Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—
2 The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.
3 You have enlarged the nation
and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
when dividing the plunder.
4 For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,
you have shattered
the yoke that burdens them,
the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor.
5 Every warrior’s boot used in battle
and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
will be fuel for the fire.
6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this.
God has promised from the beginning! It’s important to remember that God’s plan from the start was to send Jesus Christ to the world. The entire Old Testament points to Jesus’ birth. In our reading today, Isaiah – who lived 800 years before Jesus was born – says that someday God will send a very special King to the world.
Question 1
The meaning of ‘Immanuel’ is ‘God with us’. How does the verse (Isaiah 7:14) become true when Jesus is born?
Question 2
These words describe Jesus as perfect – how does Isaiah describe the ‘child’ who will be born in the future?
Question 3
Why is this ‘child’ coming into the world? How will he bless God’s people?
Question 4
Are these verses helping you to grow in Jesus Christ today?
Pray: Thank you, Lord, that you promised to send Jesus to the world from the beginning! Thank you that the whole Bible points to his coming. Thank you that Jesus is the ‘boy’ in Isaiah who will bring ‘light’ to the world!
