IMMANUEL

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 6-8

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: “Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and shall call His Name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). In our photograph, the believers of the Nazareth Village are doing a superb job telling the story. God has placed something in every human heart, believer or not, that causes a desire to celebrate at this time of year! Merry Christmas!!!

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

Key Verses: Isaiah 6:3; 7:9b,14

And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!”… If you will not believe, surely you shall not be established…Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

In the Gospel of John 12:41, John speaks of Jesus when he says, “These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.” John was with Jesus for over three years and John began his record of Jesus by writing, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God” (John 1:1)… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His Glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth!” (John 1:14). As a result of his vision of Jesus, Isaiah was transformed; first in his CONFESSION (Isaiah 6:5), second in his CONFIRMATION of forgiveness (Isaiah 6:7), and third in his COMMISSION (Isaiah 6:8). Isaiah believed and his life and ministry were established.

Those who do not want to believe in the virgin birth of Jesus will often say that the word translated “virgin” in 7:14 can also be translated “young woman.” Of course Mary was a very young woman, perhaps 13,14 or 15 years old. Be assured that in that culture and at that time, the entire tiny community of Nazareth, besides parents, guaranteed that all young women would be virgins. Early Hebrew scholars, as well as the early Church leaders, never doubted that the young woman referred to here would be a virgin. Otherwise this would be a normal conception and in no way would this be a miraculous sign from God to King Ahaz (Isaiah 7:11). We need to use our minds to do as the Lord said to Isaiah, “Let us reason together” (Isaiah 1:18a).

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, I say with all my heart along with Isaiah, “Here am I, send me!” I pray that my 100% commitment to You will not waver in any way. Grant that I may “behold Your glory,” seeing with fresh insight the Person and work of Jesus Christ in Whose Name I pray. Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

Inside my heart and mind I’m shouting with the Seraphim Angels, “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY IS THE LORD OF HOSTS; THE WHOLE EARTH IS FULL OF HIS GLORY!!!!!” (Isaiah 6:3). In the picture below, I’m on the edge of the mountain called Herodian. Bethlehem is seen behind me on the horizon. King Herod was probably on this mountain in his fortress for safety from an uprising of the people after he had ordered the killing of the boy babies two years old and under in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:16). Bethlehem was a small village then with perhaps 300 people. In such a community there may have been a dozen babies. Herod had murdered his wife and two of his sons along with many others. Infanticide was common throughout the Roman Empire, so the death of these children would not have created much of a stir in the rest of the country. Because of the birth of Jesus, I have complete confidence in the fact that I will meet these murdered babies in Heaven soon. Christmas gives me such wonderful hope! What would I celebrate today if Jesus had not come as “Immanuel?” “God with us!” Amen!!!

Yours for a glorious celebration of “HIS GLORY” today,

David

P.S. Here is a link to episode #5 in the TV series for Christmas, which I taped in 2013 in Bethlehem. MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM MY PERCH OVERLOOKING BETHLEHEM!!!