The Feast of the Nativity of our Lord
Posted on December 25, 2024 by under
Scripture: Isaiah 7:10-14 (NKJV)
7:10 Moreover the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying, 11 “Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above.”
12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I test the Lord!”
13 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? 14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”
Devotion
“Lord, give me a sign!” Gideon sought confirmation of his leading God’s people into battle (Judges 6), confessing himself insufficient for the task. He timidly sought signs, not wanting to doubt or challenge God. Having the prophetic Word confirmed in the signs of Jesus (2 Pet. 1:19), we confess that “God will not confer with us frail beings, unless through his external word and sacraments” (Smalcald Articles, Part 3, Article 8, Henkel translation). We seek to order our course in accord with that Word, trusting that in His grace and forgiveness our Lord will work all things together for the good of His Church, even though our reasoning and actions are imperfect.
Ahaz rejected the signs God had given Israel confirming His commands and promises because they presented a way to life as God’s children that wasn’t appealing to him. Thus, Ahaz takes the opposite tack with the prophet, feigning piety in refusing to name what sign would convince him to govern Israel as he’d ought, since there really was no sign that would cause him to want to give up his sin. The sign, therefore, that the Lord gives him is a direct confrontation with the wicked king: the Lord would give the gift of His perfectly holy presence, the gift of God the Son to take away all sin. The Messiah would be Immanuel—God with us, God for us, God to be our righteousness and victory over sin and death!
Collect: Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that the new Birth of Thine Only-Begotten Son in the flesh may set us free who are held in the old bondage under the yoke of sin; through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
