G: OFFERED to Ahaz a sign of assurance that His promises
EMMANUEL
1. THE SIGN OF THE PROMISE
G: OFFERED to Ahaz a sign of assurance that His promises were true and faithful. Ahaz rudely refused this gracious offer and kicked at the courtesy (Isa. vit. 12). But the unbelief of man shall not make the promise of God of none effect. '"'The Lord Himself shall give you a sign"'—a double sign.
He will give them a sign in general of His good will to Israel and to the house of David. You may conclude He hath mercy in store for you, and that you are not forsaken of your God, however great your present distress and danger is. For of your nation, of your family, the Messiah is to be born, and you cannot be destroyed while that blessing is in you. This blessing shall be introduced in a glorious manner. For whereas you have often been told that the Messiah should be born among you, I am now further to tell you that He shall be born of a virgin, which will signify both the divine power and the divine purity with which He shall be brought into the world. He shall be an extraordinary person, for he shall not be born by ordinary generation. He shall be a holy thing, not stained with common pollutions of the human nature. He will be, therefore, incontestably fit to have the throne of His father David given to him.
Now this, though it was to be accomplished above five hundred years after, yet was a most encouraging sign to the house of David, and an assurance that God would not cast them off. Ephraim did indeed envy Judah and sought the ruin of that kingdom, but could not prevail, for the sceptre should never depart from Judah till the coming of Shiloh (Gen. xlix. 10). Those whom God designs for the great salvation may take that for a sign to them that they shall not be swallowed up by any trouble they may meet with in the way. The Messiah shall be introduced on a glorious errand, wrapt up in His glorious name. They shall call His name Emmanuel. That is, God with us, God in our nature, God at peace with us, in covenant with us. This was fulfilled in their calling Him Jesus, a Saviour