This post is written by Shaq Hardy and is published as a companion to Unit 16, Session 4 of The Gospel Project for Adults Vol. 6 (Winter 2022-23): From Captivity to Restoration.

During the Christmas season, we celebrate the birth of Christ. That’s quite obvious to most of us who are believers. Yet, it’s interesting to note that there was a period of time when Jesus’s birth was but a promise. A promise that would surely be fulfilled since it came from God, but it was a promise nonetheless—a promise that was still yet to be fulfilled.

Isaiah’s Prophecy

In Isaiah 7, we see one of the most known prophecies about the coming of Jesus. It’s the prophecy that Jesus would be born of a virgin: “Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: See, the virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel.” That prophecy and promise is an incredibly hope-filled prophecy and promise from God. But it came during a time of turmoil. At this point in the history of God’s people, the people of God were split into two kingdoms, Israel and Judah. They were not on the same page in many ways. But God’s promise to them was to send a Savior that would come through the line of David, through the kingdom of Judah.

Knowing that, you may be tempted to think that Judah wasn’t the cause for the turmoil that the people of God were experiencing and that it was primarily Israel’s fault. While that may be slightly true, the whole truth is that both were at fault as seen in the example of Ahaz.

Ahaz’s Lack of Faith

Ahaz, the current king of Judah during Isaiah’s time, refused to trust God. In Isaiah 7:9 God said, “If you do not stand firm in your faith, then you will not stand at all.” Ahaz did not stand firm. God commanded and offered to give Ahaz a sign of His protection, but Ahaz refused. In his refusal to ask for a sign, Ahaz’s lack of trust in God came to a head. Perhaps Ahaz was too fearful of his enemies. Perhaps he didn’t think God truly was good or would protect them. Perhaps he didn’t think God honored what He said He would do.

Whatever the reason, even with Ahaz’s refusal, God still offered him a sign—a virgin birth of a son named “God with us.” God was telling Ahaz that He does keep His promises and He does protect His people. This prophecy’s ultimate fulfillment is in the birth of Jesus, reminding us today that God is trustworthy, He is faithful, He keeps His word, and He is full of grace and mercy, even to all skeptics and doubters.

Christmas Reminds Us of God’s Faithfulness

The Christmas season is a great opportunity for God’s people to remember that God can be trusted for all things. God sent His Son Jesus into the world to save the world from sin. Jesus did that by living the life we were supposed to live, dying the death we deserved to die, and then rising from the grave in three days. The life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus begs the question from Romans 8:32, “He did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything?”

This Christmas season, let’s not only remember the birth of Jesus but let’s remember what the birth of Jesus led to—our hope and our salvation.

Shaq Hardy and his wife, Racheal, live in Asheville, North Carolina, where they are committed to faithfully serving the high school students of Biltmore Church. He is currently a student at Southeastern Seminary and is passionate about being a part of life-change, whether through sharing a sermon or through intentional life-on-life discipleship.