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the  Preachers  blog

Blogs are posted every Wednesday

Immanuel (By Chris Barnes)

12/17/2020

 
In the book of Isaiah, we read about kings making war against Judah and against the house of David. During this time, Isaiah went up to the King of Judah (Ahaz) to prophesy that these kings would not succeed in their attempt to defeat Judah. Isaiah followed with a message of confirmation for King Ahaz:

All right then, the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel. By the time this child is old enough to choose what is right and reject what is wrong, he will be eating yogurt and honey. For before the child is that old, the lands of the two kings you fear so much will both be deserted. (Isaiah 7: 14-16)

Isaiah was clearly talking about a child who would be born during Ahaz’s lifetime, a child who would be alive when the kings of the enemies were defeated. Yet when Matthew wrote his Gospel, he cited this verse as a prophecy that Jesus fulfilled:

This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit …… All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means “God is with us.”(Matthew 1: 18, 22-23)

This is one of several places in Matthew’s Gospel in which he cites an Old Testament passage that is clearly about something or someone else, and says that Christ fulfilled it. Matthew wanted his readers to know that ultimately all the Scriptures are about Christ and find their ultimate fulfillment in him.

Indeed Isaiah’s prophecy had a prior partial fulfillment in a child born as a sign to Ahaz. But the true, final, and ultimate fulfillment of this prophecy is in Christ alone. This is what we remember and celebrate at Christmas, that God came to live amongst us that night in Bethlehem.

Prayer – Immanuel, all my joy comes from knowing you are with me. Help me to focus on you during this wonderful season. Fill me with your presence so I may experience the greatest joy of all and so I may then share this joy with the world.

Song: O Come, O Come Emmanuel 

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St Aidan’s Anglican Church
274 Campbell Street | Winnipeg, MB R3N 1B5
Phone: 204.489.3390 Email: staidans.churchoffice@gmail.com
  • Home
  • Worship Online
  • The Preachers Blog
  • Bible in a Year
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • The Re-Gathering
  • RSVP for a Service
  • Youth
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  • Prayer Requests
  • Request Pastoral Care
  • Give
  • Grocery Pick Up
  • Statement of Faith
  • Video Archive
    • 2023 Videos
    • Real Lives
    • 2022 Videos
    • 2021 Videos
    • 2020 Videos
  • Sermon Audio Archive
    • 2020 Sermons
    • 2019 Sermons
    • 2019 Sermon Series >
      • Gospel Centered Eternities November 2019
      • The Real Joy of Easter - Holy Week 2019
    • 2018 Sermons
    • 2018 Sermon Series >
      • Gospel Centred Church Spring 2018
      • A Gospel Shaped Church Fall 2018
    • 2017 Sermon Series >
      • The Servant King Christmas 2016
      • The Saviour King Lent 2017
      • The Victorious King Holy Week 2017
      • The Living King Easter 2017
      • The Brother King Fall 2017
      • Worship the King Advent 2017
    • 2016 Sermon Series >
      • Real Obedience Lent 2016
      • Unity of the Church
      • The Servant King Christmas 2016
    • 2015 Sermon Series >
      • Real Gifts 2015
      • Real Mission 2015
      • Mission Discerned
    • 2014 Sermon Series >
      • Real Church 2014
      • Real Lives 2014
    • 2013 Sermon Series >
      • Real God 2013
    • Sermon Archive From 2014 - 2017
  • Christianity 101
  • The Psalms Blog
  • Bible in a Year
  • The Re-Gathering