If you knew a loved one was going to have a difficult go of it, what would you tell them? This was the world which Isaiah faced. He knew that his generation was going to face severe trial and difficulty. As such he wrote this epistle to prepare them for the crucible, specifically Isaiah 6-12.
In Isaiah 6-12 Isaiah introduces us to the “Immanuel Principle” specifically, out of the devastation of the sin and misery of this life, God preserves His own for He is always with them! That was the significance of:
• The child born in Isaiah’s day named, “Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).
• The child born of Mary 2,000 years ago who also bore the name, “Immanuel” (Matthew 1:23).
And, surprisingly, in Isaiah God deigned to append this title, “Immanuel,” to his people, two times!
Isaiah 8:8, “Then it [speaking of the flood waters of Assyria] will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass through, it will reach even to the neck; and the spread of its wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel.” |
