The One and Only
Jesus is given many titles in Scripture, but at His birth He is named Jesus which means “God saves” and He is given the title Emmanuel which means “God with us”. This fulfils an ancient prophecy and brings about God’s ultimate saving act. Jesus saves us from the most savage enemy we have ever had, sin. Our distrust and disobedience to God is more deadly than anything else because it’s destruction is permanent and eternal. As we approach Christmas and the celebration of God coming in the flesh to be with us, we need to meditate on whether we trust in His power and love alone, or whether we’ve strayed to looking for help, peace and comfort in other places.
Scripture
Isaiah 7:10-16 ESV Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz: 11 “Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” 12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test.” 13 And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that 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. 15 He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. 16 For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted.
Bible Study Questions
Isaiah brings a message to king Ahaz of Judah to reassure him in a time of great anxiety and suffering. What was the cause of the fear and suffering in the life and reign of king Ahaz of Judah? (2 Chronicles 28:2-4)
What does Isaiah tell Ahaz about his fear of the kings of Syria and Israel? (Isaiah 7:4-7)
Accepting God’s offer of a sign is clearly not testing Him, but trusting Him. What does the fact that Ahaz turns down God’s offer of a sign to assure him of deliverance and faithful care tell us about Ahaz’ heart and faith in God? (Isaiah 7:11-13)
How does Ahab respond to God’s sign of deliverance and assurance of His constant presence with the House of David? (2 Kings 16:7)
How does Jesus fulfil Isaiah’s prophecy to Ahaz, the House of David and to us? (Matthew 1:20-23)
The title Immanuel means “God with us” and identifies Jesus as God, and tells us that He has come to be with His people. Jesus’ given name means “God Saves” confirming His identity and mission to save us from our sin. Isaiah also calls Him “Prince of Peace” - what is the nature of the peace that Jesus gives us? (Isaiah 9:6-7)
Ahaz response was to put his trust in the wrong person, he suffered greatly for it and lived in constant terror. How should we choose to respond to God’s promise of His ever-present saving power? (Isaiah 12:1-2)
Prayer
Dear Loving Heavenly Father, Thank You that You have made a way for us to find eternal peace with You through Jesus Christ our Lord. Father, please grant us that peace and deliver us from fear, evil and the temptations that we struggle against. Please forgive our sin and help us to look to You, and You alone, for deliverance and peace through our Lord Jesus Christ who is always with us. Thank You for saving us from our sin, please help us to do the work you created us for, and to complete the mission that You have given us. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Worship
The Lord's my shepherd, I'll not want;
He makes me lie in pastures green.
He leads me by the still, still waters,
His goodness restores my soul.
And I will trust in You alone,
And I will trust in You alone,
For Your endless mercy follows me,
Your goodness will lead me home.
He guides my ways in righteousness,
And He anoints my head with oil,
And my cup, it overflows with joy,
I feast on His pure delights.
And though I walk the darkest path,
I will not fear the evil one,
For You are with me, and Your rod and staff
Are the comfort I need to know.
Serving
We can take a decision to spread hope and comfort instead of fear. It starts by minimising the amount of negative content we process every day - cutting down media exposure will help this immediately. Next we can take opportunities to speak positively into situations of anxiety and to encourage one another instead of repeating fearful speculation, news and rumours. Let’s ask God to help us to fear Him rather than the evil that we see around us, and to focus on Him as our One and Only rescuer. In Jesus Name, Amen.