. God promised deliverance. God even invited Ahaz to ask for a sign, any sign, to settle his heart and strengthen his faith. But Ahaz refused. With what sounded like humility, he said he would not tempt the Lord, but the truth was far different. His refusal was not humility. It was unbelief.
God gave a sign anyway. Not just for Ahaz, not just for Judah, but for the whole world.
“Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”
That promise reached across seven hundred years of history, all the way to Bethlehem, where a young woman named Mary gave birth to the Son of God. Advent teaches us that when the world trembles, God still speaks. When fear rises, faith has an anchor. And when sin separates, God draws near. The miracle of Isaiah’s prophecy is this truth. God Himself would come to dwell among us.
I. The Sign of Immanuel
Isaiah 7:14
“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”
This is one of the most astonishing promises in the entire Old Testament. The sign is not a military victory, not a political rescue, but a miracle of conception. Isaiah uses the Hebrew word almah, a word that refers specifically to a young unmarried woman of purity. This prophecy is not symbolic. It is literal.
Matthew confirms this in his Gospel. He writes that all these things were done to fulfill what the prophet had spoken. A virgin shall be with child. His name shall be Emmanuel, which means God with us.
This child would not be a gifted teacher or a noble leader. He would be God Himself in human flesh. The infinite would step into the finite. The Creator would enter His creation. The eternal Word would take on humanity and dwell among us.
Application:
Ahaz doubted that God was with him. Many today feel the same when fear rises or life becomes overwhelming. But the virgin birth stands as God’s declaration to the world. He is not distant. He is not silent. He is with us. He walks beside His people through every valley and stands with them in every storm.
II. The Child Who Is the Son
Isaiah 9:6
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.”
Isaiah takes us deeper into the identity of this promised One. A child is born points to His humanity. A son is given points to His deity. The child born in Bethlehem was truly human, yet He was also the eternal Son who had no beginning and no end.
And Isaiah adds the words unto us. Salvation is personal. Christ came for us. For sinners in need of grace. For the fearful. For the guilty. For those who could not reach up to God. Christmas is not sentimental imagery. It is the announcement that God has stepped into our world to bring us back to Himself.
Application:
When Jesus entered the world, heaven touched earth. Eternity touched time. The incarnation is the foundation of the Gospel. Without the virgin birth, there is no perfect sacrifice, no resurrection, no salvation. He came so that we might live.
III. The Majesty of His Names
Isaiah 9:6b
“…and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
Each of these names pulls back the curtain on who Christ is and what He came to do.
Wonderful
He is extraordinary. Nothing about Him fits within human explanation. His birth, His life, His miracles, His sacrifice, and His resurrection all testify to His divine wonder.
Counsellor
He possesses perfect wisdom. His Word gives clarity in a confused world. When believers seek His counsel, they find guidance and discernment.
The Mighty God
This is a clear declaration of His deity. The baby in the manger is God Almighty. Not an angel. Not a created being. But fully God.
The Everlasting Father
This speaks to His fatherly care. He shepherds His people with the compassion and protection of a father.
The Prince of Peace
He brings peace with God through His cross and peace within through His Spirit.
Application: Whatever your need is this Christmas, He is enough. To the burdened, He is Wonderful. To the confused, He is Counsellor. To the weak, He is Mighty God. To the lonely, He is Everlasting Father. To the troubled, He is the Prince of Peace. His name meets every need.
IV. The Government of His Peace
Isaiah 9:7
“Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end.”
Isaiah looks beyond Bethlehem to the future reign of Christ. He sees a kingdom founded on righteousness and upheld by peace. This peace is not temporary or fragile. It is eternal.
His kingdom begins now in the hearts of believers. One day it will be established on earth when Christ returns to rule and reign in His millennial kingdom. Every promise God made to Israel finds its ultimate fulfillment in Him.
Isaiah ends with a strong assurance.
“The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”
The promises of God are not upheld by the strength of man but by the zeal and power of the Lord Himself.
Application:
When the world looks unstable, do not forget who sits on the throne. The kingdoms of the world rise and fall, but Christ’s kingdom has no end. The manger points toward the throne. The One who came in humility will return in glory.
Conclusion: God With Us
The miracle of Christmas is not only that a child was born. It is that God came near. The Holy entered the unholy. The infinite stepped into time. He did not arrive with armies or splendor but with simplicity and humility.
The prophecy given to a fearful king has become the comfort of every believer. God with us. That is the joy of Advent. That is the message of Christmas. Whatever you face, wherever you walk, the Savior who came in Bethlehem walks beside you even now.
