No doubt many times during this month the words of Matthew 1:23 will be read: "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God wish us." These words were included by Matthew into the story where Joseph learns in a dream the miraculous nature of the conception and is assured that he should take Mary into his home as his wife. It is among the best known messianic prophecies but few seem to know the background.
The words were originally spoken to Ahaz, King of Judah. He was a morally corrupt king who had introduced and promoted idolatry in the land. He was even guilty of stripping the treasures from the temple in order to pay tribute to the kink of Assyria. You can read more about him in 2 Kings 16. Reading Isaiah chapter 7 reveals that Judah is under pressure from the Arameans and the northern tribes of Israel hat had formed an alliance against him, Their plan was to bring an end to the Davidic line of kings, replacing King Ahaz. King Ahaz is in a panic and this is spreading throughout the land. They are shaking with fear. Isaiah is told by God to take his son and for the two of them to meet Ahaz with an exhortation to put his trust solely in the Sovereign God. God's promises previously given to David, which included the eventual coming of the Saviour, would hold true. He is told the plans of his enemies will come to nothing but he must stand firm in faith if he is to stand at all..
Tragically, this corrupt king disregards this exhortation. He is then offered the option of selecting any sign he wishes as proof of God's promise. He declines using mock spirituality. But the prophet says that God will provide his own sign, and this is where the words quoted by Matthew come from. The virgin in Isaiah's prophecy obviously refers in the first place to someone within his own time, as the following verses make clear. No one knows for sure who the virgin was, though it is suspected that this was the second wife of Isaiah (his first wife having died after she had born him a son). That first son bore the prophetic name meaning "A remnant shall return" bringing a promise of hope beyond the coming exile. But the child yet to be born was to be given the name which means "God with us". It brought the assurance that in the darkest hour God would be there.
Whether Isaiah saw the future relevance of the prophecy we cannot know. However, Matthew sees that another child, conceived miraculously, more than 400 years later, brings God's delivering presence to lighten the darkness. Like the original context of the prophecy the same word comes at the birth of Jesus Christ, and to us today: "Trust in God". I love the words of John Henry Newman in his hymn, "Praise to the holiest in the height" and have included some of the verses in our Christmas greetings this year: O loving wisdom of our God! When all was sin and shame, a second Adam to the fight and to the rescue came. O wisest love that flesh and blood which did in Adam fail, should strive afresh against the foe, should strive and should prevail. And that a higher gift than grace should flesh and blood refine: God's presence, and his very self and essence all divine.
Doesn't it make you want to shout "Hallelujah!"?
Following the morning service at Yelvertoft today I headed over to the URC in the next village to discuss their involvement in a special Prayer Mission I am helping to lead from 18th to 25th January. More about this to follow.
Tuesday 16th following the Christmas Staff Lu inch at HMP Gartree I will be working with others with the men in the prison choir. Recently our numbers increased and I have two new men who apparently have ADHD. This has raised serious questions as to how we use the time, allow them to feel included but also manage discipline. This is more sensitive than might be the normal case as their condition may have been a factor in their prison sentence. Please pray for grace, patience and wisdom.
Wednesday 17th I will be leading the Yelvertoft Senior Circle Christmas service in the afternoon. On Thursday morning I will be leading the Bible Discussion Group in Yelvertoft, which always excites me. Then we head into a very busy weekend. On Friday I will be working with Lubenham Primary School. On Saturday morning I will be part of the team running "Get Messy for Christmas" at Yelvertoft. Please pray that we will have growth in numbers. Then in the afternoon I will be back to share in carol singing at Yelvertoft Marina to the narrow boat community. In the morning of Sunday 21st we run a Christmas Warmer event at Yelvertoft which is our regular Christmas outreach service.
January 18 -25 we hold the Prayer Mission in three Northamptonshire villages so there will be a lot of preparation work between now and then. Please pray for Lorna Taylor with whom I am working.
Barry
The words were originally spoken to Ahaz, King of Judah. He was a morally corrupt king who had introduced and promoted idolatry in the land. He was even guilty of stripping the treasures from the temple in order to pay tribute to the kink of Assyria. You can read more about him in 2 Kings 16. Reading Isaiah chapter 7 reveals that Judah is under pressure from the Arameans and the northern tribes of Israel hat had formed an alliance against him, Their plan was to bring an end to the Davidic line of kings, replacing King Ahaz. King Ahaz is in a panic and this is spreading throughout the land. They are shaking with fear. Isaiah is told by God to take his son and for the two of them to meet Ahaz with an exhortation to put his trust solely in the Sovereign God. God's promises previously given to David, which included the eventual coming of the Saviour, would hold true. He is told the plans of his enemies will come to nothing but he must stand firm in faith if he is to stand at all..
Tragically, this corrupt king disregards this exhortation. He is then offered the option of selecting any sign he wishes as proof of God's promise. He declines using mock spirituality. But the prophet says that God will provide his own sign, and this is where the words quoted by Matthew come from. The virgin in Isaiah's prophecy obviously refers in the first place to someone within his own time, as the following verses make clear. No one knows for sure who the virgin was, though it is suspected that this was the second wife of Isaiah (his first wife having died after she had born him a son). That first son bore the prophetic name meaning "A remnant shall return" bringing a promise of hope beyond the coming exile. But the child yet to be born was to be given the name which means "God with us". It brought the assurance that in the darkest hour God would be there.
Whether Isaiah saw the future relevance of the prophecy we cannot know. However, Matthew sees that another child, conceived miraculously, more than 400 years later, brings God's delivering presence to lighten the darkness. Like the original context of the prophecy the same word comes at the birth of Jesus Christ, and to us today: "Trust in God". I love the words of John Henry Newman in his hymn, "Praise to the holiest in the height" and have included some of the verses in our Christmas greetings this year: O loving wisdom of our God! When all was sin and shame, a second Adam to the fight and to the rescue came. O wisest love that flesh and blood which did in Adam fail, should strive afresh against the foe, should strive and should prevail. And that a higher gift than grace should flesh and blood refine: God's presence, and his very self and essence all divine.
Doesn't it make you want to shout "Hallelujah!"?
Introductory Webinar
Last Saturday I ran an introductory webinar as a practise for the series of online seminars we intend to run throughout 2015, and was encouraged by how this went. We were a small group but that was half expected and allowed the style of the seminar to be adapted. Those attending all agreed that this offers significant potential. My colleague, Monica Cook, and I must be among the most experienced people in rural mission and evangelism. Not only have we put in many years but we have been priveleged to have broad experience. In addition to being practitioners in rural mission, we both have a reputation for a God-given teaching ministry and the ability to reflect analytically on practise. Also both of us have had significant of settled leadership responsibility alongside our itinerant work. One of the major concerns of our trustees is that we find opportunity for sharing the understanding and experience as widely as possible. So webinars are ideal. Probably the major challenge at the moment is breaking down the kind of teaching we do on church away-days into modules of the right length for online teaching. It was good to have the help of Gordon banks on this occasion.From the diary
It was good to share God's word at the Torch Trust Christmas Carol Service last Wednesday and good to see it well supported.Following the morning service at Yelvertoft today I headed over to the URC in the next village to discuss their involvement in a special Prayer Mission I am helping to lead from 18th to 25th January. More about this to follow.
Tuesday 16th following the Christmas Staff Lu inch at HMP Gartree I will be working with others with the men in the prison choir. Recently our numbers increased and I have two new men who apparently have ADHD. This has raised serious questions as to how we use the time, allow them to feel included but also manage discipline. This is more sensitive than might be the normal case as their condition may have been a factor in their prison sentence. Please pray for grace, patience and wisdom.
Wednesday 17th I will be leading the Yelvertoft Senior Circle Christmas service in the afternoon. On Thursday morning I will be leading the Bible Discussion Group in Yelvertoft, which always excites me. Then we head into a very busy weekend. On Friday I will be working with Lubenham Primary School. On Saturday morning I will be part of the team running "Get Messy for Christmas" at Yelvertoft. Please pray that we will have growth in numbers. Then in the afternoon I will be back to share in carol singing at Yelvertoft Marina to the narrow boat community. In the morning of Sunday 21st we run a Christmas Warmer event at Yelvertoft which is our regular Christmas outreach service.
January 18 -25 we hold the Prayer Mission in three Northamptonshire villages so there will be a lot of preparation work between now and then. Please pray for Lorna Taylor with whom I am working.
Thank you for your partnership through prayer and practical support.
Barry
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