Dream Awakener

A guest post by Debbie Kim

You can read Part I here, Part II here, and Part III here.

Lectionary Texts: Isaiah 7:10-16; Matthew 1:18-25

God With Us, Even in Spite of Us
The way that we Christians have begun to read this passage is via the New Testament, as a messianic text, a prophetic word about the future. But let’s think about the context of the prophecy for a minute—if this text is talking about Jesus, of what use will it be to Ahaz that a kid is going to be born 700 years later, and then he has to wait another 12 years, and then Syria and Israel will be destroyed? If that’s the sign, then Ahaz was right in saying that he doesn’t want it. That’s almost more of a reason to despair, because the danger is imminent and the hope so distant that it’s irrelevant. Scholars say that this text can be, but isn’t necessarily about Jesus in this context. Instead of focusing on the virgin birth—especially since the word is probably better translated as “young woman” and doesn’t necessarily mean “virgin”—we’d do best to look at this Immanuel, the child’s name.

God uses the name of children, and specifically Isaiah’s children, as messages. Isaiah was sent with his son, A Remnant will Return—it’s a sign. Another child, whosever’s it is (some say Isaiah’s), his name will be Immanuel, God With Us—it’s a sign. He has yet another kid in chapter 8, whose name will be “Swift to plunder and quick to carry away,” which refers to the conquering of Israel by Assyria—yet another sign. It’s the name that’s important, the names that serve as prophetic elements in that they tell God’s Truth about the current situation in spite of plenty of reasons to despair. In the midst of awful rebellion, an obvious disregard for God, in the middle of war, and with the full knowledge that Ahaz will never be a good king by any stretch of the imagination—God sends a child whose name means “God with us.”

That, to me, is almost more extraordinary than Isaiah knowing about Mary in the future. It speaks volumes about the character and nature of God, that even when Ahaz, one of the worst kings of all time, rejects God, God is saying, “Too bad, sucker. I’m with you.”

Did you have a bad year? Did you make some stupid mistakes? Did you deliberately turn your back against God and make alliances with other gods? Did you sell out? Did you betray someone? Did you hurt someone’s feelings, did you let bitterness form a callous over your heart? Did you, in false humility, or maybe in fear, tell God that you didn’t need a sign because you were afraid he’d actually give it to you?

Regardless, he sends us a sign: Immanuel, God is with Us, even if it’s in spite of us. This series continues tomorrow.

Debbie Kim, a Chicagoan lost in Los Angeles, is a graduate of the University of Missouri. Ignoring her high school English teachers prophecy that she would become a teacher also, she pursued a career in journalism. In 2006, she came to LA to help plant a church and work at a city magazine. Four years later, she has somehow found herself in UCLA’s education program fulfilling that accursed prophecy. When she’s not at the gym pumping iron or at the beach rescuing baby seals, she works as an indentured servant at Kairos West LA. Debbie appreciates good design, Earl Gray tea, butter and bacon, but not in that order.