The Child Immanuel
10 Then the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying, 11 “Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; [j]make it deep as Sheol or high as [k]heaven.” 12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I test the Lord!” 13 Then he said, “Listen now, O house of David! Is it too slight a thing for you to try the patience of men, that you will try the patience of my God as well? 14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a [l]virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name [m]Immanuel. 15 He will eat curds and honey [n]at the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good. 16 For before the boy will know enough to refuse evil and choose good, the land whose two kings you dread will be forsaken.
As Isaiah continues speaking with Ahaz, he tells the King to ask for a sign, whatever he wants. His response seems in line with Jesus’ words against the religious leaders when they asked for a sign (Matt. 12:38). He called them a rebellious and adulterous generation, ouch!
Yet that was long into the future, and Jesus wasn’t upset with them for asking for a sign. How could he be, when Gideon of old asked for the same, and God granted it. Moses needed multiple signs, and still wrestled with God’s calling. So why does God get upset with Ahaz for not wanting a sign, and later condemn the Pharisees for requesting the same?
It was all about the heart. The religious leaders who asked Jesus for a sign were rebuked multiple times in Matthew 12, and the same passage accounts for two very plain miracles, both of which the same leaders dismissed as works of evil.
In the same way, Ahaz wasn’t trying to show his strong faith–well, maybe he was pretending he had strong faith. Rather, he was dismissing the offer so that he would not be confronted with his lack of belief. That is, Ahaz didn’t want to change his life, and a sign from God would be too much to ignore. Ahaz didn’t want to change his mind or his life, so he’d rather God didn’t show up at all.
How much do we want to change? Are we willing to do things differently when God asks us to? Do we go beyond appearances and let God change our hearts? It isn’t enough to just do good works, lots of folks are doing those all over the world. But far fewer do it because of what is in their hearts.
Right before the religious folk asked Jesus for signs, he said, “For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.” No doubt they were trying to fake what was in their hearts, and Jesus saw through it. Don’t fake it, let God change you from the inside, so that what you speak is more than good, but real and true to what is in your heart.