The readings for this Fourth Sunday of Advent are an example of the richness of biblical history and the use of Old Testament prophecy by the writers of the New Testament.
The historical circumstances of the First Reading from Isaiah (7:10-14) depict a time of warfare and turmoil. The once united kingdom of Israel has been split into two parts – a Northern Kingdom which has retained the name, Israel, and a Southern Kingdom, known as Judah, in which is found the capital city of Jerusalem.
The dominating empire of the time, the Assyrians are threatening to invade both Israel and Judah, as well as the surrounding nations. The kings of Northern Israel and Syria have formed a coalition to strengthen their resistance to the enemy invaders and are trying to compel King Ahaz of Judah to join them in their fight.
Isaiah advises Ahaz that he should trust in God to provide protection against the Assyrians instead of relying on foreign allies. He insists that Ahaz ask the LORD for a sign of His protection, but Ahaz is more intent on trusting human armies than in seeking a sign of reassurance from God.
Isaiah reprimands Ahaz for testing God’s patience, for making God weary with his lack of faith. He warns that God will nonetheless send Ahaz a sign. It is a “young woman, pregnant and about to bear a son” and she “shall name him Emmanuel,” or “God with us.”
Historically speaking, it is theorized that the young woman about whom Isaiah is speaking is Ahaz’s own pregnant wife. She is soon to bear a son who will be the next king of Judah, named Hezekiah. Isaiah is promising that if Ahaz but wait for the reign of his son, perhaps the expected messiah, then Judah will have rest from its enemies.
However, in his stubbornness, Ahaz instead chooses to form an alliance with the rival Assyrians, to become a vassal to them and pay them an exorbitant tribute, much like a bribe, in order to remain at peace. As a result, Ahaz is freed from the pestering nations of Israel and Syria, but his alliance with Assyria causes him to break his allegiance to the God of Israel and fall into the idol worship of Assyrian gods.
Ahaz even goes so far as to offer one of his sons by fire as a sacrificial ritual to the foreign god, Moloch. Although Hezekiah later reforms the apostasy that his father has brought to Judah, he repeats the mistake of his father in not trusting God by making an alliance with the subsequent superpower of Babylon. Hezekiah thus fails to become the hoped-for messiah for the Judeans. The nation will have to look to a future king.
Fast forward about 725 years and we come to the time of the birth of Jesus as told in the Gospel of Matthew (1:18-24). The Jews are still waiting for the messiah and an angel has appeared to Mary to announce that she will bear the Son of God through the power of the Holy Spirit. Understandably, her betrothed Joseph is very distressed by her unexpected pregnancy. He plans to divorce her quietly, rather than expose her and the family to ridicule and shame.
As he sleeps an angel appears to Joseph in a dream to reassure him. The angel tells him to take Mary as his wife for she is about to bear a child who will save his people from their sins. Joseph is told that this event will occur to fulfill the prophesy of Isaiah. The young woman Mary translated into the Greek as “virgin,” will bear the child promised to Ahaz.
As we look forward to Christmas which rapidly approaches, amidst our final, hurried preparations, we may think sentimentally about this story which we hear this time of year. But do we really take the time to understand its significance? The birth of Christ is the most momentous event in the history of our world. It is the fulfillment of a prophecy made to Israel thousands of years ago, the miracle of the Incarnation, Emmanuel, God with us. It is the event by which salvation is brought to us all.
