The Bible is the memory of the people of God about God’s presence in and with us. It is a library of incredibly creative and purposeful writers who are remembering original God shaped events and interpreting and intuiting them; reshaping them for contemporary audiences that need The Story told and retold. The Bible emerges from a worshiping community in relation to the very God whose Spirit breaths in the:
Originating events, and;
Events as now remembered by the people of God, and;
Gathering and worshiping moments when a new people of God re-experience this same God by ‘remembering’ again.
Take Isaiash’s promise that “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel“ (Isaiah 7:14 NIV). If ever there was a prophesy just waiting for Mary of Nazareth to jump into, that’s it! Right? Well, not exactly, unless you wish to be off in your timing by 600-700 years.
Back Story is everything
I don’t know too many kids playing “King” who would pretend to be King Ahaz. Maybe David, or Solomon, perhaps even Ahaz’s grandson, Hezekiah, but never Ahaz—unless your looking for a Darth Vader kinda guy. Ahaz was possibly the worst King of Judah and as the saying goes, ‘May his name be forgotten in the earth!’ “Never heard that saying?“ you say. Neither have I, but it does have a certain ring about it, right?
Anyway, it was to this undeserving, treacherous King that Isaiah was told to offer a gracious message of hope at a time when it appeared Judah would be overwhelmed by two Kings consorting to take him down. “Then the Lord said to Isaiah, “Go out, you and your son Shear-Jashub, to meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field. Say to him, ‘Be careful, keep calm and don’t be afraid. Do not lose heart because of these two smoldering stubs of firewood—because of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and of the son of Remaliah” (Isaiah 7:3-4 NIV).
Yet in his arrogance Ahaz refused, even when facing disaster, to receive anything from his grand-father’s God. Nevertheless, God acted in kindness toward Judah and instructed Isaiah to tell this foolish King in rebellion that before a young virgin could marry, conceive, give birth and “before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste” (Isaiah 7:16 NIV). And so it was. And the child’s name? Emmanuel or God with us—the name that would be associated with King Hezekiah, his grandchild who would become the most righteous man to sit on David’s throne, until..
The Church, saw in this prophesy of hope another—greater than Hezekiah—son of David in whom Judah, Israel—indeed every daughter and son of Adam would finally be cleansed; Jesus of Nazareth (a village in poverty), born in a cave and laid in a cow’s trough, under the reign of Herod, the wicked.
For more:
See my New Promo for “The First Christmas”
Terry :) Blessings!
My new Book, written for kid’s and their parents, grandparents, teachers, pastors and mentor, “The Ist Christmas: A Children’s Holiday Story”
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1792118619/ref=sr_1_13?keywords=Terry+Mattson&qid=1638820442&s=books&sr=1-
My other Advent books:
My 2nd new Book, written for kid’s and their parents, grandparents, teachers, pastors and mentors, “The Sacred Tree: A Children's Christmas Adventure in Time
“The Advent of God through Mary”
To purchas, go to Amazon:
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