WEBVTT

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 church. Turn with me and your Bibles to Isaiah. Isaiah chapter 7. In the Pew Bibles, it is page

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 535. This morning is the first Sunday of Advent. That is the season where we anticipate celebrating

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 the coming of Christ leading up to Christmas, and we're beginning a new sermon series on

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 Messianic prophecies from the book of Isaiah. So this month in December, we'll be looking at how

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 the prophecy of Isaiah points forward to the person of Christ. Isaiah lived and prophesied in

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 the 8th century BC, about 700 years before the coming of Jesus into the world, and yet the New

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 Testament quotes from the book of Isaiah over 75 times. And what we want to do this month is look

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 at just five of those texts from Isaiah that are quoted or alluded to in the New Testament

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 in reference to Jesus. So we'll consider how Isaiah's words shed light on the significance of

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 Jesus' birth, Jesus' ministry, Jesus' character, Jesus' suffering, and Jesus' mission. The chapters

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 we'll be focusing on are listed on the blue sermon cards in the pews, so if you want to take one of

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 those home with you, feel free to do that if that helps you to prepare for Sundays. This morning,

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 we're focusing on the prophecy that is in Isaiah chapter 7, verse 14, but I want to read chapter 7

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 beginning at verse 1 so that we can see some of the bigger context of the verse that we'll be looking

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 at today. So join me, read with me from Isaiah chapter 7, beginning at verse 1.

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 In the days of Ahaz, the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, Rezin, the king of Syria,

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 and Pekah, the son of Remaliah, the king of Israel, came up to Jerusalem to wage war against it,

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 but could not yet mount an attack against it. When the house of David was told, Syria is in league

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 with Ephraim, the heart of Ahaz and the heart of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake

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 before the wind. And the Lord said to Isaiah, go out to meet Ahaz, you and Shear Jashub, your son,

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 at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the washer's field, and say to him,

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 be careful, be quiet, do not fear. And do not let your heart be faint because of these two

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 smoldering stumps of firebrands at the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria and the son of Remaliah.

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 Because Syria with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah has devised evil against you saying,

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 let us go up against Judah and terrify it and let us conquer it for ourselves and set up the son of

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 Tabeal as king in the midst of it. Thus says the Lord God, it shall not stand and it shall not come

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 to pass. For the head of Syria is Damascus and the head of Damascus is Rezin. And within 65 years,

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 Ephraim will be shattered from being a people. And the head of Ephraim is Samaria and the head of

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 Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all.

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 Again, the Lord spoke to Ahaz, ask a sign of the Lord, your God, let it be deep as Sheol,

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 as the grave or high as heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask and I will not put the Lord to the test.

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 And he, that is Isaiah said,

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 hear then, O house of David, is it too little for you to weary men that you weary my God also?

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 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son

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 and shall call his name Emmanuel. He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and

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 choose the good. For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose

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 two kings you dread will be deserted. And the Lord will bring upon you and upon your people and upon

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 your father's house such days as have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah,

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 the king of Assyria.

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 What is it that strikes fear into your heart?

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 Maybe it's something personal.

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 Could be a medical diagnosis or a relational conflict or financial stresses or looming deadlines.

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 Perhaps those final exams and papers that are due next week or the project that your boss wanted done yesterday.

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 Maybe you're afraid because you have enemies.

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 You have people who seem to be out to get you.

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 And you don't feel like you have a way to defend yourself against them.

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 Or maybe it's not just a personal crisis.

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 Maybe it's a family crisis.

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 Maybe you're worried about your kids.

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 They're having problems and you can't seem to make any progress in dealing with them.

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 Maybe you're worried about their school.

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 The town of Hamden, where we now live, just approved a plan to redistrict their elementary schools

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 and close two of them.

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 It's a big change and affects a lot of people.

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 The Board of Education meetings this fall have been filled with concerned parents.

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 Or maybe it's something even bigger.

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 Maybe you're worried about the direction of national politics.

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 Or the effects of global warming.

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 Or the worldwide refugee crisis.

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 The passage we just read from Isaiah begins with the hearts of King Ahaz and his people

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 shaking as the trees of the forest shake before the wind.

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 King Ahaz was facing a national crisis.

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 Two neighboring countries had banded together against him.

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 They had invaded his land.

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 They had caused some damage.

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 They were headed toward Jerusalem.

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 And Ahaz was shaking in his boots.

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 Now the passage we read earlier in the service from the Gospel of Matthew

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 also begins with someone facing a crisis.

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 Joseph wasn't facing a national crisis, but he was facing a personal crisis because Joseph

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 was betrothed.

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 That is, he was legally pledged to be married.

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 To marry.

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 And he finds out she's pregnant with a child that's not his.

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 What does he do now?

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 Now, this morning as we look at both of these passages, I want us to see that God speaks

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 to us in the midst of our fears.

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 In the midst of our problems and crises, he speaks to us.

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 And he speaks to us through a child called Emmanuel.

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 I want us to look at this theme in three parts.

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 First, I want to begin by looking at God's word to faithless Ahaz in the book of Isaiah.

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 Then I want to look at God's word to faithful Joseph in the Gospel of Matthew.

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 And third, I want us to consider God's word for us in our own problems and crises and fears today.

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 So first, God's word for faithless Ahaz.

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 As we said, Ahaz was facing a national crisis.

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 It's described here in Isaiah chapter 7.

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 It's described with some more details in 1 Kings 16 and 2 Chronicles 28.

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 So here's a bit more of the situation.

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 Two neighboring countries.

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 So one of them is called Syria.

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 Not to be confused with Assyria.

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 Those are two different countries.

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 Both appear.

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 So Syria, in some translations, if you have the NIV, it's called Aram.

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 So Syria is one country.

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 And then Israel, which is also called Ephraim, which was the northern ten tribes that had broke away from Judah.

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 So Syria and Israel had allied themselves against Ahaz, who was down in Judah.

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 And they had invaded his land.

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 They had killed some of his people.

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 They had taken many captives.

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 And they were heading toward his capital city of Jerusalem.

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 And Ahaz was shaking in his boots.

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 Where we meet Ahaz in verse 3 is he's apparently gone out of the city to inspect the water supply.

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 A practical thing to do.

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 That's probably why he was at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the washer's field.

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 It was one of the water sources for the city of Jerusalem.

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 He's sort of thinking, if we're besieged, what do we have on hand?

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 How are we going to deal with this?

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 And there, verse 4, Isaiah delivered God's word to Ahaz.

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 What's God's word?

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 Be careful.

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 Be quiet.

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 Don't fear.

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 Fear.

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 And don't let your heart be faint because of these two smoldering stumps of firebrands.

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 In other words, what Isaiah is saying is that these two countries who are attacking you

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 and who you're shaking in your boots about,

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 they're like the remnants of a bonfire.

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 They're still creating a bunch of smoke, but they're on their way down and they're on their way out.

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 They are not the ones that you need to fear.

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 So, verse 7 says,

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 it, that is their plan to conquer Judah,

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 shall not stand and it shall not come to pass.

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 God says,

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 they're trying to conquer you, they will not succeed.

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 And then in verse 9, Isaiah challenges Ahaz and says,

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 if you won't stand firm,

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 if you are not firm in faith,

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 you will not be firm at all.

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 Now, that word has,

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 that sentence,

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 there's a word play in that verse

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 that's hard to capture precisely in English

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 because the same verb appears twice,

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 first in an active form and then in a passive form.

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 So, basically what Isaiah is saying is,

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 if you won't actively trust and rely and believe in God,

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 you won't be established,

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 confirmed, reinforced by God.

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 If you won't stand firm in faith,

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 you won't be confirmed and established.

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 Now, Ahaz doesn't seem to respond to Isaiah's first word,

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 or at least his response is not recorded here in the text.

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 So, Isaiah goes to,

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 God sends another word to Ahaz.

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 Verse 10,

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 again,

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 the Lord spoke to Ahaz a second time.

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 Ask a sign of the Lord your God.

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 Let it be as deep as the grave or as high as heaven.

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 In other words,

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 God was saying to Ahaz,

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 let me show you how trustworthy I am.

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 Let me demonstrate my love for you.

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 I am your God.

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 Let me show you my power to save.

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 And Isaiah says,

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 I mean, sorry,

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 Ahaz says,

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 verse 12,

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 no.

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 Now, he says this in a way that sounds rather polite

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 and even sort of religious.

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 I won't ask.

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 I will not put the Lord to the test.

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 All right, now, back in Deuteronomy,

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 the Israelites were in the wilderness.

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 And they were testing God,

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 even though they had seen his faithfulness

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 over and over and over again.

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 And God says to them,

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 do not put the Lord your God to the test.

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 You've seen enough evidence.

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 He brought you out of Egypt from slavery.

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 He brought you through the Red Sea.

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 You've seen enough.

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 You don't need another sign.

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 But here,

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 God is offering Ahaz.

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 It's a rather unusual offer.

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 God doesn't make this offer to everyone in the scriptures.

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 Ask me for a sign.

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 Whatever you want.

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 But Ahaz says no.

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 Because really what Ahaz was saying

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 was something like this.

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 God,

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 I don't even want to consider the possibility

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 that you might be right.

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 I don't even want to give you a chance

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 to show me that you're worth trusting.

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 I'm not asking you for a sign

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 because I don't want a sign.

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 Because my mind is already made up.

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 I know who I trust,

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 and it's not you.

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 Now, you might say,

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 well, how do we know that?

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 How do we know that's what was going on

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 in Ahaz's mind?

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 Well, verse 13 indicates,

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 here then, O house of David,

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 is it too little for you to weary men

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 that you weary my God also?

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 In other words,

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 Ahaz is test-trying the patience of God

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 first by ignoring Isaiah's first word

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 and then refusing the second word.

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 But if you look at 2 Kings, verse 16,

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 again, one of the other passages

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 that speaks about the same situation,

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 it makes it very clear

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 who Ahaz was really trusting.

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 So 2 Kings 16, verse 5,

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 just summarizes the situation.

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 Rezin, king of Syria,

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 and Pekah, the son of Ramaliah,

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 king of Israel,

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 came up to wage war in Jerusalem,

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 and they besieged Ahaz.

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 So they finally reached Jerusalem,

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 but they couldn't conquer him.

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 And then verse 7,

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 here's Ahaz's response.

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 So Ahaz sent messengers

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 to Tiglas Pileser, king of Assyria,

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 again, not Syria, but Assyria,

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 saying,

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 I am your servant and your son.

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 Come up and rescue me

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 from the hand of the king of Syria

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 and from the hand of the king of Israel

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 who are attacking me.

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 Ahaz also took the silver and gold

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 that was found in the house of the Lord

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 and in the treasures of the king's house

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 and sent a present to the king of Assyria.

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 Who was Ahaz trusting to save him

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 from this national crisis?

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 He wasn't trusting the Lord,

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 but he was trusting the king of Assyria.

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 He was even willing to clean out

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 the treasures of the Lord's house

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 and send them off to the king of Assyria

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 to try to buy his favor.

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 Now you might say,

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 who were the Assyrians?

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 Well, they were the rapidly expanding

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 superpower of the day.

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 They were the largest empire

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 that had yet existed in world history.

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 They were also incredibly cruel

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 and ruthless.

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 They routinely deported

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 and brutally tortured peoples

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 whom they had conquered.

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 But Ahaz thought

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 the king of Assyria is strong.

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 Ahaz's pro-Assyrian stance

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 might have been partly

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 what provoked Syria and Israel

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 to unite and come against him

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 in the first place

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 because they realized

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 that if he allied with Assyria,

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 they were in trouble

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 so they were going to strike first.

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 So Ahaz might have just

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 even brought this trouble on himself.

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 By trusting in Assyria

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 and looking to Assyria.

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 So Ahaz was facing a national crisis

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 and he refused to trust

00:15:56.259 --> 00:15:57.259
 and obey the word of God.

00:15:57.340 --> 00:15:59.720
 Instead, he trusted the king of Assyria.

00:16:00.200 --> 00:16:02.460
 And that brings us to verse 14.

00:16:02.460 --> 00:16:06.200
 God says to Ahaz,

00:16:06.920 --> 00:16:07.420
 Okay.

00:16:08.500 --> 00:16:10.259
 You won't ask me for a sign.

00:16:10.519 --> 00:16:11.860
 I'll give you a sign.

00:16:12.980 --> 00:16:13.500
 Behold,

00:16:13.740 --> 00:16:16.060
 the virgin shall conceive

00:16:16.060 --> 00:16:17.200
 and bear a son

00:16:17.200 --> 00:16:18.920
 and shall call his name

00:16:18.920 --> 00:16:20.200
 Emmanuel.

00:16:21.680 --> 00:16:23.440
 This child Emmanuel

00:16:23.440 --> 00:16:24.840
 will be a sign.

00:16:25.580 --> 00:16:26.379
 In other words,

00:16:26.460 --> 00:16:27.519
 this child Emmanuel

00:16:27.519 --> 00:16:28.840
 will be a living demonstration

00:16:28.840 --> 00:16:30.200
 that God's word

00:16:30.200 --> 00:16:31.660
 is trustworthy and true

00:16:31.660 --> 00:16:34.420
 even though you have rejected it.

00:16:34.700 --> 00:16:35.280
 Ahaz.

00:16:37.879 --> 00:16:39.300
 Now many people have wondered

00:16:39.300 --> 00:16:41.000
 who in the world

00:16:41.000 --> 00:16:42.300
 was Isaiah talking about?

00:16:43.200 --> 00:16:44.460
 Here in verse 14.

00:16:46.320 --> 00:16:47.980
 Now look down at verse 16.

00:16:47.980 --> 00:16:51.980
 For before the boy knows

00:16:51.980 --> 00:16:53.220
 how to refuse the evil

00:16:53.220 --> 00:16:54.120
 and choose the good,

00:16:54.220 --> 00:16:56.060
 the land whose two kings you dread

00:16:56.060 --> 00:16:56.860
 will be deserted.

00:16:58.480 --> 00:17:00.039
 Isaiah was speaking to Ahaz

00:17:00.039 --> 00:17:01.600
 in the year 735 BC.

00:17:02.519 --> 00:17:03.379
 That was the year

00:17:03.379 --> 00:17:04.460
 that Syria and Israel

00:17:04.460 --> 00:17:05.200
 invaded Judah.

00:17:06.160 --> 00:17:07.180
 Three years later,

00:17:07.660 --> 00:17:08.380
 the king of Assyria

00:17:08.380 --> 00:17:09.720
 conquered Damascus.

00:17:09.839 --> 00:17:11.079
 That was the capital of Syria.

00:17:11.500 --> 00:17:13.000
 Killed the king of Syria

00:17:13.000 --> 00:17:14.900
 and deposed the king of Israel.

00:17:15.240 --> 00:17:16.339
 And ten years after that,

00:17:16.339 --> 00:17:18.099
 the Assyrians conquered Samaria,

00:17:18.199 --> 00:17:19.099
 the capital of Israel,

00:17:19.099 --> 00:17:20.240
 and the nation of Israel

00:17:20.240 --> 00:17:20.859
 fell apart.

00:17:21.220 --> 00:17:22.019
 The northern kingdom.

00:17:24.179 --> 00:17:25.279
 So at one level,

00:17:25.399 --> 00:17:26.220
 verse 14

00:17:26.220 --> 00:17:28.720
 has to be talking about

00:17:28.720 --> 00:17:30.079
 a child who was born

00:17:30.079 --> 00:17:32.079
 in the time of King Ahaz.

00:17:33.199 --> 00:17:33.639
 Otherwise,

00:17:33.919 --> 00:17:34.959
 the child is not assigned

00:17:34.959 --> 00:17:35.579
 to King Ahaz

00:17:35.579 --> 00:17:36.199
 and verse 16

00:17:36.199 --> 00:17:37.220
 doesn't make any sense.

00:17:40.099 --> 00:17:41.319
 So at one level,

00:17:41.599 --> 00:17:42.819
 in the immediate context,

00:17:42.819 --> 00:17:45.459
 there has to be

00:17:45.460 --> 00:17:46.779
 a child that Isaiah

00:17:46.779 --> 00:17:47.440
 is speaking about

00:17:47.440 --> 00:17:49.680
 who was born back then

00:17:49.680 --> 00:17:50.940
 in the 8th century BC.

00:17:51.880 --> 00:17:52.779
 Now you might say,

00:17:53.240 --> 00:17:53.539
 well,

00:17:53.660 --> 00:17:55.779
 what about this word virgin?

00:17:56.000 --> 00:17:57.140
 The virgin shall conceive

00:17:57.140 --> 00:17:57.940
 and bear a son.

00:17:59.200 --> 00:17:59.460
 Well,

00:17:59.519 --> 00:18:00.819
 that word translated virgin

00:18:00.819 --> 00:18:03.440
 can also mean more generally

00:18:03.440 --> 00:18:04.440
 a young woman

00:18:04.440 --> 00:18:05.860
 of marriageable age.

00:18:06.019 --> 00:18:07.440
 So this is not necessarily

00:18:07.440 --> 00:18:08.240
 speaking about

00:18:08.240 --> 00:18:09.860
 a miraculous conception

00:18:09.859 --> 00:18:12.159
 or a miraculous birth

00:18:12.159 --> 00:18:14.219
 in Isaiah's time.

00:18:18.219 --> 00:18:18.659
 So,

00:18:19.179 --> 00:18:20.439
 okay,

00:18:20.659 --> 00:18:21.959
 if there's a child

00:18:21.959 --> 00:18:23.039
 that was born back then,

00:18:23.079 --> 00:18:23.539
 who was it?

00:18:23.599 --> 00:18:23.819
 Well,

00:18:24.019 --> 00:18:24.919
 I think the beginning

00:18:24.919 --> 00:18:25.779
 of chapter 8

00:18:25.779 --> 00:18:26.899
 shows us

00:18:26.899 --> 00:18:28.179
 who this child was.

00:18:29.219 --> 00:18:30.000
 Chapter 8,

00:18:30.059 --> 00:18:30.699
 verse 3.

00:18:32.139 --> 00:18:33.079
 And I,

00:18:33.240 --> 00:18:34.279
 this is Isaiah speaking,

00:18:34.399 --> 00:18:35.899
 and I went to the prophetess,

00:18:36.219 --> 00:18:36.639
 that is,

00:18:36.699 --> 00:18:37.500
 Isaiah's wife,

00:18:37.500 --> 00:18:38.859
 and she conceived

00:18:38.859 --> 00:18:40.119
 and bore a son.

00:18:43.119 --> 00:18:43.839
 Do you notice

00:18:43.839 --> 00:18:44.900
 the parallel wording?

00:18:45.240 --> 00:18:45.500
 7,

00:18:45.619 --> 00:18:46.039
 14.

00:18:46.559 --> 00:18:47.839
 The virgin shall conceive

00:18:47.839 --> 00:18:48.920
 and bear a son.

00:18:49.400 --> 00:18:50.000
 Chapter 8,

00:18:50.079 --> 00:18:50.640
 verse 3.

00:18:50.779 --> 00:18:51.900
 I went to the prophetess

00:18:51.900 --> 00:18:52.700
 and she conceived

00:18:52.700 --> 00:18:53.799
 and bore a son.

00:18:54.640 --> 00:18:55.079
 Sign,

00:18:55.420 --> 00:18:55.880
 fulfillment.

00:18:58.299 --> 00:18:59.140
 And you might say,

00:18:59.220 --> 00:18:59.480
 okay,

00:19:00.559 --> 00:19:01.539
 so if Emmanuel

00:19:01.539 --> 00:19:02.640
 is at least in part

00:19:02.640 --> 00:19:04.240
 talking about Isaiah's son,

00:19:04.480 --> 00:19:06.200
 then how is Isaiah's son

00:19:06.200 --> 00:19:07.340
 assigned to King Ahaz

00:19:07.340 --> 00:19:08.080
 and to his people?

00:19:08.200 --> 00:19:08.360
 Well,

00:19:08.440 --> 00:19:10.000
 primarily Isaiah's son

00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:11.039
 would be a sign

00:19:11.039 --> 00:19:12.539
 of God's coming judgment

00:19:12.539 --> 00:19:14.299
 because Ahaz

00:19:14.299 --> 00:19:15.059
 had refused

00:19:15.059 --> 00:19:16.180
 to trust

00:19:16.180 --> 00:19:16.980
 and obey

00:19:16.980 --> 00:19:18.420
 the word of God.

00:19:18.720 --> 00:19:19.360
 And God says,

00:19:19.600 --> 00:19:20.059
 this child

00:19:20.059 --> 00:19:21.100
 will show you

00:19:21.100 --> 00:19:22.779
 and be a living demonstration

00:19:22.779 --> 00:19:24.059
 that my words

00:19:24.059 --> 00:19:25.240
 will come to pass

00:19:25.240 --> 00:19:26.460
 regardless of whether

00:19:26.460 --> 00:19:27.700
 you believe them or not.

00:19:27.819 --> 00:19:29.140
 And because you have chosen

00:19:29.140 --> 00:19:30.120
 not to believe them,

00:19:30.420 --> 00:19:31.559
 you will experience

00:19:32.120 --> 00:19:32.840
 judgment.

00:19:32.839 --> 00:19:35.740
 Now,

00:19:35.799 --> 00:19:36.439
 if you look at

00:19:36.439 --> 00:19:39.099
 the verses following,

00:19:39.359 --> 00:19:41.439
 714 and 8.3,

00:19:42.299 --> 00:19:44.299
 Isaiah first reaffirms

00:19:44.299 --> 00:19:45.159
 that the two nations

00:19:45.159 --> 00:19:46.240
 who are attacking Ahaz

00:19:46.240 --> 00:19:47.119
 will be defeated.

00:19:47.279 --> 00:19:47.419
 So,

00:19:47.559 --> 00:19:48.119
 716,

00:19:48.619 --> 00:19:49.619
 the land whose two kings

00:19:49.619 --> 00:19:50.059
 you dread

00:19:50.059 --> 00:19:50.879
 will be deserted.

00:19:51.899 --> 00:19:52.619
 8.4,

00:19:52.720 --> 00:19:53.779
 the wealth of Damascus

00:19:53.779 --> 00:19:55.000
 and the spoil of Samaria

00:19:55.000 --> 00:19:56.139
 will be carried away

00:19:56.139 --> 00:19:57.539
 before the king of Assyria.

00:19:58.119 --> 00:19:59.399
 But Isaiah's main emphasis

00:19:59.399 --> 00:20:00.699
 is in the verses

00:20:00.699 --> 00:20:01.339
 that follow.

00:20:01.339 --> 00:20:03.919
 In 717-25

00:20:03.919 --> 00:20:06.159
 and 8.5-8.

00:20:07.639 --> 00:20:08.939
 What do these verses say?

00:20:09.119 --> 00:20:09.859
 Verse 17,

00:20:10.279 --> 00:20:10.759
 chapter 7,

00:20:10.799 --> 00:20:11.339
 verse 17,

00:20:11.439 --> 00:20:12.319
 the Lord will bring

00:20:12.319 --> 00:20:12.879
 upon you

00:20:12.879 --> 00:20:13.699
 and upon your people

00:20:13.699 --> 00:20:14.799
 and upon your father's house

00:20:14.799 --> 00:20:15.480
 such days

00:20:15.480 --> 00:20:16.539
 as have not come

00:20:16.539 --> 00:20:17.099
 since the day

00:20:17.099 --> 00:20:17.879
 that Ephraim

00:20:17.879 --> 00:20:18.799
 departed from Judah,

00:20:19.039 --> 00:20:19.879
 the king of Assyria.

00:20:20.299 --> 00:20:21.000
 So, basically,

00:20:21.319 --> 00:20:22.079
 Isaiah's saying,

00:20:22.399 --> 00:20:22.899
 you know what?

00:20:24.839 --> 00:20:25.839
 These two nations

00:20:25.839 --> 00:20:26.879
 that are attacking you now

00:20:26.879 --> 00:20:27.659
 that you're worried about,

00:20:28.099 --> 00:20:28.299
 yeah,

00:20:28.419 --> 00:20:29.199
 they'll be dealt with,

00:20:29.439 --> 00:20:30.119
 but guess what?

00:20:30.119 --> 00:20:30.919
 Something worse

00:20:30.919 --> 00:20:31.879
 is going to happen to you.

00:20:35.000 --> 00:20:36.179
 Chapter 7,

00:20:36.259 --> 00:20:37.299
 verse 18-25

00:20:37.299 --> 00:20:38.199
 basically talks about

00:20:38.199 --> 00:20:39.259
 how terrible things

00:20:39.259 --> 00:20:39.799
 will be

00:20:39.799 --> 00:20:41.000
 when the Assyrians

00:20:41.000 --> 00:20:42.179
 invade Judah

00:20:42.179 --> 00:20:43.699
 and how the land

00:20:43.699 --> 00:20:44.899
 will be depopulated

00:20:44.899 --> 00:20:47.079
 and how it will become

00:20:47.079 --> 00:20:48.619
 briars and thorns.

00:20:49.359 --> 00:20:49.739
 It'll become

00:20:49.739 --> 00:20:50.819
 a wilderness again.

00:20:52.199 --> 00:20:52.679
 Chapter 8,

00:20:52.719 --> 00:20:53.819
 verse 5-8

00:20:53.819 --> 00:20:54.759
 is even more clear.

00:20:54.759 --> 00:20:56.420
 The Lord spoke to me again

00:20:56.420 --> 00:20:57.539
 because this people,

00:20:57.680 --> 00:20:58.879
 that is the people of Judah,

00:20:59.220 --> 00:21:00.079
 has refused

00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:01.960
 the waters of Shiloah

00:21:01.960 --> 00:21:03.019
 that flow gently.

00:21:03.180 --> 00:21:03.839
 So, Shiloah

00:21:03.839 --> 00:21:05.240
 was a little stream

00:21:05.240 --> 00:21:07.259
 outside Jerusalem

00:21:07.259 --> 00:21:09.220
 that is just

00:21:09.220 --> 00:21:10.700
 a small,

00:21:11.039 --> 00:21:12.099
 gentle brook.

00:21:13.759 --> 00:21:14.599
 And Isaiah's

00:21:14.599 --> 00:21:15.420
 basically saying,

00:21:16.299 --> 00:21:16.720
 because you're

00:21:16.720 --> 00:21:18.819
 not willing

00:21:18.819 --> 00:21:19.900
 to just be content

00:21:19.900 --> 00:21:22.039
 being who you are

00:21:22.039 --> 00:21:23.039
 and who God

00:21:23.039 --> 00:21:24.180
 has made you to be

00:21:24.180 --> 00:21:25.920
 and you rejoice

00:21:25.920 --> 00:21:27.079
 over Rezin

00:21:27.079 --> 00:21:28.119
 and the son of Ramaliah.

00:21:28.180 --> 00:21:28.480
 That is,

00:21:28.539 --> 00:21:29.539
 you're rejoicing

00:21:29.539 --> 00:21:30.859
 that Assyria

00:21:30.859 --> 00:21:31.639
 is conquering

00:21:31.639 --> 00:21:32.319
 these Syria

00:21:32.319 --> 00:21:33.000
 and Israel

00:21:33.000 --> 00:21:33.700
 because you're

00:21:33.700 --> 00:21:34.879
 so happy about that.

00:21:35.159 --> 00:21:35.379
 Therefore,

00:21:35.539 --> 00:21:35.899
 behold,

00:21:36.039 --> 00:21:37.000
 the Lord is bringing up

00:21:37.000 --> 00:21:37.960
 against them

00:21:37.960 --> 00:21:38.740
 that is against you

00:21:38.740 --> 00:21:39.680
 the waters of the river

00:21:39.680 --> 00:21:40.299
 mighty and many,

00:21:40.379 --> 00:21:41.159
 the king of Assyria

00:21:41.159 --> 00:21:42.420
 and all his glory.

00:21:43.340 --> 00:21:44.180
 It will rise

00:21:44.180 --> 00:21:45.019
 over all its channels.

00:21:45.120 --> 00:21:45.720
 It will go over

00:21:45.720 --> 00:21:46.240
 all its banks.

00:21:46.300 --> 00:21:46.800
 It will sweep

00:21:46.800 --> 00:21:47.380
 on into Judah.

00:21:47.440 --> 00:21:47.980
 In other words,

00:21:48.160 --> 00:21:49.060
 the king of Assyria

00:21:49.060 --> 00:21:50.160
 is going to come

00:21:50.160 --> 00:21:51.320
 in like a flood

00:21:51.320 --> 00:21:54.640
 and nearly drown you.

00:21:56.120 --> 00:21:57.060
 You have something

00:21:57.060 --> 00:21:58.000
 much bigger

00:21:58.000 --> 00:21:58.620
 that you should be

00:21:58.620 --> 00:21:59.160
 worried about.

00:21:59.940 --> 00:22:00.620
 You're worried

00:22:00.620 --> 00:22:01.800
 about the wrong thing.

00:22:02.080 --> 00:22:02.480
 You're worried

00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:03.140
 about these two

00:22:03.140 --> 00:22:03.759
 little nations

00:22:03.759 --> 00:22:04.779
 that God is going

00:22:04.779 --> 00:22:06.420
 to deal with soon.

00:22:07.560 --> 00:22:08.279
 And guess what?

00:22:08.320 --> 00:22:08.900
 You have something

00:22:08.900 --> 00:22:09.560
 even worse.

00:22:09.559 --> 00:22:12.720
 If you want

00:22:12.720 --> 00:22:13.379
 to think about this

00:22:13.379 --> 00:22:14.379
 with a simple analogy,

00:22:15.319 --> 00:22:16.119
 somebody else

00:22:16.119 --> 00:22:16.799
 came up with this.

00:22:16.899 --> 00:22:17.500
 Ahaz has been

00:22:17.500 --> 00:22:18.579
 compared to a mouse

00:22:18.579 --> 00:22:19.879
 who is being

00:22:19.879 --> 00:22:21.240
 attacked by two rats

00:22:21.240 --> 00:22:23.079
 and the mouse

00:22:23.079 --> 00:22:24.079
 calls out for help

00:22:24.079 --> 00:22:25.220
 to the neighborhood cat.

00:22:28.279 --> 00:22:29.119
 You get it?

00:22:29.359 --> 00:22:30.220
 Isaiah says,

00:22:30.659 --> 00:22:31.579
 the cat is not

00:22:31.579 --> 00:22:32.099
 your friend.

00:22:33.740 --> 00:22:34.799
 He might attack

00:22:34.799 --> 00:22:35.779
 the rats first,

00:22:36.339 --> 00:22:37.940
 but once you're

00:22:37.940 --> 00:22:39.059
 on his radar screen,

00:22:39.059 --> 00:22:40.200
 he's coming for you.

00:22:43.319 --> 00:22:44.179
 Isaiah says,

00:22:44.279 --> 00:22:45.200
 Assyria is the

00:22:45.200 --> 00:22:46.440
 wrong one to trust.

00:22:50.579 --> 00:22:51.779
 And one commentator,

00:22:51.899 --> 00:22:52.659
 John Oswalt,

00:22:52.759 --> 00:22:53.000
 said,

00:22:53.000 --> 00:22:54.059
 whatever we trust

00:22:54.059 --> 00:22:55.460
 in place of God

00:22:55.460 --> 00:22:56.159
 will eventually

00:22:56.159 --> 00:22:57.379
 turn on us

00:22:57.379 --> 00:22:58.799
 and destroy us.

00:23:00.460 --> 00:23:01.720
 Isn't that so true?

00:23:04.399 --> 00:23:05.419
 And that's part

00:23:05.419 --> 00:23:06.220
 of God's judgment

00:23:06.220 --> 00:23:07.319
 judgment when God

00:23:07.319 --> 00:23:08.339
 gives us over

00:23:08.339 --> 00:23:10.440
 to the fickle

00:23:10.440 --> 00:23:11.460
 and selfish

00:23:11.460 --> 00:23:12.680
 masters that we

00:23:12.680 --> 00:23:13.200
 have chosen

00:23:13.200 --> 00:23:14.180
 for ourselves.

00:23:17.779 --> 00:23:18.559
 That's what the

00:23:18.559 --> 00:23:19.360
 child Emmanuel

00:23:19.360 --> 00:23:21.720
 would be a warning

00:23:21.720 --> 00:23:22.960
 to Ahaz of.

00:23:23.380 --> 00:23:23.920
 He would see

00:23:23.920 --> 00:23:25.059
 this child growing up

00:23:25.059 --> 00:23:25.960
 and he would see

00:23:25.960 --> 00:23:26.720
 the word of God

00:23:26.720 --> 00:23:27.460
 being fulfilled

00:23:27.460 --> 00:23:28.240
 at each stage

00:23:28.240 --> 00:23:29.259
 of this child's life

00:23:29.259 --> 00:23:30.539
 and he would see

00:23:30.539 --> 00:23:31.740
 that God's words

00:23:31.740 --> 00:23:32.319
 were trustworthy

00:23:32.319 --> 00:23:32.980
 and true

00:23:32.980 --> 00:23:33.640
 and he would see

00:23:33.640 --> 00:23:34.400
 that because he

00:23:34.400 --> 00:23:35.480
 didn't listen

00:23:35.480 --> 00:23:36.759
 and didn't obey

00:23:36.759 --> 00:23:39.460
 that these judgments

00:23:39.460 --> 00:23:40.060
 were coming

00:23:40.060 --> 00:23:41.280
 on him.

00:23:42.360 --> 00:23:43.140
 So Ahaz faced

00:23:43.140 --> 00:23:44.040
 the national crisis.

00:23:45.040 --> 00:23:46.200
 He refused to trust

00:23:46.200 --> 00:23:46.780
 and obey the word

00:23:46.780 --> 00:23:47.160
 of God

00:23:47.160 --> 00:23:47.940
 so God gave him

00:23:47.940 --> 00:23:49.400
 the sign of the child

00:23:49.400 --> 00:23:49.780
 Emmanuel

00:23:49.780 --> 00:23:50.460
 as a sign

00:23:50.460 --> 00:23:51.620
 of his coming judgment.

00:23:52.580 --> 00:23:53.160
 But now,

00:23:53.740 --> 00:23:55.080
 that's Act 1.

00:23:56.019 --> 00:23:57.280
 Now we go to Act 2,

00:23:57.800 --> 00:23:58.960
 the Gospel of Matthew,

00:23:59.100 --> 00:23:59.600
 God's word

00:23:59.600 --> 00:24:00.480
 to faithful Joseph.

00:24:00.620 --> 00:24:01.560
 Turn ahead

00:24:01.559 --> 00:24:02.679
 to Matthew 1.

00:24:04.099 --> 00:24:05.179
 We read this earlier

00:24:05.179 --> 00:24:05.879
 in the service.

00:24:09.200 --> 00:24:10.119
 The page number's

00:24:10.119 --> 00:24:10.659
 in your bulletin

00:24:10.659 --> 00:24:11.819
 if you need that.

00:24:13.159 --> 00:24:14.059
 Matthew 1,

00:24:14.480 --> 00:24:15.659
 18 to 25.

00:24:18.960 --> 00:24:20.039
 Now here we have

00:24:20.039 --> 00:24:20.799
 somebody who's not

00:24:20.799 --> 00:24:21.980
 facing a national crisis

00:24:21.980 --> 00:24:22.659
 but he's facing

00:24:22.659 --> 00:24:23.720
 a personal crisis.

00:24:24.559 --> 00:24:25.319
 Back then,

00:24:25.379 --> 00:24:26.559
 being betrothed

00:24:26.559 --> 00:24:27.539
 was,

00:24:28.179 --> 00:24:29.220
 it was even more

00:24:29.220 --> 00:24:30.539
 binding than engagement.

00:24:31.559 --> 00:24:32.079
 Okay,

00:24:32.139 --> 00:24:32.879
 being betrothed

00:24:32.879 --> 00:24:33.679
 meant you're legally

00:24:33.679 --> 00:24:34.659
 pledged to be married.

00:24:34.839 --> 00:24:35.919
 The only way

00:24:35.919 --> 00:24:36.980
 you could break off

00:24:36.980 --> 00:24:38.379
 a betrothal agreement

00:24:38.379 --> 00:24:39.079
 was through

00:24:39.079 --> 00:24:40.399
 a legal divorce.

00:24:42.480 --> 00:24:43.399
 So it was even

00:24:43.399 --> 00:24:44.119
 more serious

00:24:44.119 --> 00:24:45.240
 and even more difficult

00:24:45.240 --> 00:24:46.139
 than breaking off

00:24:46.139 --> 00:24:47.179
 an engagement today

00:24:47.179 --> 00:24:48.299
 as devastating

00:24:48.299 --> 00:24:49.359
 as that can be.

00:24:50.799 --> 00:24:52.399
 So Joseph has already

00:24:52.399 --> 00:24:54.019
 signed on the dotted line.

00:24:54.799 --> 00:24:55.500
 They have a wedding,

00:24:55.839 --> 00:24:56.399
 they've, you know,

00:24:56.440 --> 00:24:56.799
 they've probably

00:24:56.799 --> 00:24:57.619
 got a wedding date

00:24:57.619 --> 00:24:59.220
 but they've made

00:24:59.220 --> 00:25:00.359
 a legal and binding agreement.

00:25:00.359 --> 00:25:01.219
 They will be married,

00:25:01.279 --> 00:25:02.059
 they're not yet married,

00:25:02.119 --> 00:25:03.139
 they're not yet living together

00:25:03.139 --> 00:25:05.679
 but they haven't yet

00:25:05.679 --> 00:25:06.240
 slept together

00:25:06.240 --> 00:25:07.939
 but then he learns

00:25:07.939 --> 00:25:08.579
 Mary's pregnant.

00:25:10.539 --> 00:25:11.539
 And so what does he do?

00:25:11.740 --> 00:25:12.539
 Verse 19,

00:25:12.979 --> 00:25:14.599
 it says Joseph resolved

00:25:14.599 --> 00:25:16.539
 to divorce her quietly.

00:25:17.479 --> 00:25:18.199
 Now notice,

00:25:18.339 --> 00:25:19.279
 verse 19 says

00:25:19.279 --> 00:25:21.279
 Joseph was a just man,

00:25:21.379 --> 00:25:22.839
 that is a righteous man

00:25:22.839 --> 00:25:23.979
 and he was also

00:25:23.979 --> 00:25:25.259
 a compassionate man

00:25:25.259 --> 00:25:26.419
 because it says

00:25:26.419 --> 00:25:27.559
 he was unwilling

00:25:27.559 --> 00:25:29.299
 to put her to shame.

00:25:31.399 --> 00:25:32.319
 In other words,

00:25:32.399 --> 00:25:33.259
 Joseph was saying,

00:25:34.240 --> 00:25:34.859
 I'm committed

00:25:34.859 --> 00:25:36.919
 not to dishonor you

00:25:36.919 --> 00:25:39.000
 even though

00:25:39.000 --> 00:25:40.319
 I can no longer

00:25:40.319 --> 00:25:41.179
 trust you.

00:25:43.139 --> 00:25:44.539
 I can't marry you

00:25:44.539 --> 00:25:47.179
 but I won't do anything

00:25:47.179 --> 00:25:47.819
 to harm you.

00:25:48.899 --> 00:25:50.339
 I won't make a big scene.

00:25:51.559 --> 00:25:53.259
 I won't gossip about this.

00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:55.420
 I won't seek to undermine

00:25:55.420 --> 00:25:56.180
 your reputation.

00:25:57.180 --> 00:25:58.920
 We will go our separate ways

00:25:58.920 --> 00:26:00.119
 peaceably.

00:26:01.720 --> 00:26:03.140
 Now on a side note,

00:26:04.180 --> 00:26:05.420
 Joseph in verse 19

00:26:05.420 --> 00:26:07.319
 is an example

00:26:07.319 --> 00:26:08.420
 of how to go through

00:26:08.420 --> 00:26:09.220
 a divorce

00:26:09.220 --> 00:26:11.960
 in a godly

00:26:11.960 --> 00:26:13.000
 and righteous way

00:26:13.000 --> 00:26:15.319
 when you have clear

00:26:15.319 --> 00:26:16.299
 biblical grounds

00:26:16.299 --> 00:26:17.019
 for divorce,

00:26:17.539 --> 00:26:18.400
 in this case

00:26:18.400 --> 00:26:19.720
 apparent sexual

00:26:19.720 --> 00:26:20.440
 unfaithfulness.

00:26:20.440 --> 00:26:22.960
 Joseph resolved

00:26:22.960 --> 00:26:24.860
 not to be vindictive

00:26:24.860 --> 00:26:26.940
 even when it seemed

00:26:26.940 --> 00:26:28.059
 that trust

00:26:28.059 --> 00:26:29.980
 had been irreparably

00:26:29.980 --> 00:26:30.620
 broken.

00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:34.559
 However,

00:26:34.820 --> 00:26:35.840
 that's a side note,

00:26:36.740 --> 00:26:37.440
 what seemed

00:26:37.440 --> 00:26:38.220
 to be the case

00:26:38.220 --> 00:26:39.440
 was not actually

00:26:39.440 --> 00:26:40.059
 the case.

00:26:41.940 --> 00:26:43.039
 God sent his word

00:26:43.039 --> 00:26:43.480
 to Joseph,

00:26:43.600 --> 00:26:44.160
 verse 20,

00:26:44.680 --> 00:26:45.480
 not through a prophet

00:26:45.480 --> 00:26:46.559
 as with Isaiah

00:26:46.559 --> 00:26:47.259
 but through an angel

00:26:47.259 --> 00:26:47.840
 in a dream.

00:26:48.320 --> 00:26:48.580
 Joseph,

00:26:48.580 --> 00:26:49.299
 son of David,

00:26:49.299 --> 00:26:50.539
 do not fear.

00:26:51.619 --> 00:26:51.960
 Again,

00:26:52.059 --> 00:26:52.559
 notice the theme

00:26:52.559 --> 00:26:52.940
 of fear.

00:26:53.519 --> 00:26:54.220
 Do not fear

00:26:54.220 --> 00:26:55.180
 to take Mary

00:26:55.180 --> 00:26:55.980
 as your wife

00:26:55.980 --> 00:26:57.579
 for that which is

00:26:57.579 --> 00:26:58.319
 conceived in her

00:26:58.319 --> 00:26:59.440
 is from the Holy Spirit.

00:27:00.700 --> 00:27:00.899
 Okay,

00:27:00.899 --> 00:27:01.279
 that's the one

00:27:01.279 --> 00:27:01.899
 and only time

00:27:01.899 --> 00:27:02.619
 that this is going

00:27:02.619 --> 00:27:02.980
 to happen,

00:27:03.119 --> 00:27:03.759
 just so you know.

00:27:05.519 --> 00:27:06.720
 She will bear a son

00:27:06.720 --> 00:27:09.240
 and you shall call

00:27:09.240 --> 00:27:09.940
 his name Jesus

00:27:09.940 --> 00:27:11.379
 for he will save

00:27:11.379 --> 00:27:11.759
 his people

00:27:11.759 --> 00:27:12.559
 from their sins.

00:27:14.159 --> 00:27:15.059
 And unlike

00:27:15.059 --> 00:27:15.859
 King Ahaz

00:27:15.859 --> 00:27:17.200
 who twice

00:27:17.200 --> 00:27:18.819
 rejected God's word,

00:27:18.819 --> 00:27:19.579
 we see that

00:27:19.579 --> 00:27:20.720
 Joseph obeyed

00:27:20.720 --> 00:27:21.259
 immediately.

00:27:21.460 --> 00:27:22.220
 Verse 24,

00:27:22.679 --> 00:27:23.419
 when Joseph woke

00:27:23.419 --> 00:27:24.079
 from sleep,

00:27:24.539 --> 00:27:25.460
 he did as the angel

00:27:25.460 --> 00:27:25.879
 of the Lord

00:27:25.879 --> 00:27:26.639
 commanded him.

00:27:27.299 --> 00:27:28.159
 He took his wife

00:27:28.159 --> 00:27:28.939
 but knew her not

00:27:28.939 --> 00:27:29.539
 till she had given

00:27:29.539 --> 00:27:30.319
 birth to a son

00:27:30.319 --> 00:27:30.839
 and he called

00:27:30.839 --> 00:27:31.960
 his name Jesus.

00:27:33.240 --> 00:27:34.399
 So Joseph was facing

00:27:34.399 --> 00:27:35.439
 a personal crisis.

00:27:36.119 --> 00:27:36.980
 God sent his word

00:27:36.980 --> 00:27:37.379
 to him

00:27:37.379 --> 00:27:38.339
 and Joseph trusted

00:27:38.339 --> 00:27:39.500
 and obeyed.

00:27:41.700 --> 00:27:43.240
 And what we also see

00:27:43.240 --> 00:27:43.960
 is that God

00:27:43.960 --> 00:27:45.599
 gave him a sign.

00:27:45.599 --> 00:27:47.559
 the child

00:27:47.559 --> 00:27:48.000
 Emmanuel

00:27:48.000 --> 00:27:48.939
 as a sign

00:27:48.939 --> 00:27:49.779
 not of his

00:27:49.779 --> 00:27:50.399
 coming judgment

00:27:50.399 --> 00:27:51.679
 but of his

00:27:51.679 --> 00:27:52.439
 coming salvation.

00:27:53.719 --> 00:27:54.240
 Jesus

00:27:54.240 --> 00:27:55.159
 who will save

00:27:55.159 --> 00:27:55.539
 his people

00:27:55.539 --> 00:27:56.319
 from their sins.

00:27:57.459 --> 00:27:58.379
 Verse 22

00:27:58.379 --> 00:27:58.899
 and 23,

00:27:59.079 --> 00:28:00.019
 Matthew tells us

00:28:00.019 --> 00:28:00.899
 that all this

00:28:00.899 --> 00:28:01.559
 took place

00:28:01.559 --> 00:28:02.579
 to fulfill

00:28:02.579 --> 00:28:03.559
 what the Lord

00:28:03.559 --> 00:28:04.059
 had spoken

00:28:04.059 --> 00:28:05.059
 through the prophet

00:28:05.059 --> 00:28:05.480
 Isaiah.

00:28:06.579 --> 00:28:07.099
 Now,

00:28:07.379 --> 00:28:08.959
 I'm sure

00:28:08.959 --> 00:28:09.539
 that some of you

00:28:09.539 --> 00:28:10.679
 are asking this question.

00:28:11.399 --> 00:28:12.059
 You're saying,

00:28:12.139 --> 00:28:12.599
 wait a minute,

00:28:12.599 --> 00:28:14.139
 you just told me

00:28:14.139 --> 00:28:15.039
 that Isaiah

00:28:15.039 --> 00:28:16.279
 was talking about

00:28:16.279 --> 00:28:17.219
 his own son

00:28:17.219 --> 00:28:17.719
 Emmanuel

00:28:17.719 --> 00:28:18.839
 back in the 8th century

00:28:18.839 --> 00:28:19.179
 BC.

00:28:19.480 --> 00:28:20.339
 How can then

00:28:20.339 --> 00:28:20.759
 Matthew

00:28:20.759 --> 00:28:21.980
 say

00:28:21.980 --> 00:28:23.259
 that Isaiah's

00:28:23.259 --> 00:28:23.980
 prophecy

00:28:23.980 --> 00:28:25.199
 is fulfilled

00:28:25.199 --> 00:28:25.799
 in the birth

00:28:25.799 --> 00:28:26.279
 of Jesus?

00:28:29.279 --> 00:28:30.219
 Let me say

00:28:30.219 --> 00:28:30.959
 three things

00:28:30.959 --> 00:28:33.339
 out to that

00:28:33.339 --> 00:28:34.439
 very reasonable

00:28:34.439 --> 00:28:34.939
 question.

00:28:36.139 --> 00:28:36.819
 First,

00:28:37.299 --> 00:28:38.039
 many biblical

00:28:38.039 --> 00:28:38.959
 prophecies

00:28:38.959 --> 00:28:40.219
 have both

00:28:40.219 --> 00:28:41.219
 an immediate

00:28:41.219 --> 00:28:42.059
 fulfillment

00:28:42.059 --> 00:28:43.240
 that is

00:28:43.240 --> 00:28:43.839
 a specific

00:28:43.839 --> 00:28:44.619
 relevance

00:28:44.619 --> 00:28:45.359
 to the time

00:28:45.359 --> 00:28:45.899
 and place

00:28:45.899 --> 00:28:46.200
 where they

00:28:46.200 --> 00:28:46.779
 were first

00:28:46.779 --> 00:28:47.460
 spoken

00:28:47.460 --> 00:28:48.859
 and a

00:28:48.859 --> 00:28:49.319
 longer

00:28:49.319 --> 00:28:50.079
 range

00:28:50.079 --> 00:28:50.700
 fulfillment

00:28:50.700 --> 00:28:52.259
 that becomes

00:28:52.259 --> 00:28:52.659
 evident

00:28:52.659 --> 00:28:53.779
 later on

00:28:53.779 --> 00:28:54.720
 in the

00:28:54.720 --> 00:28:56.740
 unfolding

00:28:56.740 --> 00:28:57.319
 story

00:28:57.319 --> 00:28:57.819
 of God's

00:28:57.819 --> 00:28:58.259
 salvation.

00:28:59.379 --> 00:28:59.559
 So,

00:28:59.599 --> 00:28:59.980
 it's a bit

00:28:59.980 --> 00:29:00.740
 like if you're

00:29:00.740 --> 00:29:01.119
 watching,

00:29:01.299 --> 00:29:01.700
 it's not a

00:29:01.700 --> 00:29:02.279
 perfect analogy,

00:29:02.440 --> 00:29:02.740
 but if you're

00:29:02.740 --> 00:29:03.460
 watching a movie

00:29:03.460 --> 00:29:04.339
 and the movie

00:29:04.339 --> 00:29:05.119
 begins

00:29:05.119 --> 00:29:06.539
 with a close-up

00:29:06.539 --> 00:29:07.419
 of a particular

00:29:07.419 --> 00:29:08.379
 individual

00:29:08.380 --> 00:29:08.480
 individual.

00:29:10.660 --> 00:29:11.420
 And for a

00:29:11.420 --> 00:29:11.800
 while,

00:29:12.000 --> 00:29:12.400
 the movie

00:29:12.400 --> 00:29:12.960
 is just

00:29:12.960 --> 00:29:13.640
 focused on

00:29:13.640 --> 00:29:14.040
 you see

00:29:14.040 --> 00:29:14.500
 that person

00:29:14.500 --> 00:29:16.540
 as a

00:29:16.540 --> 00:29:16.940
 child,

00:29:17.100 --> 00:29:17.340
 you see

00:29:17.340 --> 00:29:17.760
 them growing

00:29:17.760 --> 00:29:18.100
 up,

00:29:18.140 --> 00:29:18.380
 you see

00:29:18.380 --> 00:29:18.760
 their life

00:29:18.760 --> 00:29:19.200
 develop,

00:29:19.880 --> 00:29:20.400
 and you

00:29:20.400 --> 00:29:20.940
 think

00:29:20.940 --> 00:29:22.200
 this movie

00:29:22.200 --> 00:29:22.740
 is all

00:29:22.740 --> 00:29:23.340
 about that

00:29:23.340 --> 00:29:24.280
 one person.

00:29:24.820 --> 00:29:25.340
 For example,

00:29:25.480 --> 00:29:26.060
 take Thomas

00:29:26.060 --> 00:29:26.400
 Edison.

00:29:26.560 --> 00:29:26.940
 I'm not sure

00:29:26.940 --> 00:29:27.340
 there's a movie

00:29:27.340 --> 00:29:27.780
 about him,

00:29:27.880 --> 00:29:28.620
 but he's the

00:29:28.620 --> 00:29:29.080
 one who invented

00:29:29.080 --> 00:29:29.620
 electricity

00:29:29.620 --> 00:29:30.240
 and all other

00:29:30.240 --> 00:29:30.640
 kinds of

00:29:30.640 --> 00:29:30.860
 things.

00:29:31.020 --> 00:29:31.440
 So,

00:29:31.500 --> 00:29:31.780
 the movie

00:29:31.780 --> 00:29:32.400
 focuses on

00:29:32.400 --> 00:29:32.980
 his childhood

00:29:32.980 --> 00:29:33.880
 and then

00:29:33.880 --> 00:29:35.580
 finally on

00:29:35.580 --> 00:29:36.040
 his adventures,

00:29:36.160 --> 00:29:36.660
 but then as

00:29:36.660 --> 00:29:36.960
 the movie

00:29:36.960 --> 00:29:37.380
 comes to

00:29:37.380 --> 00:29:37.880
 an end,

00:29:38.360 --> 00:29:39.060
 the story

00:29:39.060 --> 00:29:39.740
 broadens.

00:29:40.420 --> 00:29:41.040
 Because it's

00:29:41.040 --> 00:29:41.480
 not just

00:29:41.480 --> 00:29:42.080
 about Thomas

00:29:42.080 --> 00:29:42.440
 Edison,

00:29:42.600 --> 00:29:43.080
 it's about

00:29:43.080 --> 00:29:44.019
 how electricity

00:29:44.019 --> 00:29:45.019
 changed the

00:29:45.019 --> 00:29:45.380
 world.

00:29:46.600 --> 00:29:47.400
 It's about

00:29:47.400 --> 00:29:48.060
 his followers

00:29:48.060 --> 00:29:48.500
 and their

00:29:48.500 --> 00:29:49.240
 legacy and

00:29:49.240 --> 00:29:50.080
 his legacy

00:29:50.080 --> 00:29:50.420
 and his

00:29:50.420 --> 00:29:50.720
 impact,

00:29:50.880 --> 00:29:51.080
 and it's

00:29:51.080 --> 00:29:51.440
 about the

00:29:51.440 --> 00:29:51.800
 people who

00:29:51.800 --> 00:29:52.380
 come after

00:29:52.380 --> 00:29:53.340
 him who

00:29:53.340 --> 00:29:54.000
 even far

00:29:54.000 --> 00:29:54.640
 surpassed

00:29:54.640 --> 00:29:54.920
 them.

00:29:56.740 --> 00:29:57.500
 The people

00:29:57.500 --> 00:29:57.940
 who make

00:29:57.940 --> 00:29:59.200
 even other

00:29:59.200 --> 00:30:00.000
 inventions that

00:30:00.000 --> 00:30:00.600
 even perhaps

00:30:00.600 --> 00:30:01.200
 have a greater

00:30:01.200 --> 00:30:02.120
 impact that

00:30:02.120 --> 00:30:02.800
 grow out of

00:30:02.800 --> 00:30:03.160
 that.

00:30:04.220 --> 00:30:04.900
 You realize

00:30:04.900 --> 00:30:05.640
 that this one

00:30:05.640 --> 00:30:06.480
 person is only

00:30:06.480 --> 00:30:07.000
 the beginning

00:30:07.000 --> 00:30:07.720
 of a much

00:30:07.720 --> 00:30:09.220
 bigger story.

00:30:12.559 --> 00:30:13.039
 Second,

00:30:13.779 --> 00:30:14.420
 so that's a

00:30:14.420 --> 00:30:14.960
 general point

00:30:14.960 --> 00:30:15.400
 about biblical

00:30:15.400 --> 00:30:15.799
 prophecy.

00:30:15.940 --> 00:30:16.319
 They often

00:30:16.319 --> 00:30:16.819
 have both

00:30:16.819 --> 00:30:17.200
 an immediate

00:30:17.200 --> 00:30:17.599
 fulfillment

00:30:17.599 --> 00:30:18.319
 and a longer

00:30:18.319 --> 00:30:18.920
 range fulfillment.

00:30:19.059 --> 00:30:19.460
 In the case

00:30:19.460 --> 00:30:19.720
 of this

00:30:19.720 --> 00:30:20.220
 particular

00:30:20.220 --> 00:30:20.640
 prophecy,

00:30:20.779 --> 00:30:21.319
 second point,

00:30:21.599 --> 00:30:21.880
 the book

00:30:21.880 --> 00:30:22.339
 of Isaiah

00:30:22.339 --> 00:30:24.120
 itself points

00:30:24.120 --> 00:30:25.200
 to both

00:30:25.200 --> 00:30:25.720
 an immediate

00:30:25.720 --> 00:30:26.160
 fulfillment

00:30:26.160 --> 00:30:27.380
 and a longer

00:30:27.380 --> 00:30:28.019
 range fulfillment.

00:30:28.160 --> 00:30:28.599
 You might say,

00:30:28.640 --> 00:30:28.920
 how?

00:30:29.220 --> 00:30:29.500
 Well,

00:30:29.799 --> 00:30:30.519
 turn back to

00:30:30.519 --> 00:30:30.900
 Isaiah,

00:30:31.299 --> 00:30:31.779
 but keep

00:30:31.779 --> 00:30:32.079
 your finger

00:30:32.079 --> 00:30:32.519
 in Matthew.

00:30:34.019 --> 00:30:34.700
 Turn back

00:30:34.700 --> 00:30:35.240
 to Isaiah.

00:30:35.240 --> 00:30:35.839
 Isaiah,

00:30:35.839 --> 00:30:36.240
 the child

00:30:36.240 --> 00:30:36.859
 Emmanuel is

00:30:36.859 --> 00:30:37.539
 first named

00:30:37.539 --> 00:30:38.099
 in Isaiah

00:30:38.099 --> 00:30:38.480
 7,

00:30:38.559 --> 00:30:38.980
 14.

00:30:40.759 --> 00:30:41.319
 And as I've

00:30:41.319 --> 00:30:41.759
 pointed out,

00:30:41.819 --> 00:30:42.220
 the rest of

00:30:42.220 --> 00:30:42.859
 chapter 7

00:30:42.859 --> 00:30:43.339
 and the beginning

00:30:43.339 --> 00:30:44.180
 of chapter 8

00:30:44.180 --> 00:30:45.720
 clearly indicate

00:30:45.720 --> 00:30:47.440
 that Isaiah's

00:30:47.440 --> 00:30:48.180
 son was in

00:30:48.180 --> 00:30:48.539
 mind.

00:30:49.200 --> 00:30:49.859
 I think that's

00:30:49.859 --> 00:30:50.240
 the best way

00:30:50.240 --> 00:30:50.720
 to understand

00:30:50.720 --> 00:30:50.940
 them.

00:30:52.160 --> 00:30:52.900
 But that's

00:30:52.900 --> 00:30:53.579
 not all that

00:30:53.579 --> 00:30:54.259
 Isaiah says

00:30:54.259 --> 00:30:54.920
 about Emmanuel.

00:30:55.099 --> 00:30:55.400
 Look at

00:30:55.400 --> 00:30:55.980
 chapter 8,

00:30:56.059 --> 00:30:56.680
 verse 8.

00:30:57.140 --> 00:30:57.700
 It's talking

00:30:57.700 --> 00:30:58.319
 about the king

00:30:58.319 --> 00:30:59.019
 of Assyria

00:30:59.019 --> 00:31:00.420
 invading Judah

00:31:00.420 --> 00:31:01.480
 and sweeping

00:31:01.480 --> 00:31:02.440
 on into Judah,

00:31:02.560 --> 00:31:03.180
 overflowing

00:31:03.180 --> 00:31:03.700
 and passing

00:31:03.700 --> 00:31:04.039
 on,

00:31:04.140 --> 00:31:04.860
 reaching even

00:31:04.860 --> 00:31:05.620
 to the neck.

00:31:06.500 --> 00:31:07.120
 It's as if

00:31:07.120 --> 00:31:07.640
 Judah is

00:31:07.640 --> 00:31:08.940
 nearly drowning

00:31:08.940 --> 00:31:10.420
 in this flood

00:31:10.420 --> 00:31:11.960
 and its

00:31:11.960 --> 00:31:14.180
 outspread wings

00:31:14.180 --> 00:31:15.160
 that is the

00:31:15.160 --> 00:31:16.880
 extent

00:31:16.880 --> 00:31:18.420
 of the king

00:31:18.420 --> 00:31:18.960
 of Assyria,

00:31:19.060 --> 00:31:19.700
 his power

00:31:19.700 --> 00:31:20.820
 will fill

00:31:20.820 --> 00:31:21.240
 the breadth

00:31:21.240 --> 00:31:22.660
 of your land,

00:31:22.860 --> 00:31:23.820
 O Emmanuel.

00:31:24.240 --> 00:31:24.779
 And you think,

00:31:24.940 --> 00:31:25.180
 what?

00:31:25.180 --> 00:31:29.160
 your land,

00:31:29.400 --> 00:31:30.259
 O Emmanuel.

00:31:31.580 --> 00:31:32.360
 Wait a minute.

00:31:33.799 --> 00:31:34.380
 I thought

00:31:34.380 --> 00:31:35.259
 Emmanuel's just

00:31:35.259 --> 00:31:36.200
 Isaiah's son.

00:31:36.740 --> 00:31:37.259
 Isaiah's son

00:31:37.259 --> 00:31:37.700
 doesn't even

00:31:37.700 --> 00:31:38.340
 become a king.

00:31:39.779 --> 00:31:40.580
 How does the

00:31:40.580 --> 00:31:41.120
 whole land

00:31:41.120 --> 00:31:41.680
 belong to

00:31:41.680 --> 00:31:42.060
 Emmanuel?

00:31:43.900 --> 00:31:44.720
 And then,

00:31:44.980 --> 00:31:45.980
 verses 9 and 10,

00:31:46.279 --> 00:31:46.799
 the tone

00:31:46.799 --> 00:31:48.060
 abruptly shifts

00:31:48.060 --> 00:31:49.720
 from a prophecy

00:31:49.720 --> 00:31:50.380
 of judgment

00:31:50.380 --> 00:31:51.580
 that almost

00:31:51.580 --> 00:31:53.360
 overwhelms

00:31:53.360 --> 00:31:54.299
 and destroys

00:31:54.299 --> 00:31:54.799
 Judah

00:31:54.799 --> 00:31:57.159
 to

00:31:57.159 --> 00:32:01.619
 an announcement

00:32:01.619 --> 00:32:02.279
 of judgment

00:32:02.279 --> 00:32:02.960
 on the other

00:32:02.960 --> 00:32:03.720
 nations that

00:32:03.720 --> 00:32:04.419
 are attacking

00:32:04.419 --> 00:32:04.879
 Judah.

00:32:06.279 --> 00:32:07.059
 And a word

00:32:07.059 --> 00:32:07.559
 of hope

00:32:07.559 --> 00:32:08.099
 for God's

00:32:08.099 --> 00:32:08.399
 people.

00:32:08.519 --> 00:32:09.039
 Verse 10,

00:32:09.180 --> 00:32:09.759
 take counsel

00:32:09.759 --> 00:32:10.200
 together,

00:32:10.399 --> 00:32:10.879
 but it will

00:32:10.879 --> 00:32:11.259
 come to

00:32:11.259 --> 00:32:11.559
 nothing.

00:32:11.919 --> 00:32:12.619
 Speak a word,

00:32:12.859 --> 00:32:13.259
 but it will

00:32:13.259 --> 00:32:13.960
 not stand,

00:32:14.240 --> 00:32:15.779
 for God

00:32:15.779 --> 00:32:16.659
 is with us.

00:32:16.819 --> 00:32:17.339
 Emmanuel.

00:32:17.799 --> 00:32:18.240
 There's that

00:32:18.240 --> 00:32:18.740
 word again.

00:32:19.720 --> 00:32:20.220
 It's a word

00:32:20.220 --> 00:32:20.480
 play.

00:32:20.879 --> 00:32:21.139
 The word

00:32:21.139 --> 00:32:21.440
 Emmanuel

00:32:21.440 --> 00:32:22.079
 means God

00:32:22.079 --> 00:32:22.599
 with us.

00:32:23.119 --> 00:32:23.619
 For God

00:32:23.619 --> 00:32:24.079
 is with us.

00:32:24.079 --> 00:32:25.119
 So,

00:32:25.119 --> 00:32:25.980
 Emmanuel seems

00:32:25.980 --> 00:32:26.299
 to give

00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.599
 renewed

00:32:26.599 --> 00:32:27.000
 strength

00:32:27.000 --> 00:32:27.359
 and hope

00:32:27.359 --> 00:32:27.799
 to God's

00:32:27.799 --> 00:32:28.059
 people,

00:32:28.159 --> 00:32:28.679
 even after

00:32:28.679 --> 00:32:29.139
 God has

00:32:29.139 --> 00:32:29.779
 judged them

00:32:29.779 --> 00:32:30.179
 for their

00:32:30.179 --> 00:32:30.720
 faithlessness.

00:32:31.439 --> 00:32:31.859
 And then,

00:32:31.939 --> 00:32:32.599
 Isaiah chapter

00:32:32.599 --> 00:32:33.119
 9,

00:32:33.279 --> 00:32:33.779
 which we'll

00:32:33.779 --> 00:32:34.159
 look at

00:32:34.159 --> 00:32:34.980
 more next

00:32:34.980 --> 00:32:35.399
 week,

00:32:36.099 --> 00:32:37.379
 also talks

00:32:37.379 --> 00:32:37.879
 about this

00:32:37.879 --> 00:32:38.480
 child who

00:32:38.480 --> 00:32:38.740
 will be

00:32:38.740 --> 00:32:39.159
 born.

00:32:40.759 --> 00:32:41.319
 Chapter 9,

00:32:41.359 --> 00:32:41.740
 verse 6,

00:32:41.819 --> 00:32:42.399
 for to us a

00:32:42.400 --> 00:32:42.800
 child is

00:32:42.800 --> 00:32:43.140
 born.

00:32:43.800 --> 00:32:44.300
 To us a

00:32:44.300 --> 00:32:44.580
 son is

00:32:44.580 --> 00:32:44.860
 given,

00:32:45.440 --> 00:32:45.880
 and the

00:32:45.880 --> 00:32:46.180
 government

00:32:46.180 --> 00:32:46.519
 shall be

00:32:46.519 --> 00:32:46.980
 upon his

00:32:46.980 --> 00:32:47.360
 shoulder.

00:32:48.340 --> 00:32:48.600
 And the

00:32:48.600 --> 00:32:48.820
 end of

00:32:48.820 --> 00:32:49.220
 verse 7

00:32:49.220 --> 00:32:49.640
 says,

00:32:51.440 --> 00:32:51.720
 he will

00:32:51.720 --> 00:32:52.880
 reign with

00:32:52.880 --> 00:32:53.519
 justice and

00:32:53.519 --> 00:32:53.940
 righteousness

00:32:53.940 --> 00:32:54.640
 from this

00:32:54.640 --> 00:32:55.400
 time forth

00:32:55.400 --> 00:32:56.400
 and forever

00:32:56.400 --> 00:32:57.120
 more.

00:32:59.100 --> 00:32:59.620
 You see,

00:32:59.680 --> 00:33:00.220
 the horizon

00:33:00.220 --> 00:33:01.700
 has broadened.

00:33:02.940 --> 00:33:03.780
 We've started

00:33:03.780 --> 00:33:04.280
 by just

00:33:04.280 --> 00:33:04.960
 looking at

00:33:04.960 --> 00:33:05.800
 Emmanuel as

00:33:05.800 --> 00:33:06.480
 Isaiah's son,

00:33:06.560 --> 00:33:07.259
 and then the

00:33:07.259 --> 00:33:08.200
 camera angle

00:33:08.200 --> 00:33:08.820
 has zoomed

00:33:08.819 --> 00:33:09.179
 out,

00:33:09.460 --> 00:33:09.899
 and now

00:33:09.899 --> 00:33:10.399
 we see

00:33:10.399 --> 00:33:11.799
 that someone

00:33:11.799 --> 00:33:12.599
 called Emmanuel

00:33:12.599 --> 00:33:13.159
 will reign

00:33:13.159 --> 00:33:13.659
 forever.

00:33:15.599 --> 00:33:16.379
 So it

00:33:16.379 --> 00:33:17.220
 can't just

00:33:17.220 --> 00:33:17.759
 be talking

00:33:17.759 --> 00:33:18.599
 about Isaiah's

00:33:18.599 --> 00:33:18.779
 son,

00:33:18.839 --> 00:33:19.299
 even though

00:33:19.299 --> 00:33:19.879
 it is

00:33:19.879 --> 00:33:20.480
 talking about

00:33:20.480 --> 00:33:20.980
 Isaiah's

00:33:20.980 --> 00:33:21.379
 son at

00:33:21.379 --> 00:33:21.980
 the first.

00:33:26.879 --> 00:33:27.519
 Third

00:33:27.519 --> 00:33:27.899
 point,

00:33:29.779 --> 00:33:30.099
 Matthew

00:33:30.099 --> 00:33:31.119
 sees this

00:33:31.119 --> 00:33:31.539
 familiar

00:33:31.539 --> 00:33:32.480
 pattern first

00:33:32.480 --> 00:33:33.259
 described by

00:33:33.259 --> 00:33:33.720
 Isaiah,

00:33:34.319 --> 00:33:35.720
 and he

00:33:35.720 --> 00:33:36.500
 sees that it

00:33:36.500 --> 00:33:37.240
 has now come

00:33:37.240 --> 00:33:37.859
 to a greater

00:33:37.859 --> 00:33:38.439
 fulfillment

00:33:38.440 --> 00:33:39.539
 in the

00:33:39.539 --> 00:33:40.519
 birth of

00:33:40.519 --> 00:33:40.920
 Jesus.

00:33:44.779 --> 00:33:45.640
 He sees

00:33:45.640 --> 00:33:46.059
 that Jesus

00:33:46.059 --> 00:33:47.620
 is this

00:33:47.620 --> 00:33:49.640
 child who

00:33:49.640 --> 00:33:49.980
 will one

00:33:49.980 --> 00:33:50.440
 day reign

00:33:50.440 --> 00:33:50.840
 forever.

00:33:53.600 --> 00:33:54.200
 You know,

00:33:54.240 --> 00:33:54.580
 if you look

00:33:54.580 --> 00:33:54.900
 at Old

00:33:54.900 --> 00:33:55.220
 Testament

00:33:55.220 --> 00:33:55.799
 prophecies,

00:33:55.900 --> 00:33:56.299
 there are a

00:33:56.299 --> 00:33:56.840
 few Old

00:33:56.840 --> 00:33:57.120
 Testament

00:33:57.120 --> 00:33:57.740
 prophecies

00:33:57.740 --> 00:33:58.320
 that are

00:33:58.320 --> 00:33:59.160
 about the

00:33:59.160 --> 00:34:00.480
 Messiah that

00:34:00.480 --> 00:34:01.019
 are fairly

00:34:01.019 --> 00:34:01.620
 straightforward

00:34:01.620 --> 00:34:02.559
 predictions.

00:34:04.240 --> 00:34:04.799
 Prophecies

00:34:04.799 --> 00:34:05.140
 that were

00:34:05.140 --> 00:34:06.160
 recognized even

00:34:06.160 --> 00:34:06.820
 before the

00:34:06.820 --> 00:34:07.240
 coming of

00:34:07.240 --> 00:34:07.660
 Christ,

00:34:07.660 --> 00:34:09.200
 by faithful

00:34:09.200 --> 00:34:09.720
 Jews,

00:34:09.920 --> 00:34:10.500
 they were

00:34:10.500 --> 00:34:11.039
 expecting

00:34:11.039 --> 00:34:12.300
 these words

00:34:12.300 --> 00:34:12.740
 to refer

00:34:12.740 --> 00:34:13.019
 to the

00:34:13.019 --> 00:34:13.320
 Messiah.

00:34:13.440 --> 00:34:13.599
 A good

00:34:13.599 --> 00:34:14.119
 example of

00:34:14.119 --> 00:34:14.380
 one of

00:34:14.380 --> 00:34:14.680
 these is

00:34:14.680 --> 00:34:15.780
 Micah 5.2,

00:34:16.579 --> 00:34:17.599
 which basically

00:34:17.599 --> 00:34:18.320
 says that a

00:34:18.320 --> 00:34:18.900
 ruler of

00:34:18.900 --> 00:34:19.539
 Israel will

00:34:19.539 --> 00:34:20.099
 come from

00:34:20.099 --> 00:34:20.619
 Bethlehem.

00:34:22.139 --> 00:34:22.700
 And you can

00:34:22.700 --> 00:34:23.039
 look at the

00:34:23.039 --> 00:34:23.760
 Dead Sea Scrolls,

00:34:23.760 --> 00:34:24.480
 you can look at

00:34:24.480 --> 00:34:25.519
 pre-Christian

00:34:25.519 --> 00:34:26.659
 Jewish documents

00:34:26.659 --> 00:34:28.280
 that clearly

00:34:28.280 --> 00:34:30.579
 interpret that

00:34:30.579 --> 00:34:31.119
 verse as

00:34:31.119 --> 00:34:31.900
 referring to a

00:34:31.900 --> 00:34:32.619
 coming Messiah.

00:34:32.619 --> 00:34:32.679
 Messiah.

00:34:35.380 --> 00:34:35.699
 But you know,

00:34:35.759 --> 00:34:36.359
 many or

00:34:36.359 --> 00:34:37.019
 perhaps even

00:34:37.019 --> 00:34:37.639
 most Old

00:34:37.639 --> 00:34:37.940
 Testament

00:34:37.940 --> 00:34:38.699
 prophecies,

00:34:39.019 --> 00:34:40.339
 it's not

00:34:40.339 --> 00:34:41.079
 quite that

00:34:41.079 --> 00:34:44.219
 clear in

00:34:44.219 --> 00:34:45.619
 advance what

00:34:45.619 --> 00:34:46.219
 they're referring

00:34:46.219 --> 00:34:46.579
 to.

00:34:47.359 --> 00:34:47.719
 Their

00:34:47.719 --> 00:34:48.299
 significance

00:34:48.299 --> 00:34:49.380
 only becomes

00:34:49.380 --> 00:34:50.400
 clearer in

00:34:50.400 --> 00:34:52.440
 hindsight after

00:34:52.440 --> 00:34:53.259
 Christ has

00:34:53.259 --> 00:34:53.579
 come.

00:34:55.259 --> 00:34:55.900
 One scholar,

00:34:56.039 --> 00:34:56.839
 Craig Blomberg,

00:34:56.880 --> 00:34:57.400
 put it this

00:34:57.400 --> 00:34:57.639
 way.

00:34:58.779 --> 00:34:59.239
 He said,

00:34:59.239 --> 00:34:59.579
 the key

00:34:59.579 --> 00:35:00.319
 patterns of

00:35:00.319 --> 00:35:01.000
 activity

00:35:01.000 --> 00:35:02.000
 ascribed to

00:35:02.000 --> 00:35:02.539
 God

00:35:02.539 --> 00:35:03.839
 recur,

00:35:05.059 --> 00:35:05.379
 that is,

00:35:05.399 --> 00:35:05.739
 they happen

00:35:05.739 --> 00:35:06.119
 over and

00:35:06.119 --> 00:35:06.399
 over,

00:35:06.699 --> 00:35:07.559
 in striking

00:35:07.559 --> 00:35:08.500
 discernible

00:35:08.500 --> 00:35:09.839
 patterns such

00:35:09.839 --> 00:35:10.139
 that the

00:35:10.139 --> 00:35:10.819
 believer can

00:35:10.819 --> 00:35:11.539
 only affirm

00:35:11.539 --> 00:35:12.139
 the same

00:35:12.139 --> 00:35:12.599
 hand of

00:35:12.599 --> 00:35:13.039
 God at

00:35:13.039 --> 00:35:13.419
 work in

00:35:13.419 --> 00:35:14.059
 both events.

00:35:14.419 --> 00:35:14.899
 It's sort

00:35:14.899 --> 00:35:15.459
 of like if

00:35:15.459 --> 00:35:15.939
 you turn on

00:35:15.939 --> 00:35:16.399
 the radio

00:35:16.399 --> 00:35:18.039
 and you

00:35:18.039 --> 00:35:18.519
 hear a

00:35:18.519 --> 00:35:19.000
 song that

00:35:19.000 --> 00:35:19.299
 you have

00:35:19.299 --> 00:35:20.039
 never heard

00:35:20.039 --> 00:35:20.619
 before,

00:35:21.319 --> 00:35:23.179
 but immediately

00:35:23.179 --> 00:35:24.659
 you recognize

00:35:24.659 --> 00:35:25.500
 the singer's

00:35:25.500 --> 00:35:25.859
 voice.

00:35:26.899 --> 00:35:28.219
 You recognize

00:35:28.219 --> 00:35:29.079
 the band's

00:35:29.079 --> 00:35:29.960
 style and

00:35:29.960 --> 00:35:30.319
 you know

00:35:30.319 --> 00:35:30.719
 immediately

00:35:30.719 --> 00:35:31.079
 who it

00:35:31.079 --> 00:35:31.319
 is even

00:35:31.319 --> 00:35:31.639
 though you've

00:35:31.639 --> 00:35:32.079
 never heard

00:35:32.079 --> 00:35:32.460
 that song

00:35:32.460 --> 00:35:32.659
 in your

00:35:32.659 --> 00:35:32.960
 life.

00:35:34.319 --> 00:35:34.940
 Or you

00:35:34.940 --> 00:35:35.259
 see a

00:35:35.259 --> 00:35:35.579
 piece of

00:35:35.579 --> 00:35:36.319
 art that

00:35:36.319 --> 00:35:36.699
 you've never

00:35:36.699 --> 00:35:37.340
 seen before

00:35:37.340 --> 00:35:38.199
 and immediately

00:35:38.199 --> 00:35:38.799
 you know

00:35:38.799 --> 00:35:39.599
 that's a

00:35:39.599 --> 00:35:40.039
 Van Gogh,

00:35:40.960 --> 00:35:41.980
 that's a

00:35:41.980 --> 00:35:42.199
 Monet,

00:35:43.059 --> 00:35:44.460
 because you

00:35:44.460 --> 00:35:45.980
 see the

00:35:45.980 --> 00:35:47.039
 fingerprints of

00:35:47.039 --> 00:35:47.559
 the artist.

00:35:50.940 --> 00:35:51.579
 I think

00:35:51.579 --> 00:35:52.500
 Matthew looks

00:35:52.500 --> 00:35:53.360
 at the story

00:35:53.360 --> 00:35:53.940
 of the birth

00:35:53.940 --> 00:35:54.579
 of Christ

00:35:54.579 --> 00:35:55.319
 and he

00:35:55.319 --> 00:35:55.679
 says,

00:35:56.440 --> 00:35:57.860
 that's the

00:35:57.860 --> 00:35:58.380
 God who

00:35:58.380 --> 00:35:58.920
 speaks to

00:35:58.920 --> 00:35:59.300
 us in

00:35:59.300 --> 00:35:59.500
 our

00:35:59.500 --> 00:35:59.980
 fears.

00:36:01.019 --> 00:36:01.680
 That's the

00:36:01.680 --> 00:36:02.140
 God whose

00:36:02.140 --> 00:36:02.579
 word is

00:36:02.579 --> 00:36:02.920
 always

00:36:02.920 --> 00:36:03.420
 trustworthy.

00:36:04.000 --> 00:36:04.480
 That's the

00:36:04.480 --> 00:36:04.820
 God who

00:36:04.820 --> 00:36:05.220
 gives his

00:36:05.220 --> 00:36:05.720
 people a

00:36:05.720 --> 00:36:06.200
 sign,

00:36:06.760 --> 00:36:07.220
 the sign

00:36:07.220 --> 00:36:07.800
 of Emmanuel,

00:36:08.760 --> 00:36:09.260
 so they

00:36:09.260 --> 00:36:09.620
 can see

00:36:09.620 --> 00:36:09.880
 that he

00:36:09.880 --> 00:36:10.500
 will always

00:36:10.500 --> 00:36:10.900
 be true

00:36:10.900 --> 00:36:11.200
 to his

00:36:11.200 --> 00:36:11.559
 word.

00:36:13.640 --> 00:36:14.240
 And so

00:36:14.240 --> 00:36:14.680
 they can be

00:36:14.680 --> 00:36:15.480
 encouraged and

00:36:15.480 --> 00:36:16.180
 challenged to

00:36:16.180 --> 00:36:16.820
 trust him

00:36:16.820 --> 00:36:18.680
 and not

00:36:18.680 --> 00:36:19.599
 trust anything

00:36:19.599 --> 00:36:20.280
 else that is

00:36:20.280 --> 00:36:20.840
 not worthy

00:36:20.840 --> 00:36:21.160
 of their

00:36:21.160 --> 00:36:21.620
 trust.

00:36:21.619 --> 00:36:24.019
 You see,

00:36:24.279 --> 00:36:25.259
 here's the

00:36:25.259 --> 00:36:26.319
 basic comparison.

00:36:26.880 --> 00:36:27.279
 Back in the

00:36:27.279 --> 00:36:27.639
 day,

00:36:28.000 --> 00:36:28.579
 Isaiah's son

00:36:28.579 --> 00:36:29.219
 Emmanuel was

00:36:29.219 --> 00:36:30.119
 assigned to

00:36:30.119 --> 00:36:31.179
 unfaithful Ahaz

00:36:31.179 --> 00:36:31.699
 of God's

00:36:31.699 --> 00:36:32.339
 coming judgment,

00:36:32.519 --> 00:36:33.119
 but now

00:36:33.119 --> 00:36:33.880
 Matthew is

00:36:33.880 --> 00:36:34.239
 saying,

00:36:34.519 --> 00:36:34.960
 Emmanuel,

00:36:35.440 --> 00:36:36.139
 born of the

00:36:36.139 --> 00:36:36.859
 Virgin Mary,

00:36:37.079 --> 00:36:38.099
 is assigned to

00:36:38.099 --> 00:36:39.059
 faithful Joseph

00:36:39.059 --> 00:36:40.259
 and to all

00:36:40.259 --> 00:36:41.019
 God's people of

00:36:41.019 --> 00:36:41.719
 his God's

00:36:41.719 --> 00:36:42.639
 coming salvation.

00:36:44.299 --> 00:36:45.239
 As Joseph

00:36:45.239 --> 00:36:45.900
 watched the

00:36:45.900 --> 00:36:46.639
 child Jesus

00:36:46.639 --> 00:36:47.539
 grow up,

00:36:48.259 --> 00:36:49.019
 as he watched

00:36:49.019 --> 00:36:49.579
 him be born,

00:36:49.679 --> 00:36:50.219
 as he watched

00:36:50.219 --> 00:36:50.719
 him grow up,

00:36:50.719 --> 00:36:51.679
 he would see

00:36:51.679 --> 00:36:53.500
 God's promises

00:36:53.500 --> 00:36:54.299
 are coming

00:36:54.299 --> 00:36:55.079
 to pass

00:36:55.079 --> 00:36:55.799
 in him.

00:36:56.159 --> 00:36:57.259
 He is a

00:36:57.259 --> 00:36:58.079
 sign that God

00:36:58.079 --> 00:36:58.839
 is faithful to

00:36:58.839 --> 00:36:59.399
 his word,

00:36:59.959 --> 00:37:01.079
 and he is a

00:37:01.079 --> 00:37:01.679
 sign that God

00:37:01.679 --> 00:37:02.199
 has come

00:37:02.199 --> 00:37:03.539
 to save us.

00:37:04.719 --> 00:37:05.419
 That's what

00:37:05.419 --> 00:37:05.959
 the name Jesus

00:37:05.959 --> 00:37:06.480
 means.

00:37:07.599 --> 00:37:08.259
 The Lord

00:37:08.259 --> 00:37:09.419
 saves.

00:37:11.719 --> 00:37:12.059
 There's

00:37:12.059 --> 00:37:12.579
 salvation

00:37:12.579 --> 00:37:13.759
 for everyone

00:37:13.759 --> 00:37:14.259
 who will put

00:37:14.259 --> 00:37:14.839
 their trust

00:37:14.839 --> 00:37:16.059
 in Jesus.

00:37:17.179 --> 00:37:17.739
 Emmanuel,

00:37:18.399 --> 00:37:19.059
 God with

00:37:19.059 --> 00:37:19.419
 us.

00:37:20.719 --> 00:37:21.619
 So we've

00:37:21.619 --> 00:37:22.079
 seen God's

00:37:22.079 --> 00:37:22.419
 word to

00:37:22.419 --> 00:37:22.959
 unfaithful

00:37:22.959 --> 00:37:23.439
 Ahaz,

00:37:23.959 --> 00:37:24.579
 and we've

00:37:24.579 --> 00:37:25.059
 seen God's

00:37:25.059 --> 00:37:25.359
 word to

00:37:25.359 --> 00:37:25.639
 faithful

00:37:25.639 --> 00:37:26.019
 Joseph,

00:37:26.619 --> 00:37:27.259
 and finally,

00:37:27.459 --> 00:37:28.019
 I want us

00:37:28.019 --> 00:37:28.480
 to consider

00:37:28.480 --> 00:37:29.219
 God's word

00:37:29.219 --> 00:37:30.059
 to us.

00:37:32.219 --> 00:37:32.919
 What are the

00:37:32.919 --> 00:37:34.759
 crises and

00:37:34.759 --> 00:37:36.079
 problems that

00:37:36.079 --> 00:37:36.579
 you're facing?

00:37:38.659 --> 00:37:39.439
 What are the

00:37:39.439 --> 00:37:40.139
 things that can

00:37:40.139 --> 00:37:40.879
 make your heart

00:37:40.879 --> 00:37:41.719
 shake like a

00:37:41.719 --> 00:37:42.799
 tree in the

00:37:42.799 --> 00:37:43.099
 wind?

00:37:45.939 --> 00:37:46.679
 Whether they're

00:37:46.679 --> 00:37:47.559
 personal problems

00:37:47.559 --> 00:37:48.079
 or family

00:37:48.079 --> 00:37:49.559
 crises or national

00:37:49.559 --> 00:37:50.059
 or global

00:37:50.059 --> 00:37:50.699
 concerns?

00:37:54.519 --> 00:37:55.239
 Let me speak

00:37:55.239 --> 00:37:55.699
 to you for a

00:37:55.699 --> 00:37:56.099
 moment if

00:37:56.099 --> 00:37:56.539
 you're not

00:37:56.539 --> 00:37:57.159
 a Christian,

00:37:58.159 --> 00:37:59.000
 if you're not

00:37:59.000 --> 00:38:00.460
 currently trusting

00:38:00.460 --> 00:38:01.820
 Jesus as your

00:38:01.820 --> 00:38:02.980
 Lord and Savior.

00:38:05.099 --> 00:38:05.900
 God spoke to

00:38:05.900 --> 00:38:06.860
 Ahaz, and God

00:38:06.860 --> 00:38:07.559
 said, ask me

00:38:07.559 --> 00:38:08.239
 for a sign.

00:38:09.779 --> 00:38:10.500
 Now, as I

00:38:10.500 --> 00:38:10.860
 said, God

00:38:10.860 --> 00:38:11.460
 does not tell

00:38:11.460 --> 00:38:14.980
 everyone to

00:38:14.980 --> 00:38:15.619
 ask him for

00:38:15.619 --> 00:38:16.320
 signs anytime

00:38:16.320 --> 00:38:17.000
 they want.

00:38:17.000 --> 00:38:19.019
 God does not

00:38:19.019 --> 00:38:19.599
 say, ask me

00:38:19.599 --> 00:38:19.940
 for whatever

00:38:19.940 --> 00:38:20.500
 you want, and

00:38:20.500 --> 00:38:20.840
 if I don't

00:38:20.840 --> 00:38:21.179
 give it to

00:38:21.179 --> 00:38:21.559
 you, then

00:38:21.559 --> 00:38:22.039
 don't worry,

00:38:22.139 --> 00:38:22.340
 you don't

00:38:22.340 --> 00:38:22.579
 have to

00:38:22.579 --> 00:38:22.960
 trust me.

00:38:24.059 --> 00:38:24.760
 The Pharisees

00:38:24.760 --> 00:38:25.099
 came to

00:38:25.099 --> 00:38:25.559
 Jesus, they

00:38:25.559 --> 00:38:26.159
 demanded a

00:38:26.159 --> 00:38:26.519
 sign, and

00:38:26.519 --> 00:38:26.920
 Jesus said

00:38:26.920 --> 00:38:29.519
 no, because

00:38:29.519 --> 00:38:29.900
 their motives

00:38:29.900 --> 00:38:30.360
 weren't right.

00:38:31.099 --> 00:38:31.719
 But here's

00:38:31.719 --> 00:38:32.219
 the question.

00:38:34.059 --> 00:38:34.599
 Are you

00:38:34.599 --> 00:38:35.360
 giving God

00:38:35.360 --> 00:38:37.679
 a chance to

00:38:37.679 --> 00:38:38.340
 show himself

00:38:38.340 --> 00:38:39.159
 to you as

00:38:39.159 --> 00:38:40.119
 trustworthy and

00:38:40.119 --> 00:38:40.340
 true?

00:38:42.699 --> 00:38:43.360
 Maybe you have

00:38:43.360 --> 00:38:44.039
 questions, maybe

00:38:44.039 --> 00:38:44.760
 you have doubts

00:38:44.760 --> 00:38:45.620
 thoughts or fears

00:38:45.620 --> 00:38:47.560
 or issues, barriers

00:38:47.560 --> 00:38:48.580
 to faith in the

00:38:48.580 --> 00:38:49.340
 Christian God.

00:38:50.800 --> 00:38:51.940
 Talk about them

00:38:51.940 --> 00:38:53.440
 with a Christian.

00:38:54.320 --> 00:38:55.220
 You'll almost

00:38:55.220 --> 00:38:57.320
 certainly find that

00:38:57.320 --> 00:38:58.180
 other people have

00:38:58.180 --> 00:38:58.920
 wrestled with the

00:38:58.920 --> 00:38:59.960
 very same things.

00:39:01.900 --> 00:39:02.820
 There are good

00:39:02.820 --> 00:39:03.720
 books by Christians

00:39:03.720 --> 00:39:04.960
 that address all

00:39:04.960 --> 00:39:06.100
 kinds of issues and

00:39:06.100 --> 00:39:07.120
 fears and doubts

00:39:07.120 --> 00:39:08.420
 and concerns and

00:39:08.420 --> 00:39:08.860
 questions.

00:39:08.860 --> 00:39:13.559
 Have you read a

00:39:13.559 --> 00:39:14.880
 thoughtful book by

00:39:14.880 --> 00:39:15.539
 a Christian that

00:39:15.539 --> 00:39:16.820
 explains a

00:39:16.820 --> 00:39:17.680
 Christian perspective

00:39:17.680 --> 00:39:19.740
 on whatever your

00:39:19.740 --> 00:39:22.700
 top doubt or

00:39:22.700 --> 00:39:23.840
 issue is with

00:39:23.840 --> 00:39:24.360
 Christianity?

00:39:28.700 --> 00:39:30.860
 Also, let me

00:39:30.860 --> 00:39:31.480
 challenge you, are

00:39:31.480 --> 00:39:32.200
 you willing to

00:39:32.200 --> 00:39:33.019
 question your

00:39:33.019 --> 00:39:34.220
 default assumptions?

00:39:35.940 --> 00:39:36.940
 Ahaz's default

00:39:36.940 --> 00:39:37.920
 assumption was,

00:39:37.920 --> 00:39:40.159
 I need to trust

00:39:40.159 --> 00:39:41.400
 the biggest guy

00:39:41.400 --> 00:39:42.039
 on the block.

00:39:45.760 --> 00:39:46.700
 Everybody trusts

00:39:46.700 --> 00:39:48.599
 something, even

00:39:48.599 --> 00:39:49.119
 if it's only

00:39:49.119 --> 00:39:49.659
 themselves.

00:39:52.539 --> 00:39:53.320
 Who are you

00:39:53.320 --> 00:39:54.880
 trusting if it's

00:39:54.880 --> 00:39:55.380
 not God?

00:40:00.340 --> 00:40:01.099
 Finally, have you

00:40:01.099 --> 00:40:02.300
 ever prayed and

00:40:02.300 --> 00:40:03.940
 asked God, God,

00:40:04.019 --> 00:40:04.700
 if you're real,

00:40:05.159 --> 00:40:05.780
 would you please

00:40:05.780 --> 00:40:06.539
 show yourself to

00:40:06.539 --> 00:40:06.740
 me?

00:40:07.920 --> 00:40:09.920
 In the

00:40:09.920 --> 00:40:10.460
 bulletin, there's

00:40:10.460 --> 00:40:12.200
 a prayer for

00:40:12.200 --> 00:40:12.840
 those searching

00:40:12.840 --> 00:40:13.480
 for truth.

00:40:15.680 --> 00:40:16.360
 It's on the

00:40:16.360 --> 00:40:17.700
 page titled

00:40:17.700 --> 00:40:18.320
 Prayers for

00:40:18.320 --> 00:40:18.800
 Communion.

00:40:19.900 --> 00:40:20.720
 When we serve

00:40:20.720 --> 00:40:21.440
 communion in a few

00:40:21.440 --> 00:40:22.059
 minutes, let me

00:40:22.059 --> 00:40:22.659
 encourage you to

00:40:22.659 --> 00:40:23.539
 consider that

00:40:23.539 --> 00:40:23.940
 prayer.

00:40:27.780 --> 00:40:28.579
 Second, for

00:40:28.579 --> 00:40:29.079
 those of us who

00:40:29.079 --> 00:40:29.700
 are Christians,

00:40:29.699 --> 00:40:33.939
 will we let God's

00:40:33.939 --> 00:40:35.719
 word speak to our

00:40:35.719 --> 00:40:37.639
 fears and our

00:40:37.639 --> 00:40:39.000
 problems and our

00:40:39.000 --> 00:40:39.419
 crises?

00:40:41.980 --> 00:40:42.819
 You know, the

00:40:42.819 --> 00:40:44.019
 right kind of fear

00:40:44.019 --> 00:40:46.159
 can be clarifying.

00:40:48.239 --> 00:40:50.179
 It can jolt us out of

00:40:50.179 --> 00:40:51.000
 apathy and

00:40:51.000 --> 00:40:51.819
 complacency.

00:40:51.820 --> 00:40:54.120
 It can give us a

00:40:54.120 --> 00:40:55.580
 laser-like focus and

00:40:55.580 --> 00:40:57.100
 clarity to face the

00:40:57.100 --> 00:40:58.280
 challenges before us or

00:40:58.280 --> 00:40:59.500
 to flee the temptations

00:40:59.500 --> 00:41:00.539
 that ensnare us.

00:41:00.800 --> 00:41:01.800
 Sometimes we need a

00:41:01.800 --> 00:41:02.840
 little bit of that

00:41:02.840 --> 00:41:03.780
 right kind of fear,

00:41:03.940 --> 00:41:05.100
 which begins with the

00:41:05.100 --> 00:41:05.740
 fear of God.

00:41:08.640 --> 00:41:09.980
 All the right kinds of

00:41:09.980 --> 00:41:11.380
 fear are ultimately

00:41:11.380 --> 00:41:12.260
 derived from the fear

00:41:12.260 --> 00:41:12.680
 of God.

00:41:14.500 --> 00:41:15.640
 Because the fear of God

00:41:15.640 --> 00:41:16.820
 gives us a respect for

00:41:17.420 --> 00:41:18.940
 the order that God has

00:41:18.940 --> 00:41:19.900
 established in this

00:41:19.900 --> 00:41:20.340
 world.

00:41:21.639 --> 00:41:22.440
 And therefore, we

00:41:22.440 --> 00:41:25.000
 learn to live wisely in

00:41:25.000 --> 00:41:25.880
 the world that God has

00:41:25.880 --> 00:41:28.539
 made when we recognize

00:41:28.539 --> 00:41:30.639
 that there's a maker of

00:41:30.639 --> 00:41:32.099
 this world who ordered

00:41:32.099 --> 00:41:32.460
 it.

00:41:33.679 --> 00:41:34.599
 And so, we ought to

00:41:34.599 --> 00:41:37.220
 respect His design for

00:41:37.220 --> 00:41:37.679
 things.

00:41:40.420 --> 00:41:41.460
 There's a right kind of

00:41:41.460 --> 00:41:42.619
 fear, but there's a

00:41:42.619 --> 00:41:43.440
 wrong kind of fear.

00:41:44.960 --> 00:41:46.119
 And the wrong kind of

00:41:46.119 --> 00:41:47.220
 fear, the kind of fear

00:41:47.220 --> 00:41:48.300
 that Ahaz had,

00:41:48.300 --> 00:41:49.539
 God just further

00:41:49.539 --> 00:41:50.500
 confuses us.

00:41:50.600 --> 00:41:52.620
 It further creates

00:41:52.620 --> 00:41:54.720
 clouds of dust.

00:41:57.300 --> 00:41:58.420
 Sometimes fear can

00:41:58.420 --> 00:41:59.420
 paralyze us.

00:41:59.800 --> 00:42:00.640
 Sometimes fear can

00:42:00.640 --> 00:42:01.840
 drive us into a frenzy

00:42:01.840 --> 00:42:03.039
 of chaotic activity.

00:42:03.380 --> 00:42:04.539
 But to be honest, you

00:42:04.539 --> 00:42:05.880
 can't even quite explain

00:42:05.880 --> 00:42:06.740
 why you're doing what

00:42:06.740 --> 00:42:07.160
 you're doing.

00:42:07.320 --> 00:42:08.539
 You just know that

00:42:08.539 --> 00:42:09.740
 you're afraid and you're

00:42:09.740 --> 00:42:10.019
 running.

00:42:12.060 --> 00:42:13.200
 And you're spinning your

00:42:13.200 --> 00:42:13.539
 wheels.

00:42:16.019 --> 00:42:17.260
 Sometimes we can get so

00:42:17.260 --> 00:42:18.120
 worried about our

00:42:18.120 --> 00:42:19.180
 concerns, that is,

00:42:19.240 --> 00:42:20.140
 things that we cannot

00:42:20.140 --> 00:42:20.720
 control.

00:42:21.880 --> 00:42:22.380
 And therefore,

00:42:22.540 --> 00:42:23.460
 ultimately, we need to

00:42:23.460 --> 00:42:24.940
 trust God with those

00:42:24.940 --> 00:42:26.620
 things, that we neglect

00:42:26.620 --> 00:42:27.860
 our responsibilities,

00:42:28.980 --> 00:42:29.840
 the things that God has

00:42:29.840 --> 00:42:31.760
 actually assigned us to do.

00:42:31.760 --> 00:42:37.400
 One person said, we are

00:42:37.400 --> 00:42:38.780
 always in danger of paying

00:42:38.780 --> 00:42:40.100
 too much attention to the

00:42:40.100 --> 00:42:41.620
 passing and paying too

00:42:41.620 --> 00:42:42.700
 little attention to the

00:42:42.700 --> 00:42:43.140
 significant.

00:42:47.300 --> 00:42:48.720
 So will we let God's

00:42:48.720 --> 00:42:50.680
 words speak to our fears

00:42:50.680 --> 00:42:53.100
 and reshape our concerns?

00:42:53.099 --> 00:42:56.679
 You see, on the one hand, the

00:42:56.679 --> 00:42:57.980
 sign of Emmanuel is a warning,

00:42:58.880 --> 00:43:00.440
 as it was to King Ahaz.

00:43:02.159 --> 00:43:04.440
 Whatever we trust in place of

00:43:04.440 --> 00:43:06.639
 God will eventually turn on us

00:43:06.639 --> 00:43:07.940
 and destroy us.

00:43:10.659 --> 00:43:12.599
 But on the other hand, the

00:43:12.599 --> 00:43:14.799
 sign of Emmanuel is a comfort.

00:43:14.800 --> 00:43:20.039
 Because we can look at Jesus

00:43:20.039 --> 00:43:24.100
 and see, God has come to be

00:43:24.100 --> 00:43:24.860
 with us.

00:43:26.820 --> 00:43:27.960
 That's how Matthew begins his

00:43:27.960 --> 00:43:29.820
 gospel, by introducing Jesus as

00:43:29.820 --> 00:43:31.460
 Emmanuel, God with us.

00:43:31.760 --> 00:43:33.600
 And what's the last word of the

00:43:33.600 --> 00:43:34.460
 gospel of Matthew?

00:43:34.820 --> 00:43:36.140
 Jesus says to his disciples,

00:43:37.140 --> 00:43:38.840
 go and make disciples of all

00:43:38.840 --> 00:43:41.740
 nations, and I am with you

00:43:41.740 --> 00:43:42.500
 always.

00:43:42.500 --> 00:43:44.719
 to the very end of the age.

00:43:47.059 --> 00:43:48.679
 Emmanuel has come to be with

00:43:48.679 --> 00:43:49.940
 us, and he's promised to stay

00:43:49.940 --> 00:43:52.000
 with us, and never leave us,

00:43:52.019 --> 00:43:53.099
 and never forsake us.

00:43:53.360 --> 00:43:54.880
 And so he's with us in our

00:43:54.880 --> 00:43:56.400
 problems, in our crises, in our

00:43:56.400 --> 00:43:56.820
 fears.

00:43:58.320 --> 00:43:59.940
 Don't live as if he's not.

00:44:00.760 --> 00:44:02.039
 He's not absent.

00:44:04.480 --> 00:44:06.059
 Brothers and sisters, do not

00:44:06.059 --> 00:44:08.480
 fear the wrong things.

00:44:09.739 --> 00:44:11.420
 For God is with us.

00:44:11.420 --> 00:44:12.820
 Let us pray.

00:44:25.559 --> 00:44:27.059
 Father God, we thank you for

00:44:27.059 --> 00:44:29.460
 speaking to us in the midst of

00:44:29.460 --> 00:44:30.039
 our fears.

00:44:33.559 --> 00:44:35.059
 We thank you that you do not

00:44:35.059 --> 00:44:37.599
 only speak to us from afar,

00:44:37.599 --> 00:44:40.920
 but we thank you that in Jesus

00:44:40.920 --> 00:44:42.159
 Christ you have come to dwell

00:44:42.159 --> 00:44:46.139
 with us, that we would know

00:44:46.139 --> 00:44:50.219
 that we are never alone in all

00:44:50.219 --> 00:44:54.699
 the battles we face, in all the

00:44:54.699 --> 00:44:59.059
 uncertainties of life in this

00:44:59.059 --> 00:45:01.059
 unpredictable and fallen world.

00:45:01.059 --> 00:45:04.960
 Lord, we thank you that you are

00:45:04.960 --> 00:45:08.739
 the rock upon which we can stand.

00:45:11.460 --> 00:45:12.639
 We thank you that you are the

00:45:12.639 --> 00:45:14.400
 one who can give us courage and

00:45:14.400 --> 00:45:16.400
 confidence, who can give us

00:45:16.400 --> 00:45:18.699
 humility and peace.

00:45:21.420 --> 00:45:24.320
 We pray that we would take heed,

00:45:25.619 --> 00:45:28.119
 that we would listen and obey

00:45:28.119 --> 00:45:29.480
 your word.

00:45:32.059 --> 00:45:33.779
 We pray that in this Advent season

00:45:33.779 --> 00:45:36.460
 that we would know your presence

00:45:36.460 --> 00:45:37.059
 with us.

00:45:41.299 --> 00:45:42.579
 We pray that we would

00:45:42.579 --> 00:45:47.799
 forsake our

00:45:47.799 --> 00:45:50.059
 loyalties that are

00:45:50.059 --> 00:45:50.819
 misguided,

00:45:50.820 --> 00:45:53.340
 that we would

00:45:53.340 --> 00:45:54.720
 not trust

00:45:54.720 --> 00:45:56.700
 other people or other

00:45:56.700 --> 00:45:57.280
 things

00:45:57.280 --> 00:45:58.920
 that we should not

00:45:58.920 --> 00:46:00.019
 be trusting in.

00:46:00.519 --> 00:46:02.220
 That we would trust in you

00:46:02.220 --> 00:46:04.559
 alone above all

00:46:04.559 --> 00:46:05.120
 things.

00:46:08.539 --> 00:46:09.720
 And that you would give us

00:46:09.720 --> 00:46:10.160
 wisdom

00:46:10.160 --> 00:46:14.240
 to live wisely in this world.

00:46:20.820 --> 00:46:22.900
 We pray that as we

00:46:22.900 --> 00:46:24.600
 come to the Lord's Supper,

00:46:24.720 --> 00:46:25.080
 that you would

00:46:25.080 --> 00:46:26.400
 nourish us and strengthen us

00:46:26.400 --> 00:46:27.980
 to live by faith

00:46:27.980 --> 00:46:30.220
 in the one who died for us

00:46:30.220 --> 00:46:32.420
 and rose again from the dead.

00:46:33.880 --> 00:46:34.920
 We pray in his name,

00:46:35.600 --> 00:46:36.340
 Jesus our Lord.

00:46:36.559 --> 00:46:36.820
 Amen.

00:46:36.820 --> 00:46:36.920
 Amen.

00:46:36.920 --> 00:46:36.960
 Amen.

00:46:36.960 --> 00:46:36.980
 Amen.

00:46:36.980 --> 00:46:37.000
 Amen.