God ministered to me through Isaiah 7-9 tonight as he gave me words to teach a Bible study on this passage cross referenced with Luke 1.

Isaiah, preaching in a time of great darkness and fear and uncertainty, when hearts "shook as the tress of the forest shake before the wind" (the imminent Assyrian invasion), challenges his people to get their hearts in line: "If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all." He encourages them not to panic as others who have no God might do. He declares his decision to wait for and hope in the God of Jacob even though He is hiding His face at this time. He affirms the fact that God is with them, Immanuel. When they face temptation to turn their backs on God and find quick answers and cheap comfort he shouts, "To the law and to the testimony!" Let's get back to what we know about God and hang on!

And in the midst of this he closes his eyes and looks forward in his soul to the coming of the Redeemer - our Wonderful Counselor when we are in doubt, our Mighty God who has everything under control, our Everlasting Father whose eternal plan and steadfast love make everything worthwhile, our Prince of Peace when the darkness and anxiety threaten the very foundations of our faith. Praise God, His kingdom of justice and righteousness will last forever. Nothing else will. 

Centuries later Zechariah, obviously inspired by the Holy Spirit, echoes Isaiah's words:

"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel

for He has visited and redeemed His people...

as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets of old...

that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, 

might serve Him without fear,

in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High

for you will go before the Lord to prepare His ways,

to give knowledge of salvation to His people

in the forgiveness of their sins,

because of the tender mercies of our God,

whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high

to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,

to guide our feet into the way of peace."

Still more centuries later we are so very privileged to look back and put our hope in the Son who has already been given, the Immanuel who is still with us, giving us light.

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